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Home » ColumnsSpreading COVID-19: Ruling alliance faces charges of hypocrisy
Given the Government’s accusation that opposition parties and trade unions are spreading COVID-19 through public protests, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) decision to hold a public rally in Anuradhapura in the midst of another COVID wave is likely to attract criticism of hypocrisy. During a media briefing on Friday, SLPP Kegalle District MP [...]
Opposition hits out at EPF, ETF levy and ‘eyewash’ PTA amendments
Articles in the Surcharge Tax Bill that pave the way for the imposition of a 25% levy on the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Employee Trust Fund (ETF) attracted controversy this week, with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) demanding a parliamentary debate on the matter. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised issue on Wednesday (9) when [...]
To forgive and forget
My dear Ranjan, I thought I must write to you because a few weeks ago there was a lot of talk about you being given a presidential pardon and being released from jail on Independence Day. Nothing came out of it. That means that you remain behind bars for the foreseeable future and you are [...]
Post-independent weakening of pre-conditions for economic development
A striking feature of post-independentSri Lanka is the weakening and deterioration of the pre-conditions for the nation’s development. This is especially so in the latter decades. Looking back Looking back at the political and economic history of the country after independence, most commentators, if not all, have regretted the lower than potential economic development of [...]
Waving the red flag to a salivating trade union bull
Sri Lanka’s contemporary politicians have, without exception, developed the robbing of the public coffers into a fine art. Gross monetary debauchery It makes little difference if they have hailed from the plush environs of Colombo with so-called historic legacies to boast of or from the wilds of Polonnaruwa and the deep South. With public funds [...]
PTA facilitates arrest-now-investigate-later policy
During the three decade old armed conflict in the country, the civil war was used as the proverbial beggar’s wound to cover up shortcomings of governments. In more recent times, after the conclusion of the armed conflict, politicians have begun using the spectre of threats to National Security to cover their acts of omission and [...]
Pushpika loses her crown as mentor Rosy turns foe
CONTINUING SAGA OF ONE WOMAN’S FAILED BID FOR MRS. WORLD TITLE Ex-Mrs. Sri Lanka now faces Rs. 900m legal demands for ‘indiscretions’ Poor, pathetic, pitiful Pushpika de Silva. The controversial beauty queen seems unable to hold onto her Mrs. Sri Lanka crown but lets it slip out of her buttered grasp, given half the chance. [...]
Sri Lanka’s day in March soon to come
When the Soothsayer warned Julius Caesar to beware the Ides of March, Mighty Caesar brushed it aside haughtily. But before the day was done Caesar was done for. History tells us that the Ides of March—March 15—is not a day of ill-boding though Shakespeare and subsequent writers and film makers turned it into an inauspicious [...]
SLPP launches go-it-alone political campaign in A’pura
President and PM make aggressive speeches and give lofty promises at rally held on Basil’s initiative GL’s New Delhi visit draws India closer to Sri Lanka; Jaishankar promises to take Sri Lanka’s case at meeting of Quad countries India’s statement refers to greater devolution of power; Lanka remains silent Divisions widen within main opposition alliance; [...]
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