The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

Columns

Political Column

Delhi beats devolution drums again for Lanka

For President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who gave political leadership, it is the third most ecstatic moment, perhaps the most important one. On Thursday, he will stand before the valiant troops to salute them for defeating terrorism and restoring normalcy. The victory day parades, telecast live nationwide will see Rajapaksa paying tribute to those who sacrificed life and limb to unite a nation.

5th Column

Stuck like wasps in a jar of jam!

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "how many ministers did we first have in this Cabinet?"
"Why, Bindu," Bindu's father Percy said, "we had thirty seven ministers to begin with…"
"Ah," Bindu said, "that means the price of bread will increase once again…."

The Economic Analysis

Opportunities and constraints for fiscal consolidation

The discussion on whether the IMF stand-by facility should be continued or not has clouded the really important issue of consolidating the country’s public finances. There can be no controversy whatsoever that a large fiscal deficit of the magnitude reached last year of nearly 10 per cent of GDP is detrimental for the economic development of the country.

Lobby

Not issued with this week

Focus on Rights

Raging against a monarchical mindset

The Northern lawyers’ boycott, which ended this week upon Chief Justice Asoka de Silva’s assurance that judges will not face threats to the proper carrying out of their duties in the North, teaches us the important lesson that even in the most desperate of circumstances, one must vehemently ‘rage, rage against the dying of the light’.

Talk at the Cafe Spectator

War of words over alleged war crimes

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's move to appoint a panel of experts to advise him on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka has sparked a war of words between a blog site covering the world body and the Sri Lanka's Permanent Mission in New York.