Ranwala’s Title Outweighs Rice and Coconuts

The moral high ground occupied by National People’s Power (NPP) government has been threatened by the issues surrounding the title Dr. used by Speaker Asoka Sapumal Ranwala after many people started questioning and challenging the authenticity of it.

President Gets his Sums Wrong; MP’s Drop Bogus Doctorates

Less than four months ago,, the results of this country’s Presidential election brought a smile to Lankan faces. The relatively young leader of the National Peoples Power (NPP), popularly known as AKD, was elected President. Until this time AKD had commanded just three members in parliament. At the General elections which followed in November, the NPP won a two-thirds majority. It left the political opposition in disarray.

LTTE Political Strategist Anton Balasingham: A Personal Account.

The current controversy surrounding Speaker Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala’s higher educational qualifications evoke memories of an earlier controversy of a similar nature concerning a prominent person associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE).

Syria: The grim reality behind the celebration

The crisis unfolding in Syria is indeed a major geopolitical quake, the likes of which the Middle East has not seen since the defeat of the Ottoman Empire and the balkanisation of the region into more than a dozen nation-states some 105 years ago in keeping with the Western imperialists’ sinister design to divide and rule the Arabs.

Thumbing Through Pages Made Heavy by VAT- EDITORIAL

Book publishers in Sri Lanka are up in arms against the existing Value Added Tax (VAT) that’s charged on books.

ACCOMPLISHMENT OF PLEDGES GIVEN AT THE ELECTIONS:IS IT FEASIBLE ?

Out of multiple strategies implemented by JVP/NPP leadership in order to secure victory at the last Presidential and General elections, hatred politics and gamut of crucial pledges given to the people have played a predominant role to change the mindset of the mass scale of people in favour of JVP/NPP.

1971 Indo-Pakistan War Legendary Pakistan Navy Submarine and Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore

The Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore celebrated its 50th anniversary three years ago. I was fortunate enough to be part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations being an alumnus of the College, on invitation by then Chief of Navy Staff (Navy Commander) of Pakistan.

A Silent Epidemic: Tackling Mental Health Challenges Among Sri Lanka’s Students

Among the many statistics, rankings, and lists, Sri Lanka appears on; one of the most alarming is its position in global suicide rates.

Perhaps the Eyes of Lady Justice May not be Blindfolded Anymore…

When Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake took oaths as the 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka in May 2011, there were many who were unhappy about this appointment.

Can AKD bring big time rice millers to book

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his newly elected parliamentary team are being hit by a barrage of criticism more reminiscent of the firing of multi-barrel weapons which operated during the time of the LTTE-led war which lasted nearly 30 years. The political opposition has rounded on government for its inability to control major rice millers manipulating prices.

When guardians of justice are more corrupt than politics…

Those on all sides of the political divide, and even those who hold reservations, could expect certain good things to come from this government. One area of promise is more than an illusory commitment to fight corruption. Acknowledging that would not make you a sycophant but surely reduce the chances of you being a brazen hypocrite.

Why is crony capitalism so strong and widespread?

Crony capitalism is widely and publicly derided as the worst form capitalism. It is considered to be injurious to the long term prospects of an economy and also to the welfare of the masses.

Rice issue: Only tough action would work - EDITORIAL

The National People’s Power (NPP) government is apparently under pressure particularly to walk the talk on many issues.

Provincial Council polls should bridge democratic deficit

Constitutionalism as a theory and in practice stands for the principle that there are—in a properly governed state—limitations upon those who exercise the powers of government, and that these limitations are spelled out in a body of higher law which is enforceable in a variety of ways, political and judicial. It is an indispensable part of the rule of law.

Crocodile tears over Lanka, while covering genocide in Palestine - EDITORIAL

The EconomyNext on December 5 reported that the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) is seeking sanctions and travel bans for human rights and economic crimes in Sri Lanka for more than 60 Sri Lankans, including military officials.

Premier Tamil party ITAK is on top in Batticaloa but down in Jaffna

“Mata Allanda Bariwune,Madakkalappuwa vitharai” (I was unable to capture only Batticaloa) were the words with which President Anura Kumara Dissanayake smilingly greeted “Mattakkalappu” MP Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam in Parliament on November 21. The president was mingling with the parliamentarians at the inaugural session of the tenth parliament. Anura was of course alluding to the November 14 parliamentary election in which the AKD

Tilvin and provincial councils

Can anyone find any difference between the crux of the following two paragraphs?“If a constitution acceptable to all communities is adopted, the necessity for the Provincial Council (PC) system or the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would no longer be valid. The Provincial Council system is a failed system which is of no use at all. Yet, we would not abolish the Provincial Council system without presenting an alternative viable solution. This

Who are shooting the Messengers?

Colombo Additional Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake’s observation last Thursday over an arrest of an individual who had shared videos relating to recent ‘Maaveerar Naal’ commemorations without first investigating those who created and uploaded the original videos as an approach like ‘shooting the messenger’, is an eye-opener to the powerful National People’s Power (NPP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) government and its leaders.

Trump threatens to let loose hell on Middle East

The United States President-elect, Donald Trump, read the riot act this week, warning Hamas—by extension all Palestinian civilians trapped in the Gaza Strip—that if the hostages are not released by the time he is in office, there will be “all hell to pay in the Middle East”.

Christmas decorations and poverty in Colombo! - EDITORIAL

The bus plying from Kaduwela to Colpetty- bearing the route number 177- stopped briefly at Rajagiriya to pick more passengers.

The NPP Must Know that ‘The Snow Falls Silently’

We were in a mighty hurry to vote for Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the President of Sri Lanka.

Preventing Racism Top Priority for AKD Govt

Addressing the first formal session of the new parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya reiterated that the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the National People Power would not allow any party or group to indulge in racial tension or violence.

Political Opposition is dead

The political Opposition in this country has yet again reduced to insignificance. This is a precarious existence for politics and the country at large, though this has been a recurrent phenomenon throughout the 2010s. Only the travails have incrementally worsened: In 2010, during the second term of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency, the UPFA won 144 seats, a tad short of the two-thirds majority, which was compensated with the pole vaulters from the

The carnival is over and government bares its fangs

Have some pity for our new government. They were voted into power amid such high expectations; backed by the trade and student organisations. The people gave them a two-thirds majority in parliament. What is sad is we have never asked how these expectations will be matched.

UN Day for Solidarity with Palestine Bloodshed and Politics: Wake Up!

Twelve-year-old Mazyouna suffered devastating injuries to her face from an Israeli rocket and endured five months of unbearable pain before finally receiving approval for emergency surgery.

NPP’s Dilemma over the PTA - EDITORIAL

The obnoxious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has been used twice against suspects of unlawful activities after National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office as President.

Deflationary Disaster and the Undemocratic Rule of IMF Experts

Sri Lanka has achieved another Staff-Level Agreement for the Third Review of the IMF program.

The Month of Christmas and Message of Christianity - EDITORIAL

As the month of December dawns, it brings to the minds of Christians the world over of the birth of Christ in a stable at Bethleham in Palestine.

Landslides, Floods and Government’s Pre-election Manifesto

The monsoon season is here again. This time heightened by the adverse effects of climate change. According to the latest reports, thirteen persons have lost their lives. Over 400,000 persons from over 132,000 families have been affected by overflowing tanks, landslides and or flooding with 102 houses completely destroyed and over 2,000 partially damaged.

LG Polls: Opposition at a Loss

The row in the New Democratic Front (NDF) led by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) over the National List slot allocated for them at the November 14 Parliamentary election seems to prolong for another week or more.