2024; World Election Year and the Misconception of 50%

In 2024, democratic rule faces a significant test with an estimated 4 billion people in over 60 nations heading to the polling booths....

The Courts and the Fight against Impunity and Corruption - EDITORIAL

Corruption and Crime in our country have hit a new high. According to Transparency International, “Sri Lanka is the 115th least....

Ronnie De Mel the socialist who created a capitalist economy

The ascension of Junius Richard Jayewardene to the premier seat of political power in 1977 paved the way for a drastic transformation of Sri Lanka’s politico-economic landscape and environment. J.R. Jayewardene known popularly as “JR” ushered in political, economic, and electoral changes that utterly changed Sri Lanka. In the words of William Butler Yeats “All changed, changed utterly.” The advent of JR as Prime Minister in 1977 and as the firs

Has Insensitivity Become The Norm?

Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Media spokesman, Noel Priyantha resigned from his position after criticisms over his insensitive remarks during an interview with a private TV channel, towards the hapless electricity consumers who are struggling to pay their electricity bills. When he was told at the interview that a father who had attempted to get electricity from a nearby house to support his child’s studies had died by electrocution, and was as

Water for Peace and Harmony

Most of us take water for granted. However, clean drinking water is essential for human life, and in these days of high temperature reaching 94°F, many people experience dehydration, and we need to drink about six litres of water a day. Next month, the United Nations marks World Water Day, and the theme is ‘water for peace’. In a statement, the UN says, water can create peace or spark conflict. When water is scarce or polluted, or when people ha

Sri Lanka Passes New Legislation - THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW - To End Corporal Punishment Against Children

On 1st January 2024, The President of Sri Lanka and the Cabinet Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment have implemented the Children and Young Persons....

Unhealthy Competition in Tourism Must Be Stopped - EDITORIAL

There was a recent report in the Daily Mirror stating the inconveniences caused to locals due to businesses conducted by Israeli, Russian and Ukrainian nationals in the southern part of...

Palestinian question: The context highlights the illegality of Israel

The October 7, 2023, attacks the Palestinian resistance group Hama launched on Israel did not happen in a vacuum. In October last year, weeks after the Hamas attack, the United Nations Secretary-General....

Energy Crisis was Not Created by the People

Following a long spell of about five months of rainfall in most parts of the country, especially in the wet zone which devastated the agriculture in those areas, the country has begun to experience seemingly a similar long spell of drought which seems to be carrying devastating effects on the same farming community. It might have a huge effect on hydro power generation as well, making in turn a negative bearing on the electricity consumers who h

Economic Policies in an Election Year: Some Inconvenient Arithmetic - Part I

With the prospect of elections this year, political parties are gearing up their rhetoric and policy promises to an electorate worn out by two years of economic crisis on top of the hardship imposed by two years of a global pandemic. Reckless policies in 2020-21 forced Sri Lanka to declare a debt default, drove inflation to a peak of over 70 percent in September 2022, and contracted the GDP by over a cumulative 11 percent in 2022-23. The CBSL has

Marx, Ants and Hyde Park Rally - EDITORIAL

Karl Marx was right, Socialism works, it is just that he had the wrong species– Edward Osborne Wilson The argument ...

‘White Only’ Party and the Warped Mind of the Immigration Controller

The order by the Controller of Immigration and Emigration revealed the ‘FROG IN THE WELL’ mindset of the bureaucrats....

Tamil Leader, Sritharan - the New Target of Racist and Majoritarian Communalists

Ever since Mr S. Sritharan was elected leader of the “Federal Party” or the “Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi” (ITAK), numerous articles with a racist bent have begun appearing in a number of ‘national news outlets’ in Colombo. The articles have a common thread running through them - Sritharan’s visit to the LTTE war heroes’ cemetery in Killinochchi - and their (nationalist writers) interpretation of the symbolism of that visit. One of these Prophet

Heatwaves and Dry Spell Warnings but no Remedial Alternatives - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka is presently caught up in the middle of a heatwave. The Department of Meteorology had forecast the present spell ....

Navalny Died Trying to Politicise the Russians

The sudden, mysterious death of Aleksei Navalny, the charismatic Russian Opposition Leader imprisoned on trumped up charges, came...

