A misguided cabinet misguiding Parliament?

Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka has made several decisions over the last few years giving rise to disastrous results to its citizens.

Solidarity, a fundamental value in International relations

With Sri Lanka still facing its worst ever socio-economic and political crisis since independence in 1948, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is striving to pull the country out of its debt crisis

Will the Tamil parties’ talks with the Lankan President bear fruit?

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will be meeting the Tamil parties of the Northern and Eastern Provinces on December 11 to find a solution to the longstanding Tamil issue. But the chances....

Twitter and journalism: An indispensable duo

This is the time of the year that newspapers start working on the year that was segments. 2022 will not give that much trouble to fill a page or more with such a diary. Taking a leaf off the traditional....

Electricity costs, wages and elephant in the room - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has run up losses of billions of rupees in the first quarter of 2022. Our sister publication the ‘Daily FT’ reports Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera....

Power crisis: Who is responsible?

Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) engineers on November 29 have warned of a power cut of more than 10 hours from April to October next year, due to the delay in coal supply for the coal power plants. Three days later, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Janaka Ratnayake also confirmed the looming threat of near half-a-day power cut by mid-next year. They attribute the situation to the shortage of funds in the CEB t

A challenge to Mullahs in Tehran A clerical regime that punishes women for unveiling themselves

After 400 protestors died and sentencing to death of an unknown, countless number in order to suppress a popular uprising against the regime, Iran’s hard-line Mullahs have suddenly made a U-turn, shutting down the infamous m

IMF Budget and Economic Devastation

National budgets reveal the economic policies for the following year, and at historic moments the shift in the economic policy trajectory for a number of years. The recently announced Budget 2023....

University education: Need for change and expansion - EDITORIAL

The current literacy rate in our country is estimated to stand at 92.3% - one of the highest in the Asian region. Yet, at the time we received independence from Britain in 1946, the literacy rate in the country....

President’s call for talks on ethnic problem:No compromise, no solution

During eighties Dr. Ananda Tissa de Alwis, the State Minister under the J.R. Jayewardene government was the Cabinet spokesman who conducted the weekly press briefings.

Troubles brewing in the South China Sea

In August this year US House Speaker Pelosi, despite suggestions from president Biden’ to avoid visiting Taiwan landed in that country.

Sri Lankans have the power to dig themselves out of trouble - EDITORIAL

People who have remained here in Sri Lanka are working harder than before to make ends meet. Some among them are seen opting to buy lottery tickets; in most cases this is a new found habit. There....

Red card for FIFA as Palestinian cause reaches goal at World Cup

On Wednesday at the Education City Stadium at Al-Rayan in Qatar, Tunisia beat defending champions France. As the jubilant Tunisian fans and supporters celebrated despite their failure to go to the second....

Geopolitical tensions and repaying external debt

On different occasions, information released to the public, regarding our external sovereign debt have not been very exact.

System Change: An Aragalist touch-me-not?

Such diversity! Such passion! Such innovation and creativity! Such courage and heroism! Such were and still are the encomiums floating around in mainstream and new media about the Aragalaya.

Mr. President, get the army to bust Ice mafia - EDITORIAL

Last we heard of a drug menace of this magnitude in Sri Lanka was almost four decades ago. With the war came the narcotics. Now....

Now we have a well-read, cultured strongman

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is the most literate, widely read and informed president we have ever had, after Chandrika Kumaratunga....

Right-sizing the Sri Lanka Army

The prime responsibility of the Army is to provide protection to the citizens and safeguard territorial Integrity and Sovereignty

The PC election conundrum

Against the backdrop of President Ranil Wickremesinghe having called on all political parties in Parliament to put their heads together to resolve the long due ethnic problem, Tamil parties representing the Northern and Eastern Pro

Free education: Beyond the Saree

Recently, a rather unusual and indeed needless debate hobbled the country’s schools after a group of teachers ditched their sarees, the standard attire for female teachers in public schools, in favour of more comforting clothing of the

THE NEED FOR justiciability OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS

Socio-economic rights are fundamental to every human being. The concept of socio-economic rights encompasses a vast array of rights.  They include the basic needs of human beings such as rights to housing, health care, food and social security, education and human dignity. Living a life deprived of these basic necessities would be miserable and impossible.  The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is the most co

Lalith Athulathmudali - 86th Birth Anniversary Commemoration: Bringing Sanity and Stability in an Ailing Country

It has been my practice to write an article about Late Laith Athulathmudali on his birth anniversary. However this year I feel compelled....

Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura hosts: International Conference on Business Management 2022

The Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, considered as the pioneer in Management....

It’s time to end Israel’s suppression of Palestine - EDITORIAL

Tomorrow November 29, is recognized by the United Nations (UN) as the day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. The date of November 29 was chosen because of its meaning and significance....

Diana’s Thriloka-pathra Party, validity of SJB’s Registration: Ranil: A man with Right Mental Attitude

“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their....

The budget vote, a divided opposition and difficulties ahead

The second reading of the budget was passed on the 22nd of this month. The budget offered no relief to the people and is widely believed to have been drawn up in line with International Monetary Fund (IMF) requirements One-hundred-and-twenty-one MPs voted in favour.

People’s dilemma: Stability or protests

Inter University Bikkhu Federation Convener Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera who was detained along with Convener of the Inter University Student Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige under a ninety-day detention order issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Defence Minister was released on bail by Colombo Additional Magistrate T.N.L.Mahawatta on Wednesday.

Are you ‘qualified’ to teach? - EDITORIAL

A photograph appearing recently in our sister paper ‘The Sunday Times’ showed how a teacher and some students of a remote school in Puttalam were conducting traditional rites to mark the opening....

World Cup: Qatar’s goal for inter-civilisational dialogue

Qatar, the host of the 2022 Football World Cup, lost the opening game to Ecuador 2-0. But it has already emerged a mighty winner. We are not talking about the successful manner in which it is conducting....

Reforms with IMF would lead to many thousands of school dropouts

If over 30% of school children drop out of school in the beginning of next year that should not be a surprise.