High level interaction and commitment - the way foward on path to recovery

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay spoke to Daily Mirror in an exclusive interview outlining the direction of bilateral ties and the status of bilateral projects. He also touched upon contentious issues. Excerpts:

“There were no virologists in the committees set up” - Prof Vitharana

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National List MP Prof. Tissa Vitharana recently said that COVID-19 is now in the community and nobody has immunity against it since it’s a new virus.

Where is democracy if people’s privacy and personal data are not protected? - Sunil Abeyaratne

Contact tracing due to the COVID- 19 pandemic has led to privacy concerns. While this has become a global concern, unlike other countries, Sri Lanka has no law in place to protect privacy. The Data Protection Bill was presented to the p

People not taking things seriously - Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake

The second wave of the Covid 19 is taking its toll on Sri Lanka and Colombo is one of the most affected areas. With the death toll from Colombo....

Govt’s aim to make the public happy, not the politicians - Ramesh Pathirana

Plantation Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana shared his views on the current political and economic situation in the country and on COVID-19 pandemic that has devastated the country.

Asymptomatic Covid-19 cases and those with mild illnesses would not be contagious after 7 days -Prof. Neelika Malavige-

As the Western Province, the economic hub of the country is opened after nearly two weeks of lockdown and people are eager to get back to their normal.....

Healthcare workers are stressed out

“Our workload is high and it’s extremely stressful,” – this is how Pushpa Ramyani de Soyza, Chief Nurse, National Coordinator (Training) and Triage Team Leader at Accident and Orthopedic Service at the Colombo National Hospital descr

Is Covid-19 a disaster?

In Sri Lanka, where the death toll has been relatively low, does Covid-19 qualify as a disaster? We ask the expert

“Taliban-produced drugs entering Sri Lanka through Pakistan” -Ashraf Haidari

Afghanistan has been a victim of years of terrorism which continues to destabilize an otherwise peaceful country with a yout

We need to realize ours is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic society - Malaysian envoy

Malaysian High Commissioner Tan Yang Thai speaks to the Daily Mirror about the bilateral relations and relevance of his country for Sri Lanka.....

“I was shunned and called a traitor” - Juwairiya Mohideen

Juwairiya Mohideen is a name familiar among displaced people in the North and East. Having been evicted from her hometown in 1990....

Most proactive strategies executed to fight pandemic- Army Commander

The tri-forces have been continuously engaged in a mission to combat COVID-19. At the onset of the pandemic, a Presidential Task Force for the Prevention of COVID-19.....

‘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.

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.

President should be independent, impartial, symbol of national unity : Dr. Nihal Jayawickrama

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution has drawn severe criticisms from various elements including some who have been batting for the pro-government league for a long time. A whopping 39 petitions were filed against its enactment, which w

US will feel the ramifications of the pandemic for years -Top US academic

Charles Zelden, a top academic of the United States speaks to Daily Mirror. about the political implications of COVID-19 in his country on the November 3 Presidential Elections.

20th Amendment to the Constitution: A DRACONIAN LAW IN THE MAKING?

With the 20A being tabled in Parliament, several groups have expressed their concerns over the newly substituted provisions.

Sri Lanka should engage with China in ways that protect its sovereignty - Alaina B. Teplitz -

The United States has had a strong but often shaky relationship with Sri Lanka. The relationship was on rocky ground when Mahinda Rajapaksa.....

Sri Lanka will have access to GSP+ for three more years - EU Ambassador Denis Chaibi

European Union’s Ambassador Denis Chaibi speaks to the Daily Mirror about the foreign policy of Sri Lanka and responds to questions regarding the potential of Sri Lanka....

Strong executive presidency needed for rapid development - GL

Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, in an interview with Daily Mirror, comments on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution

‘We are all to blame for UNP’s defeat not only Ranil Wickremesinghe’ - Ruwan Wijewardene

United National Party’s Ruwan Wijewardene, who was recently elected as the party’s new Deputy Leader says the UNP will undergo major reforms to rebuild....

Ethnic issue only a few are talking about a political solution - media minister Keheliya Rambukwella

The former Government placed much focus on a political solution for the Tamils, fighting corruption and assuring justic

US deployed military bases in the Indian Ocean - Chinese Envoy

Acting Chinese Ambassador Hu Wei speaks to Daily Mirror about the present status of bilateral relations. He responds to questions about controversial issues involving China with India and the United States at the moment.

An engineer’s view... Solar energy - Best source of Domestic Energy

Engineer G.G.N. Gunawardhana speaks about the economic viability of using solar energy in a country like Sri Lanka where sunlight is abundant.

As a nation we have failed to Deliver Justice to the Disappeared: Visakesa Chandrasekaram

Human rights issues related to enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka still continue. The grievances and the anxieties of those loved ones of the disappeared due to the ‘88-89 insurgency and the three-decade-long separatist war exist to this day.

‘The Diaspora gave Prabakaran all the wrong advice’ - Erik Solheim

Sri Lanka’s 30-year war would be remembered, in part, for the crucial role played by Norway.

Sri Lanka cannot afford to purchase emergency power - Eng. Wickramaratne

Sri Lanka recently experienced a series of blackouts. While the reason was attributed to a human error, energy experts claim its high time Sri Lanka....

Time ripe for deviation from Western-oriented foreign policy

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof.Jayanath Colombage spells out the foreign policy of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). He spells out how the Government will reconcile competing interests of China and India....

JVP didn’t go wrong - Sunil Handunnetti

Former Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Chairman and former Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti contested the recently concluded General Elections from the JVP....

My time is up – Mahinda Deshapriya

With just hours to go before the 2020 Parliamentary Election, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya spoke to the Daily Mirror online on the preparations for the polls, concerns and his future plans Excerpts