Day: 21 November 2018

While on to its fourth consecutive week of political instability, Sri Lanka is once again in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. With a confused Government, the people have started questioning their democratic rights. It was quite evident that members of the Joint Opposition showed little or no respect when they disrupted Parliamentary sessions twice. On both occasions, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) failed to show their majority. “Why should the UPFA remain in Government forcibly,” questioned United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) heavyweight Kumara Welgama while speaking to…

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After a total of four defeats in under a month, President Maithripala Sirisena and his appointed Premier, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, yet, continue to cling to office. Those defeats comprised two in Parliament, one due to possible international pressure and the other in Court. The defeats in Parliament were when the House, on two consecutive days, on Wednesday (14 November) and on Thursday, respectively, voted out of office Rajapaksa as Premier, by garnering a majority 122 anti-Rajapaksa votes in the 225-seat Parliament, which majority vote however, Sirisena continues not to…

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As a president proves shockingly stubborn, a nation waits with baited breath as to what His Excellency the loose cannon on a rocky slope will do next. Two Prime Ministers and the fates of their respective parliamentary groups hang in the balance like trapeze artistes. A Court bides its time until submissions and counter-submissions are made, and half the polity chews their fingernails in no little anxiety. That the final judgment will steer the ship of State in one of two directions is evident. To safe harbour for a brief…

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Canada’s High Commissioner David McKinnon called out Sri Lanka MP Namal Rajapakse for his comments on twitter today. “Interesting to see UNP, JVP and TNA politicians meeting with the members of the international community. Perhaps if more effort was given towards meeting with the people of Sri Lanka and paying heed to their hope for elections, Sri Lanka can finally achieve its fullest potential,” Rajapakse tweeted. McKinnon responded in kind to Rajapakse, citing double standards. “You might ask some of your Podujana Party (SLPP) colleagues who they’re meeting with,” he said…

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How the Current political instability has impacted the economy so far  • IMF funding stopped    Value – USD  – 1.85 Bn • USA 🇺🇸Funding Stopped    Value – USD  – 490 Million • Japan 🇯🇵Funding Stopped    Value – USD  1.4 Billion • Investments taken out from the       Sri Lankan Share market  Value – Rs . 30 Billion and counting • The losses due to Deprecating Rupee against the Dollar   Value – Easily over Rs 100 Billion in just one month. • Losses to the Tourism industry due to…

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By Mass l. Usuf As I sit to write this column, I am reminded of an article that I wrote to a website titled, ‘Pre-And Post-2015 Rajapaksa And The Road To 2020’ dated 15 February. I quote: ‘Pre-2015 His post-war victory speech in May 2009 still reverberates in our ears. The then President Mahinda Rajapaksa went on to say, “There are no minorities… We are one nation… We must live like children of one mother…All people in this country must live without fear and suspicion…To protect the Tamil speaking people…

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A Politico-Criminal Gang Battling The Constitution By Shyamon Jayasinghe – Shyamon Jayasinghe “Officials who carry out illegal orders will have to learn from the  plight of Lalith Weeratunge who is behind bars while the boss is safe in the arms, not of Jesus, but of Legal Immunity.” The Profile of the Gang Evidently clear, Sri Lanka now is the unfortunate scene of a politco-criminal gang running a government by sheer force against a democratically mandated government that is trying hard to save the constitution from the ravage of the monsters.  This isn’t a…

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