e-Con e-News
blog: eesrilanka.wordpress.com ‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!' e-Con e-News 02-08 February 2025 Maybe they don't die uneasily like the rest of us. They simply pass away in their sleep. But pass, they do. The serendipitously synchronous slipping into samsara of 2 of Sri Lanka's nameboard oligarchs – Kandiah Balendra of Keells, & Don Harold Stassen Jayawardena of Distilleries' Co, this week, recalls their twin origins in the colonial English plantation agency houses; and more particularly, in the aftermath of the destabilization of the 1970-77... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/02/25)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Our government is battling it out on many fronts in regard to the promises it made while campaigning for the presidential and general elections. It spoke of bringing down the cost of living and lessening the burdens on the worse-off section of our people. Unfortunately though four long months have passed, our people are finding it difficult to find rice these days. To make this situation worse, the price is way beyond the means of the consumer. While salaries have remained stagnant, unfortunately, the price of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/02/25)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
One of the devastated churches after the Easter Sunday blasts Pillayan, whilst in Batticaloa prison, is accused of having aided and abetted the conspirators of the Easter attack to make connections with Zaharan and his suicide team Even after Maithripala Sirisena became Executive President in 2015, regular Army intelligence payments to the TMVP mercenary had been continuedAccording to Maulana, two months after this meeting and 14 months after the Sallay- Zaharan meeting at Wanathawilluwa, the Easter attack had... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/02/25)
Shenali D Waduge
The 2022 aragalaya was led on the premise that the Rajapakse's were responsible for Sri Lanka's economic crisis. That “revolt” led by Cardinal & heads of the Church was responsible for tax payers coughing up Rs.1.22billion in damages to 43 politicians who had their homes, vehicles & property destroyed. This excludes the millions in damages to the Presidents House, Presidents Secretariat, Temple Trees, PM's Office, Rupavahini/ITN some of the antiques that were stolen or damaged that are now beyond repair. The protestors who accused the Rajapakse's of destroying the economy ended up... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
by Jonathan Cook Courtesy defenddemocracy.press
The West's ‘war on terror' was built on a series of deceptions to persuade us that our leaders were crushing Islamist extremism. In truth, they were nourishing it The story: Did you believe it 30 years ago when they told you that the Oslo Accords would bring peace to the Middle East? That Israel would finally withdraw from the Palestinian territories it had illegally occupied for decades, end its brutal repression of the Palestinian people, and allow a Palestinian state to be created there? That the longest running sore for the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
By Dr Muralidaran Ramesh Somasunderam
Sri Lanka has performed poorly in the two Test Matches against Australia to date because they did not have the batsmen to combat the spin bowlers of Australia and score runs substantively to put pressure on the Australian team and Sri Lanka also did not have the bowlers penetrative enough to bowl out Australia cheaply in their first and second innings as the Australian batmen led by Steve Smith had the class, patience and poise to combat and get on top of the Sri Lankan spin bowlers in key sessions the two Test... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
By Professor Emeritus I. M. Dharmadasa Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom
This article summarises the history of solar energy development in Sri Lanka that I have been involved with, over the past 40 years and my thoughts on the present situation in the country. As an active solar energy conversion researcher in both academia and industry (British Petroleum Research in London), I have seen the maturity of this technology since the late 1980s and started to promote it in schools and community events in the United Kingdom. I then extended this work to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
by Dr Sirimewan Dharmaratne, former Senior Analyst, HMRC, UK.
