Monday 25th July 1983 began like just another day. But what we didn’t know was that it was to be the last day of an era. By mid-morning from my second-floor office in Fort I could see the city being put to the torch. Already my two sisters’ homes in the suburbs had been attacked […]

The muted, panicked voice came through the phone of a friend who croaked she was very confidentially warning Cassandra and advising her. Yours truly was immediately panic infected. With deep emphasis and concern the friend took her time to advise that Cass withdraws all money from banks. Cass was for once glad she was poor […]

Wednesday 21st June, 2023 The ‘Rice Mafia’ has emerged so powerful over the years that it is now running a parallel government of sorts. Wealthy rice millers resort to market manipulations, determine paddy and rice prices and exploit farmers and consumers alike, with impunity. This country is not short of political leaders who talk tough […]

A highly appreciative skill of the Pakistani administration is their extensive theatricals which can deceive the most intelligent of men. Lengthy speeches in the parliament are converted into minutes packed with wise counsel. After collecting enough praises and spewing venom on the opposition, they end up ultimately doing what they would do anyway — putting […]

New laws contemplated by the government appears to have caused much concern among Opposition political parties for obvious reasons. The constitutionality of the proposed Broadcasting Authority Bill is expected to be challenged in the Supreme Court. The whole process of law making raised quite a stir in the wake of the recent shocking Supreme Court […]

‘Broadcasting Authority a political mechanism led by Media Secretary’ By Shamindra Ferdinando Top Opposition spokesman Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (05) alleged that President Ranil Wickremesinghe intended to silence television and radio stations through the proposed Broadcasting Authority Bill (BAB). The former External Affairs Minister asserted that the BAB was part of a destructive political [&...

As the Truly Sri Lankan Bank, Pan Asia Bank values employee engagement, especially when celebrating the nation’s rich heritage, the Sinhala & Tamil New Year. Recently, Pan Asia Bank held Sinhala and Tamil New Year festivities by upholding all the traditional customs while also respecting diversity and inclusion of all employees through many vibrant activities. […]

Islamabad [Pakistan], February 6 (ANI): Former Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that things on the economic front will “remain tight” as the economy faces a severe liquidity crunch, Geo News reported. Pakistan is seeking an installment of USD 1.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund to avoid default. In a tweet, Ismail stated, […]

Reforms to be introduced to end ‘media abuses’ President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that the government was not in a position to lower the taxes. Delivering his second government policy statement to inaugurate the Fourth session of the Ninth Parliament, the President said: “Some people say that the primary taxable income should be raised from […]

Thursday 9th February, 2023 President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who presented his government’s policy statement in Parliament, yesterday, sounded like a seasoned insurance sales agent with glib phrases rolling off his experienced tongue; he sought to scare the public and infuse them with hope, at the same time, to sell his policies. The knee-jerk reaction of the […]

Dr. Jaishankar is in Sri Lanka to help under the “neighborhood first” strategy of India By R. R. M Lilani  Dr. Jaishankar, India’s Foreign Minister, who is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on January 19, 2023, has made another ‘neighbourhood first’ agreement with Sri Lanka by backing the country’s delayed debt restructuring programme with […]

By Sanath Nanayakkare The Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said on Tuesday that Sri Lanka had been hiding its bankruptcy which had actually occurred months before it was officially announced. He said so during a multi-TV channel programme where several key political and public officials responsible for the country’s economy were quizzed […]

The IMF could finalise Sri Lanka’s financing package within three weeks of the country’s main bilateral creditors formally informing the IMF that they would help Sri Lanka restructure its debt, Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, said on Thursday appearing on a TV programme. Dr. Weerasinghe said that Sri Lanka had already provided […]

I am pleasantly surprised and marvel too most times I read the editorial in The Island. Why? Because they are so very apt on the most current issue in the land. The editor has the clever knack of hitting the nail right on the head and is fearless even when the nail represents a VVIP. […]