Authorities removed hundreds of unauthorised coastal buildings this year. But when they tried to demolish an illegal cafe on Trinco’s public beach, monks erected a Buddha statue. The authenticity of the monks’ Pooja Bhoomi deed is in question and officials object to the law’s selective application.

As war and the economic crises choked the domestic industry, some construction companies have looked to foreign markets. Today, Sri Lankan builders sign their names on projects from Uganda to Oman. But local conditions still clip their wings.

The Season is upon us, but Friday is still dead. The only stirrings are a wine tasting at La Maison.  More luck on Saturday. Film scores maybe lowbrow, but theatre music can’t possibly be.

Namal Rajapaksa is said to have sat for his law exams in a private classroom. But a lengthy investigation by Nirmala Kannangara unearths new evidence from the UK and Sri Lanka, suggesting he was not eligible for law college admission in the first place.

Colombo traffic will get worse as car imports resume, the economy recovers and migration into the city accelerates. Public transport remains a key barrier to growth, and railways are the pain point. Their modernisation was to kick-off with the Kelani Valley Line’s upgrade. But the project derailed.

This budget marks continuity rather than change. It falls within the IMF’s parameters and maintains the discipline characteristic of Sri Lanka’s post-crisis budgets. But capital expenditure and implementation remain question marks, even for the government’s own.

Except for Manila, nowhere in Asia takes Christmas as seriously as Colombo. Which explains why we spotted this year’s first Christmas tree last week, meaning we’re doomed to Adele covers and jingle bells

Despite Supreme Court judgements against them, torturers remain in police service, and sometimes even get promoted. Neither the police department nor the national police commission takes discipline seriously.