Monthly Archives: May 2011

Rajapakse’s interference lost us the world cup – Arjuna

Former Sri Lankan Cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunge lashed out at President Mahinda Rajapakse accusing him of interfering in Sri Lanka’s cricket. The cricketer turned politician told Lanka Independent, it was petty politics that has ruined the game of cricket in the country and this year dashed the nation’s hope of winning the world cup for […]

By Nirmala Kannangara | Published on May 30, 2011 at 3:52 pm

An elusive economic dividend and a pattern of deceit

The Central Bank recently said that Sri Lanka’s economic growth rate has now reached 8 percent. This seems an amazing feat by a country emerging from a debilitating 27-year-old war and given that countries like China and India that record the highest growth rate in the world is 9 percent. The difference is that in […]

By Upali Tennakoon | Published on May 30, 2011 at 5:51 am

Remembering Reggie

JULY 11,1999: Yesterday I happened to come across a thick dusty file on the cover of which was the legend ‘Journalism Course‘. I’d almost forgotten that about the time I was toying with the idea of becoming a lawyer, a doctor and a flower shop girl (The latter on being inspired to the profession by […]

By Staff Correspondent | Published on May 25, 2011 at 3:58 am

“I will destroy you” – President Rajapakse

Wickrematunge’s murder rocked the entire country in January 2009, government ministers and other SLFPers were already jittery, privately blaming the government for its failure to stop a dangerous trend within the country. Some Opposition UNP crossers over were visibly angry at the government’s failure to address the culture of impunity that had gripped the nation […]

By Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge | Published on May 25, 2011 at 2:07 am

Tiger Don’t Surf

ARUGAM BAY, SRI LANKA | JUNE 10, 2006
“Sri Lanka, I have seen, is a nation embarrassingly rich in man-made and natural resources, including historic religious monuments, pristine rain forests, white-sand beaches, prized tea plantations, rubber trees, sugar cane,rice and a climate where fruits and vegetables seem to grow with little coaxing or effort”
CHECKPOINTS
We arrive in […]

By Kevin Sites | Published on May 23, 2011 at 1:03 am

Hire Education: How Sri Lanka can retain its brains and money

“the USA attracts fully 20% of the international market for higher education. And many other English-speaking countries, including Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, have been quick to cash in on this lucrative market”
Having left St Thomas’s College after sitting my GCE ‘O’ levels for the second time in 1972 (the 1971 sitting hadn’t gone too well), […]

By Rohan Pethiyagoda | Published on May 22, 2011 at 10:22 pm

Sounds of Christmas cheer

DECEMBER 19, 1999: It is not often that I miss the Ladies’ College Old Girls Association (OGA) Carol Service. To me Christmas is all about caroling. It makes my day to warble flat and unmusical to the tune of Oh Come All Ye Faithful and giggle a little as I childishly substitute ‘Come and eat […]

By Staff Correspondent | Published on May 22, 2011 at 8:15 am

Stanley and the highway code

AUGUST 8, 1999: My chauffeur is not what I would describe as an intrepid member of the lion tribe. I say this because of his nothing short of peculiar behaviour at the city’s military check points.
My car is one of those unassuming match box types that no self respecting terrorist or female suicide bomber will want […]

By Staff Correspondent | Published on May 22, 2011 at 6:04 am

What a Sham!..an

Darling Ma-hinder
There are times m’dear if well fortified beforehand with the contents of half a bottle of vintage Bollinger sloshing about inside me, I could stick out an upward palm to be peered at by a soothsayer. I have been known of an evening, if sufficiently cheered on by friends to even allow a sayer […]

By Thelma | Published on May 21, 2011 at 8:13 pm

Aussie pride and Italian sagacity

HUMOUR with Lakshman Indranath Keerthisinghe
As laughter is said to be the best medicine, this page is dedicated to the entertainment of its readers.

Aussie Pride
Just imagine…
If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Qantas one year ago, you would have $49.00 today!
If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you would have $33.00 today.
If […]