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Home » ColumnsWhy Champika lost his ‘Atomic Energy’ portfolio
On June 24, Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister flew to Moscow. His mission was to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rostatom Nuclear Energy State Corporation. It is to centre on managing nuclear and radiation safety issues and development of infrastructure related to nuclear technology. On the same day, [...]
Rajapaksa regime bows to India and world community
Any changes to 13th Amendment put off until at least next year while nationalist forces breathe fire Minister’s plan to cut 70,000 trees grounded, but Hakeem complains of subtle move to uproot his party tree Since state takeover beginning in the post 1971 insurgency period, most tea plantations have been running at colossal losses mainly [...]
Nightwatchman cameo or family innings?
My Dear Keheliya, I thought I must write to you because you seem to be in the news again these days. Although it appears as if it is for the wrong reasons, I suppose you must believe that any publicity is better than no publicity-and you are unlikely to reach these dizzy heights again! As [...]
Prospects of higher economic growth in 2013
The economic performance in the first quarter of the year has not been as fruitful as expected. The poor export performance, the slow growth of the global economy, increasing burdens placed on the economy by the poor performance of the public sector and inadequate investments are among the constraints to growth. It is unlikely that [...]
Coaxing an inch of accountability from government stone?
Tucked away in a small corner of Sri Lanka’s daily newspapers this Saturday was a government announcement on the arrest of twelve personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) including an assistant superintendant of police (ASP), allegedly responsible for the extra-judicial execution of five students in Trincomalee in 2006. The arrests had been made on [...]
Northern elections – three ‘Ds’, three ‘Rs’ and the Indian conundrum
From the sidelines Was it accident or design that the president’s historic proclamation on holding the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) election came at the same time that the president’s brother, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa was in New Delhi as the president’s special envoy, to hold talks with India’s top officials? A statement from the [...]