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Home » ColumnsVaccines coming; but rituals also continue; in Jaffna even Asuran wears mask
At least two of the world’s pharmaceutical giants – Pfizer and Moderna – have come up with good news over the COVID–19 global pandemic. They have both produced vaccines and after approval by the US Food and Drugs Agency people in the United States will receive the vaccines by next month. That no doubt is [...]
A dignified retirement?
My dear ‘Maco’, I thought I must write to you when I heard that you had retired after nearly four decades of working with elections in this country and doing one of the most difficult jobs while dealing with some of the most difficult people, politicians of all colours - and not complaining but doing [...]
Realising promises and fiscal objectives of 2021 budget
The 2021 budget presented to Parliament last Tuesday by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Finance Minister, contained the usual plethora of promises, proposals and programs for economic development, social uplifting and welfare. It was based on the concept of developing a self-reliant national economy that focuses on the social and economic uplifting of rural [...]
On Buddhist ‘charity,’ presidential munificence and depletion of the public purse
Out of the welter of distasteful controversy surrounding the transfer of a colossal sum of Rs. 600,000,000/= from the public fund of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), to the account of the Secretary to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to distribute ‘sil redi’ or white cloth to Buddhist devotees just prior to the [...]
Reducing the health budget in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to comprehend
One of the compelling reasons for ending the three decade old civil war between the LTTE and the Government was the enormous drain on the country’s resources as a result the armed conflict. At one point the annual amount of resources spent on the war was equal to the annual remittances sent by the migrant [...]
Holy Mackerel! Ex-fish chief mouths the raw COVID truth
Recently ministers of this Government have been behaving rather strange, queer to say the least. And yet have shown a ready and admirable willingness to go the extra mile to promote or defend their ministry’s subject with their out-of-the box stunts scooping millions of free publicity both here and abroad. For instance, this September found [...]
In the name of the people
Oh citizens, what injustice is committed in thy name. What travesty is fathered on thee, my citizens. So okay, this is hardly Shakespeare. But then neither did the Bard write that Marcus Antonius (also known as Mark Anthony) killed Caesar as one of our new parliamentarians said in October in that very august assembly. How [...]
A Cabinet re-shuffle in the New Year
Temple Trees under lockdown New laws before Parliament to enable PC polls Ex-SC Judge to head Public Service Commission Ex-spy boss in Election Commission Amidst an exploding pandemic piercing through new frontiers and raising more fearful threats from Covid-19, a nation focused attention this week on two of the Government’s topmost leaders. One was [...]
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