Showdown in Geneva: Hate-campaign in Lanka

Critical questions as to whether demos against the West will be helpful or harmful to the government US finalises resolution at UNHRC sessions; deadlines to be given on LLRC report and accountability issues Ministers were not consulted on huge fuel price hike; Cabraal's rosy picture viewed with scepticism

By Our Political Editor

The special SriLankan Airlines flight had rolled off the runway at Bandaranaike International Airport in the morning of Friday, February 10. On board were President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his entourage on an official visit to Pakistan. He was still in the air, somewhere between Colombo and Islamabad, when a crucial meeting of a Cabinet Sub Committee was under way in Colombo. It was discussing costs of fuel imports and how the new pricing structure should be formulated. Taking part were Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha, Senior Minister (and former Prime Minister) Ratnasiri Wickremenayake and Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. In attendance was Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Planning. UNP hierarchy protesting outside Parliament complex. Pic by Indika Handuwala It was taking place in the backdrop of a Cabinet Paper circulated to ministers at the weekly meeting just two days earlier, on February 8. In the absence of Rajapaksa, it has been signed by acting Finance and Planning Minister Geetanjana Gunawardena. read more..