Sri Lanka’s public health service is facing one of its worst crises since independence. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna government need to give much more priority to help the public health service recover; because as the cliché goes: “health is wealth”. With public health trade unions staging regular strikes during the past two years, poor people have had to travel a long way to a public hospital only to be tol
When a politician says, ‘the intelligent public knows and cannot be fooled’, what he or she (our representative in parliament) really means is that the public doesn’t know and can be fooled. It’s similar to a lady saying ‘no’ when what she really means is ‘yes’; take for example the lady who appears in a television commercial and says ‘no’ when her husband wants to know whether she has had enough washing clothes by hand and whether he could purc
It is quite common that the issue involving Kachchativu, a tiny island in the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka, becomes a hot political debate in India–particularly in the state of Tamil Nadu–when elections are around the corner in that country.
The US is blowing hot and cold on its policy on the Gaza war and is showing inconsistency in its actions. In contrast, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doggedly pursuing his uncompromising line on the war, disregarding rising opposition and even a revolt by the ultra-orthodox Jews in his homeland. The net result of all this is that the prospects of peace in Gaza have receded further. And with Netanyahu bent on attacking Rafah, wit
Speaking at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh,(around 2232 Kms away from Chennai) on Monday, Indian Premier Narendra Modi suddenly found fault with Indira Gandhi for signing an agreement with Sri Lanka relinquishing Indian claims to the island of Katchchatheevu. Yes, you guessed it. It is election time in India and the BJP has never come to power in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state in India. S. Ramanujam, a retired f
Pre-electoral alliances and post-election coalitions among political parties have emerged as significant features in contemporary politics. An examination of this political phenomenon is crucial for understanding election dynamics and the processes of government formation and sustainability. It is heartening to observe a relative increase in studies dedicated to alliances and coalitions over the past decade. However, despite this progress, sever
The course of war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan armed forces was drastically altered by the 2004 Eastern revolt headed by former tiger commander of the Batticaloa and Amparai districts Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan alias “Col” Karuna. The LTTE was split vertically and horizontally as a result and gradually weakened. By 2007 the LTTE ceased having territorial control in the Eastern province. This article
The Cabinet on March 18 approved a proposal to reform the electoral system that will see a hybrid system for parliamentary representation where 160 members would be appointed by the First Past-The-Post system while 65 members would be elected under the Proportional Representation (PR) system. A statement issued by the Government Information Department said that the proposal made by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Refor
Yesterday, Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa informed the media that in the police divisions of Negombo, Kochchikade and Seeduwa, police raided 53 spas. According to the spokesperson, 145 suspects including 137 women and eight men were taken into custody. If this statement is correct, it would appear that many men do not frequent these establishments of alleged ill-fame. Only eight men were found in the 53 spas which were raided. It also makes the
Sri Lanka’s education system has been yearning for reforms following the millennium if one had closely observed the ever-transforming education sectors in developed countries. The discourse to bring about education reforms has continued for decades. As a result, the government has drafted a National Education Policy Framework (NEPF) for a 10-year period from 2023-2033. But, academics observe that this is a loosely drafted document that hasn’t add
Aswesuma is the most recent welfare benefits programme introduced by the government of Sri Lanka. It replaces the Samurdhi scheme and is the result of a necessary condition to be fulfilled by the government of Sri Lanka in the loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Aswesuma provides targeted assistance to vulnerable groups by reducing poverty; its goal is to enhance social welfare and support household resilience at a time
If Sri Lanka continues to rely on borrowing to address the imbalance between imports and exports, the nation will inevitably confront another economic crisis within a decade, says President Ranil Wickremesinghe. He made these remarks during the inauguration ceremony of Bodhigara and Golden Fence, constructed near the historic Mangedara Tempita Viharaya in Kegalle on March 20. In the same week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on the advice
This article explores the intricate relationship between political and government corruption and its detrimental impact on a country’s economic health. It delves into the complexities of fiscal deficit, parallel economy, and underground economy, collectively contributing to economic failure. By shedding light on how corruption infiltrates various sectors, affecting everything from external debt interest to the common man’s basic needs, it also e
In the first article published last week (“Col” Karuna’s Eastern Tiger revolt against LTTE 20 years ago) the background and reasons for the Eastern Tiger revolt were discussed in detail. In this second article, the course of events leading to the eruption of the intra-tiger fratricidal conflict in the aftermath of “Col”Karuna’s rebellion will be recounted, relying on some of my earlier writings. All hell was expected to break loose after “Col”K
It’s growing hotter by the day. Last Saturday the temperature in Colombo rose to around 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Forecasters have predicted that there will be no let-up in the spell of hot weather. Rather they are warning that temperatures will rise further by April when the sun will be directly over Lanka. Doctors also warn the public to avoid strenuous labour, to wear white clothing that absorbs solar energy and drink more water. A difficulty her
One of the three watchdog committees of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE), has been hit by a wave of resignations since Monday (18), following the appointment of Rohitha Abeygunawardena as its chairman. By yesterday noon, 11 members – almost all from the Opposition and dissidents of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) – had tendered their resignation. Eran Wickramaratne, S.M.Marikkar and Hesha Withan
Tourist arrivals surpass 63,000 in first half of October
EDB gets new chief
Colombo welcomes Cinnamon Life
New Board of Directors appointed for SriLankan Airlines
Easter attack: controversy swirls further high
Catholic Church rebuffs Gammanpila’s allegations
Easter Sunday attack: Ravi Seneviratne’s name implicated
SL unveils new ’P’ series passport with enhanced security features