How C.P. de Silva voted against the “Totalitarianism” of his own Government

Charles Percival de Silva known as C.P. de Silva or CP was a mercurial personality who strode across the Sri Lankan - known then as Ceylon- political scene like a colossus.

Persecution of the LGBTIQ Community: Does Sri Lanka’s Police have Nothing Better to Do?

Early last week (September 22), news emerged that the Fort Magistrate’s Court was set to sentence two men who had confessed to engaging in same-sex sexual relations.

Sorry, Mother Nature

While the state machinery is busy discussing whether or not to draft the 20A, to ban or not to ban cattle slaughter or to open or not to open the Airport, the environment is once again receiving less than what could be described as a step-motherly treatment. Having fallen from the pan to the fire during every successive regime many have come to the conclusion that there will be less greenery remaining in the country during the next five years.

The curse of child marriages - EDITORIAL

Forced child marriages are often spoken of in Sri Lanka, but could there be a solution for this much cursed social issue? Still, so many female children in Sri Lanka....

Debate or debacle, democracy dazzles

True democracy is progressively dynamic. It is healthy if it keeps improving; sick if it deteriorates. A healthy democracy entails a political system where citizens have the right to choose or replace governments, while elected leaders....

The three decade old devolution debate

The rhetoric against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the resultant Provincial Councils by the Government ministers’ seems to be waning away. The reason or reasons for the calls for the abolition of the Constitutional.....

Narendra Modi spikes the good neighbour drink

Which country would not be happy if another country said ‘we have a you-first security policy?’ The cynical have the option of retorting ‘most countries would be terrified if, for example, the USA said something like that.’

Dereliction of duty costs three innocent lives

Shock waves ripped through Buwelikada in Kandy on September 20, an otherwise quiet Sunday morning, when a young father, mother and their infant daughter were killed in a cave-in of a 5-storey building, which then collapsed on an adjoining house.

A President exposed and the Emperor’s new clothes - EDITORIAL

Yesterday, the ‘New York Times’ (NYT) in a bombshell report, exposed the US President as a charlatan and an ‘also ran’.

Relapse in to Executive Presidency: How has it come to this?

When J.R.Jayewardene, after the landslide victory his party the UNP obtained in the 1977 elections, wanted to introduce the 1978 Constitution....

State machinery needs strong monitoring mechanism

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been stressing the need to improve the efficiency in the public sector from the day he was sworn in his office in November last year, while even paying unannounced visits to public institutions to see for hims

Easter Sunday bomber met intel agent moments before he blew himself up?

The political and intelligence bungle leading up to the Easter Sunday Attacks is one of its kind of miscarriages of national duty. Much of that oversight is public knowledge, but not all of that is officially chronicled. Now the bits and bytes are bein

THE 20TH AMENDMENT – A VIOLATION OF PROCEDURE?

Last week, the controversial 20th Amendment Bill was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament, the First Reading was moved by the Minister of Justice, and its journey through the legislature commenced. None of the legislators appear to have

Reform the proposed 20A to strengthen; not weaken, transparent and public oversight

Following parliamentary elections, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wasted no time in obtaining cabinet approval and thereafter gazetting.....

Upholding dignity and a sense of humour in the House - EDITORIAL

Parliaments and legislative bodies around the world impose certain rules and standards during debates and Erskine May’s guide to parliamentary practice....

Murder most foul

Sixty-one years ago on September 25, 1959 Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (SWRDB) the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka known as Ceylon then was shot and seriously wounded by a Buddhist monk. Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike succumbed to his injuries and passed away the following day. Therefore September 26, 1959 got etched as an important date in the post-independence history annals of Sri Lanka.

The most catastrophic threat to humanity

While world attention is focused on the Covid-19 pandemic which thankfully is under control in Sri Lanka though a second wave appears to be emerging in the United States and some parts of Europe, less attention is being given to another threat that could destroy the world within minutes.

Wigi gains from southern ire

When in Parliament the solitary Thamil Makkal Thesiya Koottani (Tamil People’s National Front) MP C.V. Wigneswaran opened a can of worms by glorifying Tamils and the Tamil language over other communities and languages, Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the former Chief Minister of the Northern Province was attempting to outshine Tamil National Alliance leader R. Sampanthan, as a Tamil nationalist.

No substantial changes to 20 A

The government presented the bill titled ‘20th Amendment to the Constitution’ to Parliament in its original form despite attempts by a section of the government.....

The 20th through the eyes of a helpless citizen

In the mornings now the traffic on the left lane in Colombo areas moves painfully slowly. The word painfully is closely associated with life and politics in Sri Lanka.

Finding our roots among the pages of books - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka stakes a claim for some of the best books written by Asian authors, but sadly these authors have to take the books to readers in a country like ours. Books can take you on a journey, to a past which is often contested by historians and nationalists.

Changing geopolitical alliances in Indian Ocean and lessons for Sri Lanka

In 1988, the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), a Tamil separatist group, undertook a mercenary mission to stage a coup in the Maldives. They were hired by Maldivian businessman Abdulla Luthfi.

The 20th Amendment Bill Lest We Forget

Strident calls were repeatedly made from many quarters for the 19th Amendment to the Constitution to be repealed.

QuÕ vÃdis, ‘Core Group’?

There’s a ‘Core Group’ on Sri Lanka operating in international circles. It is made of five European countries (Germany, North Macedonia, Montenegro and the UK) and one North American, Canada. A political bloc, then, essentially and one whose general ideological and political thrusts are no secret. It would have been better if there was a ‘core group’ that was more representative both geographically and politically, but then this is what global-sl

World Maritime Day: ‘Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet’

The United Nations marks World Maritime Day today. Where Sri Lanka is concerned, it comes this year in the wake of the fire that broke out on September 3 in the engine room of the MT New Diamond when it was some 65 kilometres off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.

it has to be people first...

The news that young Ruwan Wijewardene was elected Deputy Leader of the UNP boosted my spirits and that of many of my friends. We had feared that the exit of Ranil Wickremesinghe at the end of the year, would be the end of an era of gentleman politicians.

What was and what is

According to Julia Carey’s poem “LITTLE ACTS’ we are told that little acts of kindness can form a mighty ocean. Dwelling on the way things were, I’ve read some really beautiful stories that are worth sharing, so here goes.

Social-media rumours are scything through customary info blocks

Tragedies can be kaleidoscopic moments. They provide those instances that cut through imposed façades. An unobtrusive cutaway view in a moment of tragic truth.

‘Devolution of Power and Provincial Councils’ - Where do we stand?

This is a time when even those who agreed with the LTTE to explore a solution to the ethnic problem within a federal framework are standing even for the abolition of the existing provincial councils. This may be a genuine mind change or swimming with the tide.

Laying waste our forests

In the 1920s, Sri Lanka had a 49% forest cover, but by 2005 this had fallen by approximately 26%. Between 1990 and 2000, Sri Lanka lost an average of 26,800 ha of forests per year. This amounts to an average annual deforestation