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Home » ColumnsNPP MPs’ one account for all salaries: Easy to deposit, difficult to withdraw
The National People’s Power (NPP) has acknowledged that a portion of the salaries and allowances of its MPs and ministers are credited to a single account of a state bank. The funds accumulated in the account are utilised for ‘public service,’ the party has claimed. MPs and ministers, however, do receive a portion of their [...]
Missing in action
My dear Rajitha, I thought of writing to you this week because you are in the news after a lapse of a few months. That is not necessarily good, because these days, when we hear of former ministers it is usually because they are either being convicted and sent to prison or being remanded on [...]
Facing tariff challenges to our trade-dependent economy
The uncertainties in global trade and tariffs and the escalation of wars in West Asia and hostilities between Russia and Ukraine pose severe uncertainties, threats, and challenges to our trade-dependent economy. External shocks These external shocks could wipe out the recent economic gains and cause severe hardships to the people. The threats to our exports, [...]
Is Sri Lanka becoming a haven for foreign war criminals?
A bizarre dialogue had taken place before a Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee a few days ago where officials representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism had formally clarified a long known suspicion, namely that only two (orthodox) Jewish community centres or Chabad Houses as they are commonly referred to, are registered under [...]
A time for moral clarity: Why Sri Lanka must recalibrate its foreign policy on Israel, Palestine, and Gaza
The recent arrest and detention of two young Sri Lankan men — Mohamed Rushdi and Mohamed Suhail — under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the direction of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy. Their “crime”? Peacefully expressing opposition to the brutal and well-documented atrocities being committed in [...]
Neurosurgeon’s remand spectre stalks other medical specialists
As neurosurgeon Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne walked out of court, released on bail on Tuesday, leaving behind the horrors of a remand cell that she had endured for nearly a month, she wore round her neck not the tag of presumed innocence but bore on her shoulders the cross on which she had been crucified by [...]
So what did Tariff Trump tell you, Comrade Viji?
Just last week Comrade Minister Viji and his crack team of tariff busters were walking down a plush plaza of Washington Square looking to buy a reduced-price cup of tea when who walks in the opposite direction but one of the main Trump price cutters and his third assistant. “And who the hell is that?” [...]
Pressure mounts on Govt. to set up accountability mechanism as more bodies emerge from Chemmani mass grave
ITAK writes to President, calling for urgent and decisive action to uncover the truth and bring perpetrators to justice Ongoing battle for local council control raises concerns over electoral system; SJB rejects plan to place undecided councils under commissioners By our Political Desk Mass graves have been one of the tragic legacies of the country’s violent [...]
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