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Home » ColumnsChampika handling hi-tech projects to deal with garbage
The Government is to make a call for Request for Proposals (RFP) for “design, build and finance” a waste disposal project to deal with garbage. Colombo-based diplomatic missions will be asked to request firms specialising in this task in their countries to make proposals. This is after the Cabinet of Ministers approved that such a [...]
President claims UNP delaying major probes to save Rajapaksas
Cabinet meeting bombshell exposes widening crack in National Unity Government; SLFP and UNP at crossroads amid reports of PC polls this year Sirisena wants to bring the Rajapaksas to book; but questions about how far he could go; Police say some important arrests are on the cards Survey in Sinhala-speaking areas show Rajapaksa popularity intact [...]
Over to you?
My dear Maithri, I thought I must write to you even though I know you are a very busy person, what with all this business of running the country and appointing new secretaries, ambassadors, governors and army commanders. Still, I wanted to write to you because of something you had said last week. Pardon me [...]
The art of coarse Yahapalanaya or, how not to govern
This is a Govt that does not speak in one voice. Be it on Constitutional reforms, the SAITM/GMOA muddle, investigations into corruption or human rights, contradictory views that get aired publicly by key players in the Govt of National Unity, day after day, has only left the public confused, and eroded the confidence people had [...]
Balance of payments: Fundamental weaknesses and weakening strengths
Massive trade deficits have been the fundamental weakness in the balance of payments and the underlying reason for balance of payments crises. Large remittances from abroad and significant earnings from tourism have been the strengths in the balance of payments. However, these remittances from abroad and earnings from tourism that offset the trade deficit have [...]
The president vs his (impossible) ministers
An ongoing war of words between President Maithripala Sirisena and prominent Ministers in the United National Party (UNP) sums up in a nutshell what’s wrong with the seeming ‘unity’ alliance. Perturbingly, the ‘unity’ part is looking increasingly tattered as we go along. Public anger regarding dysfunctional law enforcement In one sense, the President was both [...]
Playing pandu with man and beast
This is no laughing matter. When some copy writer with hilarity aforethought labelled Sri Lanka the “Wonder of Asia” about a decade or so ago, there were outbursts of loud laughter that were probably heard by the Inuits in the Arctic. That is the trouble with many Sri Lankans. They do not recognise a good [...]
Govt in quandary as Mahanayakes demand Presidency must stay put
It was the Venerable Sobitha Thera’s battle cry for real change; and the joint opposition candidate Sirisena’s spring board to power to gain the presidency and then turn it into a eunuch to serve the needs of a parliamentary harem. But the fondest hope of the noble monk to see Sirisena birth a new constitution [...]