By C. A. Chandraprema The judgement delivered by a divided five-member bench of the Supreme Court with regard to two fundamental rights cases numbered 195/2022 and 212/2022 filed by several individuals including Mahim Mendis, Chandra Jayaratne, Julian Bolling and the NGO Transparency International has stirred up a political storm. The majority judgment was delivered by […]

… Govt. confident of mustering majority by Shamindra Ferdinando Dissident SLPP MPs yesterday (20) asked the ruling party whether it would back what it called President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s deplorable revenue proposals when Parliament vote on the Second Reading of the Budget is held today (21). The rebel group said that the move to privatise even […]

by Ahilan Kadirgamar Sri Lanka is going through its worst economic crisis since the 1930s, and the stabilisation policies of the Government could drastically change the political economic landscape of the country. Amidst these changes underway, education more broadly and the university system

Budget 2024 is like a fairy tale rather than a pragmatic solution to pressing economic issues, SLPP MP Dr. Nalaka Godahewa has said. Taking part in the current budget debate, former State Minister said: “Two paramount challenges loom large—the persistent economic contraction and the escalating national debt. A practical budget should provide answers to these […]

Far-right libertarian outsider Javier Milei has won Argentina’s presidential run-off poll, according to provisional results. Milei’s rival, economy minister Sergio Massa, called him to concede. Former US President Donald Trump congratulated  Milei on his victory, saying he would “Make Argentina Great Again!”. The election comes at a difficult time for Argentina with rising ...

Monday 20th November, 2023 The so-called cricket crisis has led to the postponement of the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) meetings, with some members of the parliamentary watchdog committee accusing their chairman of partiality to the SLC officials. The executive presidency

By Uditha Devapriya Conversations lay down the foundation for consensus, they provoke discussion and enable debate. One Text Initiative’s (OTI) session on strengthening parliamentary fiscal sovereignty through the Committee System, held last Thursday, October 16, at Water’s Edge, opened such a debate and discussion. While it’s still hard to think of consensus over matters like […]

United Republic Front (URF) Leader and MP, Patali Champika Ranawaka, issued a stark warning in Parliament on Wednesday, emphasizing the likelihood of another social upheaval in the coming months if the government does not eradicate burdensome taxes. During the second reading stage debate on Budget 2023, Ranawaka highlighted the escalating anger and frustration among the […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando One-rime Secretary of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) Lacille de Silva yesterday (17) said that leaders of political parties represented in Parliament should set up a committee to study the landmark Supreme Court […]

Sri Lankan government had shared the details and the conditions of the 4.2 billion dollar debt deal with China with other creditors, Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe told Bloomberg.Governor Weerasinghe expressed optimism about restructuring Sri Lanka’s debt through the official creditors committee, aiming to secure IMF support for a 330 million dollar […]

Saturday 18th November, 2023 Government politicians never miss an opportunity to identify themselves with the ordinary public, but they betray their cavalier attitude and callous disregard for the people’s suffering whenever they give free rein to their restless tongues. Many of the people who used to lead comfortable lives have been reduced to penury for […]

The momentous event of the week-ended-today was the presentation of Budget 2024 by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance. Usually, Sri Lankan Presidents keep away from Parliament; not Ranil Wickremesinghe, and a jolly good move it is. The Island of Tuesday November 14 headlined the VI Event as: “Prez presents Budget […]

By Saman Indrajith TNA Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran told Parliament on Wednesday that Rajapaksa brothers had enough money to compensate 22 million people in the country.  Participating in the second reading debate on Budget 2023, MP Sumanthiran said that his party welcomed the Supreme Court determination that ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with former Finance […]

By Uditha Devapriya Interactions are about connections. Connections are not always about commonalities. After all, it is not just commonalities that are celebrated, it is also differences. There are many ways of celebrating differences, many ways of affirming them. The Interact Movement in Sri Lanka is now almost 60 years old. The Interact Club of […]

Friday 17th November, 2023 Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has eclipsed most other crucial issues, especially relentless attacks on the people’s democratic rights and freedoms. A group of academics has, in a letter published on the opposite page, condemned one such incident. Human rights lawyer