SLPP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (28) hit back at critics, claiming that a robust economy had been built under his presidency. He said the UNP-SLFP government which ruled the country during the 2015-2019 period should be held responsible for the current economic crisis. The following

by Jehan Perera The government is facing an uphill task to rebuild the country which continues to be in a state of economic and moral decline which was evident in parliamentary proceedings last week. The initial hopes of a quick transition from the economic and moral decline that accompanied the pre-Aragalaya period ended with the […]

Monday 27th November, 2023 The SJB has commenced collecting signatures for a public petition as part of a campaign to have those who are responsible for the current economic crisis stripped of their civic rights. Given public resentment, which is palpable, the SJB may be able to obtain hundreds

By Shamindra Ferdinando Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, yesterday said that Parliament like other institutions should bear responsibility for the unprecedented economic crisis caused during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s administration. Minister Sabry said so when The Island sought his response

By Shamindra Ferdinando Top SJB spokesman Dr. Harsha de Silva on Monday (20) dismissed Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s claim that well over USD 56.5 bn had been parked overseas by some exporters. Dr. de Silva also contradicted claims made by rebel SLPP MPs Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa and Gevindu Cumaratunga on the matter. The […]

By Saman Indrajith Yesterday’s parliamentary session was marred by aggressive protests by government MPs against Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, who demanded that those whom the Supreme Court had held responsible for the collapse of the national economy be stripped of their privileges. Protests erupted as Opposition leader Premadasa commenced his special statement on […]

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 […]

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

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 ...

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 […]

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 A.J. Abeynayake The Supreme Court yesterday (14) ruled that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and several others are responsible for the ongoing economic crisis. The bench comprised Chief Justice Jayantha