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Udayanga’s diplomatic passport withdrawn; further action soon

Udayanga’s diplomatic passport withdrawn; further action soon

The diplomatic passport issued to Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador in Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, whose whereabouts are not known, has been withdrawn. The move by the Department of Immigration and Emigration comes after the Ukrainian Government complained that he gave weapons to pro-Russian rebels fighting Ukraine’s east. Details of this protest through a Third Person Note [...]

President cracks the whip: Let’s get down to work, fulfil promises

President cracks the whip: Let’s get down to work, fulfil promises

President Maithripala Sirisena forecast in just two words the upcoming political events. “Api bahinawa” or, we will get down to work, he declared at Thursday’s meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), the apex body that steers the Yahapalanaya (good governance) policies. The context in which the remarks were made underscores its significance. It came [...]

Job security: Take advice from Ranil

Job security: Take advice from Ranil

My dear Nimal, I thought I must write to you soon to congratulate you on your appointment as the Leader of the Opposition simply because, if I don’t do so now, you may no longer be in the job and I may have to congratulate someone else! I think we had been misled for a [...]

Do recurring trade deficits matter when there are balance of payments surpluses?

Trade deficits have been a persistent feature of Sri Lanka’s external trade. Fifty eight of the sixty four years since 1950 have had trade deficits. Despite these recurring trade deficits, there have been balance of payments surpluses in some years. This has been so in the last five years (2010-14) when there were balance of [...]

Abberrant actions cannot cure the Sri Lankan judiciary of its ills

Abberrant actions cannot cure the Sri Lankan judiciary of its ills

Even close to one and a half decades later, it is heartening to see the virulent politicisation of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court from the year 2000 amidst the bypassing of honourable judges of the Court under the Presidencies of Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa being publicly recognised by the Bar. Contrasts between then and [...]

Does the Government suffer from ‘legitimacy deficit?’

Does the Government suffer from ‘legitimacy deficit?’

As the Government’s 100-day programme’s deadline draws nearer, it is apparent that aspects of it are not on track. It was a gamble to start with, since the awkward UNP-SLFP coalition had no way of knowing at the time, how things would pan out it if couldn’t secure a parliamentary majority in order to implement [...]

The test of Yahapalanaya

The test of Yahapalanaya

The recent fiasco concerning the bond scandal has given the anti-Maithri clique a welcome full toss to smash over the pavilion so early in the new innings. Rightly they have accused the Government of making a pig’s breakfast of the Central Bank Governor’s appointment and even taken their protest to the streets. But however great [...]

People-power hijacked: Anti-corruption drive losing steam

People-power hijacked: Anti-corruption drive losing steam

In my earlier articles in this newspaper, when lamenting about corruption and violation of human rights by state authorities, I have stated that people-power is the only answer to defeat state corruption. In this context it may be appropriate to reproduce the last two sentences in my book, “Human Rights & Policing”: “I have been [...]

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