The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

Columns

Political Column

Workers’ crisis: Stitch in time would have saved life

The government saw it coming, but not in its wildest dreams did it expect the turn of events this week to turn into such a nightmare. Most of the activity revolved around the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) also known as the Export Promotion Zone (EPZ) where from last week workers, a bulk of them women, began agitating against the proposed Private Sector Pensions Bill.

5th Column

Come on, show them the way!

My dear Aachaarya Mahinda B,

I thought I must write to you because I heard that you had retired just because some policemen had opened fire at a group of protestors at Katunayake and one person had died as a result!

The Economic Analysis

Significant surge in industrial exports

The surge in exports in the first quarter of this year is impressive. This is not only due to the quantum of the increase, but also owing to the significant increase in industrial exports and the underlying factors that have led to the increase in export earnings.

Lobby

Not issued on this week

Focus on Rights

Government, the master of illusion

This week, a friend speaking to me on the phone, paused when I remarked that it took ordinary workers to teach this administration, its most telling lesson since it was returned to power post war, while the intelligentsia cowered under their beds, (metaporically speaking), except for some rare exceptions.

Talk at the Cafe Spectator

US Defence Attaché courts trouble; defends Lanka

Senior Sri Lankan military officers, who had played a vital role as field commanders during the humanitarian operation, found an unlikely ally in the US Embassy's Defence Attaché Lawrence Smith when a question was raised about the alleged move by some LTTE leaders to surrender during the last few days of the war in May, 2009.

From the sidelines

'Don’t worry … very soon you will be a Diplomat'

The needless death of 22 year old Free Trade Zone worker Roshen Chanaka when police opened fire during a demonstration in Katunayake, has jolted the conscience of the nation. Angry reactions have erupted at street level not only among the young man’s co-workers in the FTZ but across the board in demonstrations by numerous trade unions, political parties, university students and sections of the clergy.