Tax is not a Monster, but…

These days, tax has become the talk of the town, the laughing-stock and the attractive subject matter for cartoonists. The general ....

Internally Divided ITAK is in the Eye of a Legal Storm

The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party (FP) is in the eye of a legal storm. The premier political party representing the Sri Lankan Tamils of the Northern and Eastern provinces is currently undergoing an internal crisis mainly due to recently held inner-party elections. Issues relating to the intra-party elections have brought about a clearly visible divide within the ITAK. This in turn has led to an unpre

When the School Life you Cherish is Threatened! - EDITORIAL

The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) must consider the plight of mothers and fathers who are struggling to send their children to school and complete the basic education of their offspring. General Secretary....

Palestine question: US blamed for veto; Brazil, Guyana hailed, Lanka nowhere

Burying the values the United States presidents often speak highly of during their policy speeches, Washington once again inhumanely used its veto power at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday....

Restore the Senaka Bibile Policies

With Sri Lanka facing its most painful public health crisis since independence, a sub-committee to formulate a “Charter for Ensuring Patients’ Safety and Well-Being” was set up in Parliament on October 19 last year by Parliamentarian Mayantha Dissanayake, the Chairperson of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health established in terms of Standing Order 111 of Parliament. This sub-committee is chaired by Parliamentarian Upul Galappaththi and con

Comrade Dissanayake Must Visit Nuwara Eliya

At the time of writing this column, personal information of an individual such as where he was born and bred, his family name, political affiliation and if he can be known play a major role in Sri Lankan politics. The National People’s Power (NPP) has hinted that all would change if a government is formed under this newly formed alliance. NPP Leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake has stated on numerous occasions that the alliance he leads will appoint

Election fever to grip country after March

The country is abuzz with election fever, despite the presidential election, constitutionally scheduled for this year, not yet being officially declared. The JVP-led National People’s Power (NPP) is engaging grassroots level individuals and organizations in view of the elections. The early engagement is aimed at tailoring their electoral message effectively. The party is channeling its energy into capitalising on the widespread dissatisfaction

Saga of a prideful legacy and brotherhood in cricket

As we have started the move on this journey, we eagerly anticipate the successful execution of the 94th traditional cricket encounter between Ananda and Nalanda, titled the “Saga of a Prideful Legacy...

Feudalism’s Last Refuge: Medical Sector?

If you want to see the residual of feudalism alive and kicking in this country, look no further than the health sector. Deputy Director of the Colombo National Hospital, Rukshan Bellana became....

Lanka Needs to Change its Stance on Free Trade Agreements - EDITORIAL

For over five years, we the Lankans have been dabbling with the idea of entering into Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with India and other countries in the Asia region. Today, once again, we are....

The Judicial Power of the People and a ‘Presidential Interpretation’ of our Constitution

“Since 1972 this country has known no Monarch, and the President has not inherited that mantle. All his powers are limited by the provisions of the Constitution.” - Dissolution of Parliament Case (2018)

Scrapping the Executive Presidency; Hypocrisy to the Core

Media reports state that the government is considering the abolition of the Executive Presidency instead of holding the next Presidential election which is constitutionally scheduled to be conducted later this year - between September 18 and October 18. One website quoted former President Maithripala Sirisena as stating that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has tasked a group of lawyers with looking into the abolition of the Executive Presidency.

Abu Dhabi heralds Era of Religious Accommodation in Islamic West Asia

Due to the demographic changes brought about by economic growth, the Islamic United Arab Emirates (UAE) is beginning to shed its traditional objection to the public practice of other religions, especially idol worship. On February 14, Abu Dhabi heralded a new era of religious accommodation by allowing Hindus, a very large community of expatriates from India, to build a grand temple. Significantly, the land for it was donated by the UAE governm

Abolishing the Executive Presidency; Prudent Proposal - But DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT FIRST

A prudent suggestion is to abolish the Executive Presidency through a referendum, ensuring that the process....

Language: A Catalyst to foster National Unity - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka is described as a multilingual country but this definition could perhaps be deceptive when reflecting on the past and....