Mahinda Rajapaksa Although this may not be doable at all times, it is possible to retrospectively assess the economic impact of crucial decisions. While putting a value on a person may seem unethical or unconscionable, everyone has an economic value. Our lives are valued for myriad of commercial purposes, such as for insurance policies, compensation for work place injuries and death and for various illnesses due to environmental pollution and other such instances. In all these cases, what is valued is the economic life,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
by Neville Ladduwahetty
Following President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit, first to India and then to China, Foreign Policy analysts and Commentators of repute have cautioned the NPP government the need to exercise BALANCE particularly in respect of its relations with India and China. The question is how balancing could be the guiding policy in Sri Lanka’s relations with India and China, when balancing is only a strategy? For instance, is the prospect of a 200,000 barrels a day refinery by China in Hambantota to be balanced by a prospective refinery by India in Trincomalee even... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
Courtesy The Island
Susantha Liyanaarachchi A presidential advisor, identified as D. Gamage, had asked a delegation representing the SME sector to “surround the Central Bank” instead of troubling officers at the Presidential Secretariat, Susantha Liyanaarachchi, Chairman of the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL) told the media yesterday near the Presidential Secretariat. Liyanaarachchi said so following a meeting with Gamage, on Friday, during a protest staged by a group of small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs, affiliated with the MSME Joint Alliance, outside the Presidential Secretariat against parate executions. Five... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
LAKMAL SOORIYAGODA Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, Feb 08 (Daily Mirror) - The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), in a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, strongly emphasised that decisions of the Attorney General in criminal matters should not be subject to review by political authorities, including the Cabinet of Ministers. Such interference, the BASL argued, would undermine the independence of the Attorney General’s office, which is crucial for upholding the rule of law. The BASL, one of Sri Lanka’s largest professional bodies, sent this letter to the President amidst controversy over the discharge of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
Courtesy Hiru News
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that Sri Lanka’s compliance with IMF conditions in the 2025 budget will be a key factor in approving the next tranche of funding under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). IMF Communications Director Julie Kozack confirmed that the Executive Board will review the third assessment of Sri Lanka’s EFF in the coming weeks. She noted that a staff-level agreement was reached on November 23 between the IMF delegation and Sri Lankan authorities, and once approved, Sri Lanka will receive approximately $333 million in financing. Kozack... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
Ada Derana
https://youtu.be/XeT6B2L8P-Q... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
SEDA BRO
https://youtu.be/ObUcLOr31gs... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/02/25)
Dasatha News
https://youtu.be/Fla_s1As5yc... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Courtesy The Morning
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has raised concerns over reports that the Cabinet may review the Attorney General’s (AG) decision to discharge three suspects in the Lasantha Wickrematunge assassination case. In a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the BASL stressed that while the AG is accountable to the public, his role is quasi-judicial, requiring decisions based on legal merit and admissible evidence. It warned that political interference could undermine the AG’s independence and the rule of law. The BASL noted that the Supreme... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Anthima Pituwa - Sepal Amarasinghe
https://youtu.be/6YIPJAqwc1A... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Dasatha News
https://youtu.be/Nh60UMoKjr0... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
සතියේ විත්ති with UDAYA - Episode 2
https://youtu.be/6XF0Gn9YtNQ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Shenali D Waduge
The scale of corruption in the US by USAID wasting public funds for nefarious activities across the world has to be investigated & held to account. $15m for condoms to the Taliban via USAID / $446,700 to promote atheism in Nepal, $1m for LGBTQ groups in West & Central Africa, $20,600 for a drag show in Ecuador, $47,020 for transgender opera in Colombia, $32,000 for LGBTQ comic book in Peru, $3,315,446 for “being LGBTQ in the Caribbean”, ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
By Rohana R. Wasala
