Financial crisis, to malnutrition and now dengue

Our country is facing near insurmountable problems at this moment. The country has no liquid cash reserves, fuel supplies have been rationed, and food supplies are out of reach of the poorer section of the community. According to latest figures nearly 46% of our population can now be counted as poor.

Rehabilitation: Broad and narrow, global and local

Rehabilitation is a word that presumes a previous state of perceived acceptance or agreement. Its etymology is interesting and revealing,

Debt-stricken Lanka, its friends and foes - EDITORIAL

Our country is in deep trouble. We have defaulted in repaying our international debts. Have run through reserves in the Central Bank.....

Human Rights and Economic recovery are inseparable

The UNHRC Resolution on Sri Lanka adopted two weeks ago was a stinging rebuke of the Sri Lankan.....

“I’ll try to bring investors to Sri Lanka” – Erik Solheim

Eric Solheim played a critical role in Sri Lanka as peace negotiator during the civil war. Solheim returned to Sri Lanka at the invitation....

It’s the political will that matters most

A new anti-corruption law proposed by the Government envisages the creation of an Independent Commission to deal with corruption in the country. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had told media that the Bill will be presented i

Chinese model that Rajapaksas got wrong

China’s President Xi Jinping would be anointed for an unprecedented third term at the end of the 20th National People’s Congress that began in Beijing on Sunday. In all substance, that move would take China’s political structure and its governing principles right into the reign of Chairman

Poverty eradication: EU’s commitment to dignity for all

This joint Opinion-Editorial is by H.E. Ms Rita Giuliana Mannella, Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, H.E. Denis Chaibi, EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, H.E. Holger Seubert, German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the

The fate of the Amazon hangs in the balance

While the news is bad from almost everywhere in the world, the return of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil to challenge incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro is something to cheer about. Another round

Indian Credit line meant for medical drugs used for fuel, other payments

A shortage of 170 drugs was reported from government hospitals recently. Many say that the severe economic crisis is the reason for this shortage. But it was revealed that the drug shortage....

Class to the Fore

Sri Lanka’s economy is sinking deeper and deeper into an economic depression. The working peoples’ day to day lives are breaking down with food inflation on the order of 80% to 90%. Yet, over the last....

Inflation, CoL, hunger could lead to unrest, uprising - EDITORIAL

Inflation is the topic at the tip of every Sri Lankan’s tongue these days, given the skyrocketing prices of goods. Making matters worse prices seem to rise from day-to-day. Inflation is the phenomenon....

Will Anura Kumara step down and allow Harini to lead?

Ravi Nagahawatte writing under the catchy title, “What does Patali know about politics that Harini doesn’t know?”, [Daily Mirror -14/10] - says, “…. we see two forces....

STATESMANSHIP IN GOVERNANCE - NOT DENIAL TO BUY TIME

The National Peace Council (NPC), an independent and non-partisan organization that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, has issued a statement....

Amitabh Bachchan: Evergreen Emperor of Hindi cinema turns 80

Well-known Hindi film actor Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his eightieth birthday on October 11. The veteran thespian continues to be active,

Free media vital for a vibrant and accountable democracy

Traditionally democracy’s four major pillars have been the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the free media.

Electoral changes at this juncture: Stabbing with a golden knife

President Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 9 made several suggestions to the country’s electoral system during a meeting with a group of professionals at the Presidential Secretariat.

What does Patali know about politics that Harini doesn’t know?

Sri Lanka is going through great pains to get its economy in order after the country’s lawmakers pulled the island to a state of bankruptcy by obtaining loans which were used on useless projects. The bubble....

Australia - Sri Lanka relationship: A gold standard partnership that stands the test of time

Rear Admiral Justin Jones CSC RAN, Commander of the Joint Agency Task Force Operation Sovereign Borders and Lucienne Manton, Australia’s People Smuggling and Human Trafficking Ambassador....

PAFTA condemns harassment of anti-raggers

Peradeniya Arts Faculty Teachers’ Association (PAFTA) in a statement has strongly condemned the conduct of a certain group of undergraduates who called themselves ‘Raggers’ and unleashing violence against....

Let’s think of the child who hasn’t had a meal - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka is a country that needs a lot of food now to feed many hungry mouths. Something that alarms us is that many of these mouths are that of children. Many programmes have been....

Crimea bridge blast: When terrorism is not terrorism

Saturday’s devastating blast on the bridge that connects mainland Russia with Crimea, which is now under Russia, is, no doubt, a terrorist attack. It cannot be labelled as an act of war or brought under....

PPP model better option for public enterprises with strategic importance- German expert

Andreas Hergenröther, a German economic expert with speacial knowledge about Asia, shares his insights on the merits of Private Public Partnership (PPP) models for Sri Lanka to revive the economy. He underscores...

‘Year of the Girl Child’ and abuse of children

October 11 is commemorated the world over as the year of the ‘Girl Child’.The International Day of the Girl Child was first focused on, at the Beijing Declaration in 1995 at the World Conference on Women in Beijing.

India shows its hand in Geneva

Indra Mani Pandey. Remember the name. He’s India’s Permanent Representative in Geneva. He’s no novice in matters diplomatic, having joined the service more than 30 years ago.

Protest justified, but No to toddlers used as human shields - EDITORIAL

The people of Sri Lanka are going through extremely difficult times. They are hungry and rightfully they are protesting. This is especially....

Heavy toll of reporting SL’s mass protests: “We are gasping for breath”

On April 1 this year I awoke to over 500 messages that had accumulated on my phone overnight. For weeks, my home country of....

From Middle to Low Income: A new low of self-degradation

The Cabinet this week will take up a proposal to voluntarily downgrade Sri Lanka from a Middle- Income Country to a Low-Income country.....

Chicanery over Constitutional reform - EDITORIAL

The abolition of executive Presidency in general and the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution currently are best two cases.....

The geopolitics of voting on the Sri Lanka resolution at UNHRC

Looking at the voting on the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution on Sri Lanka on October 6, it appears that the decisions taken....