The Transformations in Colombo Over the Last 150 Years-by Nihal Perera Source:Thuppahis Nihal Perera, whose chapter 16 is entitled  “From colonial outpost to indigenous kleptocratic city” ABSTRACT : This chapter maps out the trajectory of the production, reproduction, and transformation of Colombo through colonial, post-colonial, neoliberal, and kleptocratic periods. Created as part of a European-imperial system of cities, Colombo’s identity is tied to larger systems of cities. Using the threshold between the city and outside to look from inside, the chapter approaches the story of Colombo more from indigenous and local people’s vantage points and perspectives, acknowledging and adapting significant local interpretations. The discussion focuses the neoliberal and kleptocratic periods. The neoliberals transformed the city’s form to attract foreign investment, shifting the purpose of planning to finding sites for investors, and enabling growth. Replacing investment for development with growth for investment, the kleptocrats intensified the movement of money and intercepted the circuits at the state ...

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Sri Lankan Prime ministers – By Malsha – eLanka Here is a list of Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka since its independence in 1948: D.S. Senanayake (1948-1952) John Lionel Kotalawela (1953-1956) S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike (1956-1959) W.D. SENEVRATNE (1959-1960) Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (1960-1965) Dudley Shelton Senanayake (1965-1970) Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (1970-1977) J.R. Jayewardene (1977-1978) R. Premadasa (1978-1989) Dingiri Banda Wijetunga (1989-1993) Chandrika Kumaratunga (1994-2001) Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (2001-2004) Mahinda Rajapaksa (2004-2015) Ranil Wickremesinghe (2015-present) D.S. Senanayake Dudley Shelton Senanayake was the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), serving from 1948 until his death in 1952. He was a central figure in Sri Lanka’s independence movement, and worked to gain independence from British rule. After independence, he focused on building the country’s infrastructure and promoting agriculture. He is widely regarded as the father of the nation and his son, Dudley Shelton Senanayake, became the second Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. ...

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Tallest Tower in Sri Lanka Throws Open Its Doors to Tourists – By Anusha Ondaatjie and Asantha Sirimanne Lotus Tower aiming for 1.1 billion rupees in revenue by 2024 Chinese debt used for project started in Mahinda Rajapaksa era Source : bloomberg A 350-meter tall China-funded tower will be the main attraction for Sri Lanka to lure tourists to the bankrupt country. Shaped like a gigantic long-stemmed lotus, the structure is the tallest in the South Asian nation. It opened to the public on Thursday, selling tickets to an observation deck with 360-degree views of the city and the Indian Ocean. When fully occupied, the venue will have shops, host weddings and boast a fine dining rotating restaurant on the bud of the flower. “This will be the tourism and entertainment hub of Colombo,” said Prasad Samarasinghe, chief executive officer of state-run Colombo Lotus Tower Management Co., which is overseeing the ...

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Personal Leadership Lesson from Sri Lanka   to reset of the world – by Damith Kothalawala Source : Linked In – Damith Kothalawala  https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:6955569706992902144?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_share&utm_content=post Personal Leadership Lesson from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 to reset of the world. Newly appointed Executive President of Sri Lanka, Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe set an example to all the people who thinks you have no chance of success after facing to numerous failures within their lifetime. He used to be the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, when I was at Grade 1 and He was the Prime Minister when my Kid was at Grade 1. After being at Parliament for almost 43 years he lost almost all the seats during 2020 General Election in Sri Lanka but was able to secure single seat at Parliament of Sri Lanka thanks to the Nationl List Selection based on the total islanwide votes. And that caused him to loose his long ...

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Sri Lanka Current – By Dr harold Gunatillake Website :  www.Doctorharold.com Dhammika calls on Ranil to resign as Finance Min. Investment Promotion Minister Dhammika Perera said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should resign immediately as the Finance Minister and from the post of Prime Minister, and the political game he is playing needs to be stopped. Addressing the media today, he said the PM had halted all the projects that could bring in dollars to the country. “From today onwards, I have decided to prepare myself for the struggle. It has been seven days since I joined the government, and I saw what has been going on here,” he said. The PM has no plan for the cash flow of the country. He doesn’t have a plan to feed the people in the country or a plan to bring in dollars to the country. Sri Lanka seeks Credit Assistance from Russia ...

