Day: 1 January 2016

Community rallies behind Sri Lanka family set to be deported

Karu

SAN ANTONIO– As a deportation date nears for a San Antonio family with roots in Sri Lanka, friends in their local community came together to try to get the attention of their local congressman. Their message is a simple and clear one they hope Congressman Joaquin Castro will hear. “So we are trying to call on congressman Castro and other folks in the community to really step up and to see the support that the family has and to take action to make sure that they can stay here,” said Mohammad Abdollahi…

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The Wigneswaran-Sampanthan tussle dims hopes for a new Constitution

Karu

The most important but intricate task the government has assigned itself in the New Year is to fulfill  the adoption of a new Constitution. The whole exercise would apparently focus on three major issues; abolishing of the Executive Presidency, bringing in electoral reforms and the resolution of the ethnic problem. President Maithripala Sirisena has already announced that he would make a special statement on January 9, on the first anniversary of his elevation to the Presidency, proposing the conversion of  Parliament to a Constitutional Assembly, in order to draft a new…

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The stirring in devolution is getting brisker Power devolution

Karu

The formation of the Tamil People’s Council (TPC), backed   by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, has perturbed the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leadership that views it as a move to undermine the party hierarchy. First, the move was seen as a precursor to yet another party splitting of the TNA. Wigneswaran and TNA leader Sampanthan did not see eye to on most issues as reported, and that gave rise to the speculation about a breakup. However, Chief Minister Wigneswaran was quick to scotch such speculation, and explained it…

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Planning of Northern Highway begins

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by Maheesha Mudugamuwa The planing of the proposed Northern Highway via Trincomalee would be started this year, Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella said. He told the media on Wednesday (30) that the construction work on the Central highways was ongoing, though there was no visible progress during the last few months. People were thinking that the work on the central highway was abandoned or paused but it wasn’t. The concrete beams of the highway would emerge within the next two months. Currently there were making the land for…

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TNA, SLMC seek consensus on new Constitution amidst turmoil

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by Shamindra Ferdinando The TNA and the SLMC are seeking consensus on proposed new Constitution and electoral reforms. Political sources told The Island that top level TNA and SLMC delegations had met at the Opposition Leader’s Office, Colombo 7 on Wednesday in the wake of newly established Tamil People’s Council (TPC), too, seeking to represent Tamil speaking people at future deliberations with other political parties as well as the government. The TNA secured 16 seats including two National List slots at the Aug. 17 parliamentary polls. The SLMC won one…

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