Lanka Citizen

www.kottu.org which identifies itself as a syndicate of Sri Lankan blogs and which carried releases from the UNP’s official website on its blogroll has removed lankacitizen from its blogroll. We haven’t been informed of any reason. Ours is not a political-party web site even though we have an independent political view. Kottu.org carried many news items and articles from news papers and other publications published on the UNP web site and other blogs linked to kottu. Even as we write this note kottu has five items from the UNP on its site. But all our items are removed from the kottu site.

In addition to reproducing material from other sources which will help generate public discussion on political issues, we also carry articles written by the members of our collective.

The Hindu (October 14, 2005) reported: Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the Opposition United National Party (UNP) and one of the two major contenders for presidency recently proposed populist measures including more jobs and a promise to check deficit financing in his manifesto, said one of the main problems was the rising cost of living.

“The main issue are people’s issues,” he said. His manifesto, which he said was the “People’s Agenda” has three key slogans — defeat hunger, end unemployment and prevent separatism.

The manifesto identified “irresponsible and limitless printing of money” as the reason for the rising cost of living. He promised not to print currency to meet deficits, while taking steps to “strengthen the rupee and reduce the increase in cost of living.” He has also listed prices at which essential commodities such as milk powder and lentils would be sold.

The main business news agency in Colombo, Bloomberg also noted:
“Wickremesinghe has pledged to reduce the price of essential food items, including milk powder, and provide fertilizer subsidies and price guarantees to farmers. He will also try to boost the economic growth rate to 10 percent in a bid to create new jobs and lift incomes, according to his manifesto.”