The forgotten 13th bears upon the 19th and 20th

Draconian. A plan for self-aggrandizement. The death of democracy. In violation of established parliamentary procedure.

Empathize with COVID-19 victims, don’t ridicule them - EDITORIAL

Social media busy-bodies have again begun their dastardly deeds of maligning the COVID-19 infected workers at the Brandix Garment Factory in Minuwangoda.

Will 20A be a pyrrhic victory for Pohottuwa Government?

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution is now under debate, and it is expected to be put to vote at 7.30 pm today. The first piece of legislation of the new Government formed after the August 5 General Election reached the debating stage at a political cost to the Government.

Signs of ‘spring’ in nationalist Sri Lanka

Many Asian countries are in turmoil including Sri Lanka. At present Sri Lanka watches anxiously as parliament debates the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution while a few airports away Thailand and Pakistan agitate against their respective countries’ prime ministers.

Why this fascination with an US election? - EDITORIAL

On Tuesday 3 November 2020, Americans will vote for their next president, with a choice between Donald Trump, the Republican incumbent, and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden.

Recalibrating our shame, digitally

Shame is digital, and it’s public. Shame of faked academic qualifications, follow amilagate. Shame of digital philanthropy gone pear-shaped at best....

Leave petty party politics, vote sensibly

The highly controversial 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill is to be presented to Parliament tomorrow for the second reading an

20A amidst COVID-19 What a set of (mis) priorities?

It takes an extra dose of cavalierness to bulldoze through Parliament a Constitutional Amendment intended for personal aggr

‘There’re four key accountability gaps in 20th A’ -Asoka Obeysekere

S.C. Asoka Obeyesekere, Executive Director at Transparency International Sri Lanka, airs out his views on the 20th Amendment in an email interview with Daily Mirror.

Socio-Economic implications of 20th A

The draft 20th Amendment (20A) to the Constitution is being opposed by the main opposition parties and some segments of civil society and professional groups. The most politically significant opposition comes from some leaders of the Sangha who played a major role in the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President. They want a new constitution as

Live wires of Sri Lanka’s economy are now treated like criminals - Chamila Thushari

Although the apparel sector is said to be Sri Lanka’s largest export industry, its live wires – the garment factory workers are seldom recognized.

Light Rail Shattered? History of rail-transit and tramcars

Walking down the sparsely crowded Norris Road to my office at Fort 54 years ago, I noticed two street urchins discovering silver under a layer of molten.....

COVID-19: Growing social inequalities and social responsibility - EDITORIAL

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in its report on the ‘Status of the Economy’ revealed that income inequality in the country is growing....

Funeral of Austerity

The global economy and its worst contraction in eight decades overshadowed the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings last week.

The Importance of Road Discipline

Compliance with traffic rules and regulations reflect the discipline and culture of a country. Road discipline is a good indicator as to whether Sri Lanka is indeed a nation of disciplined people.

Millions languishing in poverty; a moral outrage

Most world religious leaders have called on the international community and political leaders to give the highest priority to poverty alleviation. After 1970 when the globalized capitalist market economic system took control of most of the world, the gap between the rich and the poverty- stricken people has widened so much that independent social analysts say we may come to a catastrophe where about half the world’s people will watch on televisio

It’s quite heroic to believe in the future now

It just didn’t seem right. After the initial scare in Mid-March, after more than two months of lockdown, the pre-March blessed state of being, of being spared the ravages of the pandemic terrorising the rest of the world, seemed to be the norm. The infections happened neatly in clusters, were quickly contained and brought under control.

Health & Politics at Crossroads!

There seems to be at the moment a heated controversy about health and politics as to which issues have to be looked at as more urgent and therefore priority of attention to be given, in order the best interests of not politicians but the common good of the people could be achieved as quickly as possible. Many learned commentators in recent media articles, press conferences and other social media have made prolific presentations in defense of thei

World Food Day and COVID-19; Millions of people go hungry - EDITORIAL

Food is essential for human life and it is also important for us to examine the quality of food we eat, especially what we give to children.

What Lanka can learn from Senate grilling of new nominee to US Supreme Court

Despite the controversy over United States President Donald Trump’s decision to fill a Supreme Court vacancy ahead of next month’s election and the Republican....

COVID-19 and Situation of Garment Factory Workers in Katunayaka

“The biggest mistake done by this Government and the Health Ministry was to claim that we had “conquered” Corona.

Struggles against JR’s Dharmishta samajaya

If you would be able to see your enemies or arch rivals following in your own footsteps after your death, that would be the pinnacle of your life achieved posthumously.

Three decades since, what could be done?

Over a two-week period in October 1990, the LTTE forcibly expelled 75,000 Muslims from the Northern Province. My family was among them. Most of them were allowed to take only 500 rupees and clothing; some fled with nothing.

Sri Lanka walks diplomatic tight rope between china and u.s.

Foreign Secretary Admiral (Retd.) Prof. Jayanath Kolombage, in his recent interview with Daily Mirror, emphasized Sri Lanka would not depend on one country for economic development.

Nobel Peace Prize boosts WFP’s role in Feeding the Hungry

Most topics discussed these days are done in the context or against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is playing a dominant role when it comes to the environment, procurement of essential food items, the economy, politics and of course the health of the people.

The 19th, 20th and sanctimonious humbuggery

There were voices. Loud voices. The end of democracy is at hand, we heard them say. Sovereignty is at stake, they said. All about the 20th Amendment. So they petitioned the Supreme Court in their hordes. And the Supreme Court heard what they had to say, listened to the observations of the intervening petitioners as well as the Attorney-General, including amendments to the Bill that are expected to be made at the Committee Stage. The Supreme Court

Covid-19 outbreak: Tedious task of combatting a virus

The total number of COVID -19 patients found in the country has passed 4800 and it keeps rising. The much expected COVID -19 second....

FAITH AND DISCIPLINE

Faith is a beautiful attribute; it gives us inner strength, not physical strength; but an inner resolve to withstand turmoil or whatever life throws at us.

Estate Workers’ Lives Matter - EDITORIAL

In January 2019, Sri Lanka recorded a total value of US $16.4 billion, in exports. Of this sum, the apparel/garment export....

Now, the Maha Sangha stands up against the 20th Amendment……

Just as the print and the electronic media were abuzz with the rumoured contents of the Supreme Court determination on the constitutionality of the 20th....