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SOLVING ECONOMIC CRISIS – By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando For weeks, motorists in Sri Lanka continuously lined up in long queues to obtain diesel and petrol. It has turned out to be a daily routine at present. Many women line up in rows to receive LP Gas or kerosene while their husbands spend long hours in petrol queues. Thanks to swift action by the authorities, it appears that mile-long queues are diminishing gradually for petrol. Meanwhile, diesel queues are getting longer and longer. All of these were due to the adamant policies adopted by the authorities, causing a scarcity of dollars in Government coffers. Some blame the ex-Minister of Finance, Basil Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the ex-Governor of the Central Bank, Nivard Cabraal, for the current adversity. Leaving aside who is to blame for the current adversity, the sudden increase in the Cost of Living has caused ...

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Sri Lanka’s socio-political situation as on 9th June 2022 – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Website – www.Doctorharold.com Transcript: Ranil and Karu reach a consensus. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya have agreed to work together on forming new Parliament committees. Jayasuriya told Daily Mirror the Prime Minister discussed with him, and they agreed to work together on the Parliament committees. There had been reports and speculation earlier that the former Speaker would be brought into Parliament through the National List to be appointed as Prime Minister, to replace Mahinda Rajapaksa. However, that speculation was dismissed with the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. Sri Lanka NeedsSri Lanka needs approximately USD 500 million every month to finance consumption requirements and appears unable to present a coherent plan to sustain previous debt. Difficult times ahead “The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives,” ...

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Taking a closer look at ‘aragalaya’ – By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando   The ‘Aragalaya’ or the protest by peaceful demonstrators in front of the Presidential Secretariat has exceeded fifty days and continues. The protesters claim the 6.9 million who voted for a change and for Gotabaya Rajapaksa failed to deliver what was promised on election platforms.  Fuel prices have gone up several times to unprecedented levels. Consequently, people stand in long queues mainly for petrol, gas and milk-food, while consumer prices are sky high. The scarcity of medicines in hospitals is also flashing red lights. People complain they have to spend their time in queues constantly. The poor cannot afford the wave of fuel and consumer price hikes. Yet, it is the fault of all Governments since Ceylon became independent in 1948 for not implementing robust economic policies. Still, everyone blames the present President in a matter of three ...

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Sri Lanka Current – by Dr Harold Gunatillake Website: www.Doctorharold.com Headlines India is emerging as one of the biggest aid providers to cash-strapped Sri Lanka.US$ 16 million worth of aid from Tamil Nadu will begin arriving in Colombo on May 22 Indian envoy in Lanka’s hands over SLR.2 billion worth of essentials sent by Tamil Nadu government Litro Gas distribution to 416 areas Uninterrupted electricity supply soon. Sri Lanka: Political stability restored, but food, law and order pose challenges Uninterrupted electricity supply soon. Aid from Tamil Nadu to the value of US $ 16 million arrived in Sri Lanka on May 22nd. The consignment, which consists of 9,000 MT of rice, 50 MT of milk powder and more than 25 MT of drugs and other medical supplies, was handed over by High Commissioner Gopal Baglay to the senior leadership of the Government of Sri Lanka This commitment translates to more than ...

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China becomes wild card in Sri Lanka’s debt crisis – by BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI China says its initiative to build ports and other infrastructure across Asia and Africa, paid for with Chinese loans, will boost trade Source:abcnews.go.com COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — China says its initiative to build ports and other infrastructure across Asia and Africa, paid for with Chinese loans, will boost trade. But in a cautionary tale for borrowers, Sri Lanka’s multibillion-dollar debt to Beijing threatens to hinder efforts to resolve a financial crisis so severe that the Indian Ocean nation cannot import food or gasoline. Sri Lanka’s struggle is extreme, but it reflects conditions across dozens of countries from South Pacific islands through some of the poorest in Asia and Africa that have signed onto Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative. The total debt of poor countries is rising, raising risks others might run into trouble. Sri Lanka’s 22 ...

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