The controversial 'Pakistan issue' spilled over to Sri Lanka's Parliament this week when Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama came and defended the country's performance at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, Uganda.
This year's trade deficit is likely to be around the same as that of last year. In 2006 the country recorded the largest trade deficit ever of US $ 3370 million. Although there has been a slight improvement in the trade balance in the first nine months of the year, there are signs that we are heading for another massive trade deficit this year too.
Some individuals are more sinned against than sinning, as the Bard said. I would not characterise Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama as one more sinned against because much of the sinning is the result of his own volition, particularly his predilection for publicity and his rather casual and uninformed approach to international diplomacy.
I am irrepressibly amused when proponents of government policy in Colombo compare themselves with their counterparts in Kilinochchi for the express purpose of patting themselves on the back.
Last weeks twin bomb attacks in Colombo and Nugegoda once again put the terrorist/national/ethnic issue to the forefront of discussion in Parliament as the debate on the Committee stage of the budget concluded its second week.
VENICE-- The tranquil island of San Servolo, resembling both a university campus and an isolated fortress in the water-logged city of Venice, was the venue last week of a seminar on the role of the media in covering two politically sensitive issues: ethnic conflicts and religious tolerance.
In his Heroes' Day address, LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran did not attempt to disguise his disappointment with the international community, or his contempt for the southern political parties, on their part in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.
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The controversial 'Pakistan issue' spilled over to Sri Lanka's Parliament this week when Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama came and defended the country's performance at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, Uganda.
This year's trade deficit is likely to be around the same as that of last year. In 2006 the country recorded the largest trade deficit ever of US $ 3370 million. Although there has been a slight improvement in the trade balance in the first nine months of the year, there are signs that we are heading for another massive trade deficit this year too.
VENICE-- The tranquil island of San Servolo, resembling both a university campus and an isolated fortress in the water-logged city of Venice, was the venue last week of a seminar on the role of the media in covering two politically sensitive issues: ethnic conflicts and religious tolerance.
In his Heroes' Day address, LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran did not attempt to disguise his disappointment with the international community, or his contempt for the southern political parties, on their part in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. 