“Vinasha kale vipareetha buddhi” is an ancient Sanskrit proverb. It means: “When a person’s doom approaches, their intellectual power becomes reversed/disoriented or turns against them (causing their destruction)”. This pithy saying seems to be as much applicable to incumbent president Anura Kumara Dissanayake as it once was to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. This was brought to my mind by president Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s absurd treatment of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in his keynote address at a public rally dubbed ‘Suhada Hamuwa’ (Friendly Meeting) held by the ruling JVP/NPP alliance at Katukurunda in Kalutara... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: The dwindling Hindu population of Bangladesh celebrated Saraswati Puja peacefully to worship the deity of wisdom, knowledge, and arts on 3 February 2025 across the trouble-torn south Asian nation. As Saraswati Puja is a major religious festival of the Hindu community in the neighbouring country, the devotees celebrate the occasion every year amid enthusiasm, festivity and religious fervour seeking blessings to enhance their creative endeavours in respective fields. All Hindu temples along with universities, colleges, schools and other educational institutions across Bangladesh organized the festival with traditional gaiety. Dhaka University premises attracted a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Kimberlee Hurley
- February 6, 2025 One of Trump’s most despicable day-one executive orders revoked Biden’s moratorium on federal executions, ensured that states that still carry out capital punishment have “a sufficient supply of drugs needed to carry out lethal injection,” and urged the Attorney General to seek to overrule the Supreme Court’s precedents on limitations of capital punishment. Capital punishment is a moral travesty, and Trump’s hunger to not only reestablish executions but expand their use is a clear signal of his deepening depravity. In his Executive Order 14164, Trump decried Biden’s... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
by PIB Delhi
A Unique Motorcycle Expedition from Lumbini, Nepal (The Birthplace of Lord Buddha) to Galle, Sri LankaExpedition will be Flagged Off by Shri Ram Nath Kovind, The Former President of India, from Bodhgaya on 25th February 2025 The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) will announce the launch of the historic Lord Buddha Trination Triservices Expedition. This collaborative initiative brings together the armed forces of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, in partnership with the IBC, to launch a unique motorcycle expedition from Lumbini, Nepal (the birthplace of Lord Buddha) to Galle, Sri Lanka. The expedition,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Courtesy EasternEye
Last month, Adani said its power purchase deal with the Sri Lankan government was intact after a report said it had been revoked
Gautam Adani SRI LANKA’S government started talks with India’s Adani Group to lower the cost of power from two wind power projects the group will build in the island nation’s northern province, the cabinet spokesman said last Tuesday (28). Sri Lanka has been reviewing the group’s local projects after US authorities in November accused billionaire founder Gautam Adani and other executives of being... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා ලීඩර්
රී ලංකා විදේශ සේවය දේශපාලනීකරණය කිරීම පිළිබඳ අතීත විවේචන නොතකා, ජාතික ජන බලය (NPP) රජය විදේශයන්හි ශ්රී ලංකා දූත මණ්ඩලවල ප්රධානියා සඳහා දේශපාලන පත්වීම් ලබාදීමේ ක්රියාවලියක නිරතව සිටින බව ඩේලි මිරර් වාර්තා කර ඇත. පසුගිය වසරේ ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතා බලයට පත්වීමෙන් පසු විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්යාංශය විසින් එක්සත් ජනපදයේ තානාපතිවරයා ලෙස තවදුරටත් කටයුතු කරන මහින්ද සමරසිංහ මහතා හැර දේශපාලනිකව පත් කරන ලද ශ්රී ලංකා දූත මණ්ඩල ප්රධානීන් සියල්ල ආපසු කැඳවනු ලැබීය. එක් දේශපාලන පත්වීමකට අනුග්රහය දක්වන්නේ මන්දැයි ප්රශ්න කරන වෘත්තීය රාජ්යතාන්ත්රිකයින් අතර එය දැනටමත් මතභේදයක් නිර්මාණය කර ඇත. කෙසේ වෙතත්, පසුගිය... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා ලීඩර්
එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සිලයෙන් අමෙරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය ඉවත් වීමට ගත් තීරණය ශ්රී ලංකාවට වඩාත් වාසිදායක බව අචාර්ය නිතීඥ ප්රතිභා මහානාම හේවා මහතා පවසයි. ඔහු පෙන්වා දෙන්නේ මේ මස 24 වනදා ආරම්භ වීමට නියමිත එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සිලයේ 58 වැනි සැසිවාරයේදී ශ්රී ලංකාවට එරෙහිව මීට පෙර ගෙනආ යෝජනාවට අභියෝගයක් එල්ල කළ හැකි බවය. අචාර්ය නිතීඥ ප්රතිභා මහානාම හේවා මහතා, "හැම අවස්ථාවේදීම ශ්රී ලංකාවට එරෙහිව යුද අපරාධ චෝදනා එල්ල කරන්නේ සහ හයිබ්රිඩ් අධිකරණයක් දාන්න ඕනේ වගේ යෝජනාවලට මුල පුරන්නේ අමෙරිකාව. ඒකට බටහිර රටවල් සහයෝගය දෙනවා. මූලිකම දේ... අමෙරිකාව... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා ලීඩර්
USAID, ඇමරිකානු තානාපති කාර්යාලය, ඇමරිකානු නියෝජිත ජූලි චුන්ග්, IREX සහ MEND වැඩසටහන් මගින් ශ්රී ලාංකික මාධ්යවේදීන්ට “ද්විමය-ලිංගික භාෂාව” වළක්වා ගන්නේ කෙසේද යන්න ඉගැන්වීම සඳහා ඩොලර් මිලියන 8 ක් වෙන් කිරීම මේ වන විට ආන්දෝලනාත්මක පුවතක් බවට පත්ව තිබේ. ශ්රී ලාංකික දේශපාලනඥයින්, ඉහළ පෙළේ සමාගම්, ශාස්ත්රඥයින්, නීති ක්ෂේත්රය, මාධ්ය ආයතන, කලාකරුවන් සහ ක්රීඩා තරු, "කීර්තිමත්" වෘත්තිකයන්, සිවිල් සමාජය/රාජ්ය නොවන සංවිධාන වෙත ඇදී ගොස් ඇති අරමුදල් දෙස සමීපව බැලීමේ දී ඔවුන් "සැලකිලිමත් පුරවැසියන්" ලෙස පෙනී සිටිමින් ශ්රී ලංකාවේ සිදුවන දේශපාලන බිඳවැටීමට දායක වූ ද්රෝහීන් බවට මේ වන විට හෙළිදරව් වී ඇත. මේ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
