Columns
Home » ColumnsAn island cure-it all
My dear Coronavirus, I thought I must write to you to let you know that although you may have caused death and distress around the world, you have met your match in this great land of ours. There is good reason to believe that we have found the perfect solution for you - and that [...]
Mahendran extradition: Cynosure on Sirisena’s 21,000 signatures
Former President Maithripala Sirisena’s claim that he placed 21,000 signatures on files to secure the extradition of fugitive former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran from Singapore has raised many an eyebrow. Speaking at a media briefing in Polonnaruwa, the former President said he had to personally placed his signatures on the files prepared by the [...]
Initial signs of economic recovery and revival
The Sri Lankan economy cannot recover until the global pandemic is contained and international trade recovers. Even achieving last year’s low level of output and growth is not possible without the resuscitation of international trade. Signs of recovery Nevertheless there are signs of economic recovery. Economic enterprises that are reviving would hopefully gain momentum and [...]
Sri Lanka’s age of ‘shame, peril – and little hope’?
As the United States erupts in outrage at the killing of George Floyd, the question posed by multi-racial protestors on the streets is simple. Why are there two Americas, one for the whites who do not fear death, deprivation or insults when stopped by the police and another for ‘communities of colour’ whose lived realities [...]
Pyrrhic victory for Govt. as Polls Chief gets election torch
After a marathon ten day hearing into the Election Date case which had dominated public interest and had swept the COVID crisis to the backstreets of memory, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ended the mounting speculation with a downright damper. They had seen enough of the trailer to decide the full movie would not be [...]
Waving the flag for China
Coincidentally I am writing this column on the 31st anniversary of perhaps the ugliest episode in China’s modern history. That was the brutal crackdown on protestors in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989 during which a still disputed number of Chinese were killed by soldiers. It shocked the Hong Kong people, generally uninterested in politics [...]
Security landscape fast changing: Growing Concern in sections over militarisation
President appoints Task Force with wide powers to enhance national security and bring about virtuous and disciplined society Gotabaya lashes out at Prisons Dept., demands immediate end to mafia style drug operations in jails and use of mobile phones Election Commission to announce polls date on Monday; guidelines issued to parties and candidates UNP-SJB [...]
Read More