Comments on: The Prime Minister’s call will exacerbate Horizontal Inequality in Sri Lanka

By: sunila Mendis

sunila Mendis — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 04:54:15 +0000

Why comment on a foolish utterance of an old man on the throes of death when there are more important issues to deal with? The most important issue for the people of SL who voted or were cheated by the Regime is the lack of a coherent vision for Governance, Education and other human infrastructure,economic develpment International relations, Ethnic problem and dillydallying with the LLRC etc.20/20 cricket matches and mega music shows will keep the youth preocupied to some extent but when the truth is conveyed to the massess they will definitely rise against the Govt.

By: luxmy

luxmy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:46:51 +0000

Will the author give a link to a table of GDP of different provinces at a few different dates in the last 6 decades please?

By: justitia

justitia — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:37:46 +0000

In reply to sampath123.

Ref. query by sampath123:-
Batticalo was known as the ‘land of milk and honey’ (plus rice),until the eighties.Vast paddy fields produced a glut of rice.Average lunch was rice+vegetable curries+fish/crab/prawns from the batticaloa lgoon+dessert of buffalo curd & honey.During WW2, in the forties, most of the rice was sent to the western sri lanka and school lunches
(hostel lunches available also to ‘day’studens)became bread plus curry – which was hated so much so,that in the oldest christian school in town,students modified the Lord’s Prayer to “……..give us this day our daily RICE…………”! This dietary habit persists to this day.

By: yapa

yapa — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:01:35 +0000

So called “wheat flour terrorism” seems to have an “ethnic dimension”. Ha! Ha!!

As sampath123m has observed why Batticoloa is different? A thing to ponder?

Thanks!

By: sampath123

sampath123 — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:25:07 +0000

I repeat, is there anyone who can explain why the consumption of wheat flour is so low in Batticaloa? maybe the Hon. MP can oblige?

By: Dinuk

Dinuk — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:56:23 +0000

In reply to John Wayne.

Agreed John Wayne! Let’s talk about REGIONAL INEQUALITY between north and South rather than ‘horizontal inequality’! The fancy new Dutch Hospital turned shopping mall in Colombo Fort for tourists whose numbers are also being fixed… while IDPs in Vanni have no homes.
A comprehensive evaluation/ assessment of all the funds spent and returns on the Hambantota big bang mega development infrastructure projects is necessary at this time. Rajapakses wants to fill 5 reservoirs for Namal’s sports complex. These funds would be better spent on development projects in and would have a higher return for investment in Jaffna that has a larger population base than Hambantota. Your turn Harsha – let’s walk the talk!

By: John Wayne

John Wayne — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:29:53 +0000

Hey Harsha get with the program and start monitoring the foreign ‘aid’ (debt)that Rajapakses are building up supposedly for “development” road works, bridges and sports complexes. They are getting a massive loan from France which is famous for “tied aid” (i.e. over priced services and goods). Very likely this funding would be used for something else since aid is FUNGIBLE. For every Franc/dollar in aid that France gives it takes back 94 cents so getting loans from France who is considered and ranked a “bad donor” internationally, is not a good idea! Also Sri Lanka already has more roads per square km than the rest of South Asia and we do not need new roads (through wildlife and nature reserves that generate elepahnt human conflicts) as much as the existing ones need maintenance.
2. Filling up reservoirs to build a Fomular One race track and “sports complex” ! Please raise the issue of the Lack of consultation with local communities re. mega “development” infrastructure projects that are NOT what the people need or want. There need to be environmental and social impact assessments of all so-called development work and the opposition should rais this in parliament. In any case, check out the current Economist – the big bang theory of development is outmoded and it is gradual small scale development that works and is SUSTAINABLE. Many of Rajapakse Bros Inc. projects are white elephant debt generating infrastructure projects that enable corruption, rent-seeking and kick-back for Mr 20 percent in Colombo and elsewhere particularly when it come to sports extravaganzas – a most corrupt sector!

By: sabbe laban

sabbe laban — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:12:27 +0000

It’s a pity that people in the Paradise don’t get the whole bran high quality bread or wheat flour for that matter. They eat the garbage white bread and become walking skeletons day by day! And when they drink milk they drink the evaporated “milk” powder which is thrown in the gutter by the people in the West!

By: Anthony Pillai

Anthony Pillai — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:22:30 +0000

It’s like Rajapaksa Government is cancelling Christmas! 🙂

Every Christmas our family enjoys rotti which is made from wheat flour.

I have fond memories of these family gatherings and delicious smell of rotti !!

By: huck

huck — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:18:22 +0000

health wise and purely theoretically the prime minister’s statement has an iota of truth, since wheat products are generally known to be bereft of nutrients. however the prime minister has no right to impose his eating habits on the rest of the country. freedom of choice is vital in a democratic system. since democracy within our system sadly seems to be flagging and almost non existent petty action like this will only add fuel to the already raging fire of the lack of basic rights in sri lanka.