By B.G. Chaturanga Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo,February 7 (Daily Mirror)- An US lady who was admitted to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital when she developed a heart ailment and recovered after treatment donated a set of beds for use of the Intensive Care Unit. The lady, known as Jabe Japsen appreciated the services of the hospital and expressed her gratitude to the medical staff of the hospital for saving her life, at the function held to make the donation. Deputy Director of the hospital Dr Pubudu Ranaweera and the Medical Specialists of the Cardiology Treatment... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Referring to recent reports suggesting that three suspects were released in connection with the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, the Attorney General’s (AG) Department clarified that the decision was related to a separate case involving the abduction of Wickrematunge’s driver. In a statement, the AG’s Department emphasized that the murder investigation remains ongoing and has not been concluded. It further explained that the abduction case had been filed under the same case number (92/2009), leading to confusion over the nature of the suspects' discharge. According to the statement,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
By Huzefa Aliasger Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, Feb 07 (Daily Mirror) - In the wake of the Daily Mirror report over political appointments to diplomatic Missions, the Sri Lanka Foreign Service Association (SLFSA) expressed deep concern that several recent appointments to Head of Mission (HOM) positions have been made from outside the Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS), disregarding the established norms of professionalism, meritocracy, and diplomatic expertise. In a media release the SLFSA says, "The SLFSA expresses its strong disappointment over these appointments, which have overlooked experienced, highly qualified, and career Foreign... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Courtesy Adaderana
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring justice for the family of slain journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, emphasizing the need to reassess legal procedures that hinder justice. Speaking in Parliament today (07), she acknowledged the letter sent by Ms. Ahimsa Wickrematunge, the daughter of the former Sunday Leader Editor, describing it as measured given the immense suffering the family has endured for years. https://twitter.com/i/status/1887759947037090238 “The letter that Ms. Ahimsa Wickremetunga has sent to me is also measured, given the circumstances and given what this family... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Courtesy Adaderana
New Democratic Front (NDF) MP Ravi Karunanayake has tabled a Private Members’ Motion in Parliament today (7), seeking the abolition of the pension scheme for Members of Parliament. Addressing Parliament, MP Karunanayake stated that a certain political party had manipulated public opinion on this issue, portraying it as a betrayal of society, which in turn has damaged public trust in MPs. Therefore, he brought this motion to restore public confidence, he said. He emphasized the need to rebuild trust in elected representatives, highlighting that MPs serve to represent the will of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Ada Derana
https://youtu.be/oaXCOnGfxdA... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Courtesy Adaderana
Aimed at accelerating Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, three key digital initiatives were officially launched today (07) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. These initiatives include the establishment of the ‘GovPay’ government digital payment platform, the expansion of the President’s Fund services to the Divisional Secretariat level, and the introduction of the ‘eBMD’ system for obtaining birth, marriage, and death certificates through embassies. The project is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), and ‘LankaPay’, with the Central... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Ceylon Wire
https://youtu.be/Kza91DfXp-I... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Madyawediya
https://youtu.be/f2iMRMUl7ZU... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
Vantage | Palki Sharma |N18G Firstpost
https://youtu.be/96034UzMjHQ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/02/25)
By Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake* InDepthNews2025-02-03
Of ‘GLADIO’ Operations, Raj Nostalgia History and Literary Festivals
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 3 February 2025 (IDN) — Independence has been a long mirage in Ceylon / Sri Lanka, where history seems to repeat itself as tragedy and farce in equal measure. This week, the geostrategic Indian Ocean island is set to mark 77 years of faux Independence from the British Raj. There will be much pomp and pageantry to mask the fact that the country is caught in a neocolonial Eurobond US dollar debt trap and the International Monetary Fund... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/02/25)
Dr Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake
With the wisdom of hindsight, as well as new research based on de-classified material and evidence from various archives, including the British Archives and the US Library of Congress, it is now clear that when the British crown colony of Ceylon morphed into a British Dominion with the spectacular Pageant of Ceylon in 1948, her people’s long struggle for genuine Independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination had only just begun. Indeed, Ceylon/ Sri Lanka’s struggle for Independence continues to this day, amid GLADIO-style “stay behind’ clandestine operations by British,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/02/25)