Brandix caught in COVID-19 mess

With over 1000 garment workers from the Minuwangoda factory testing positive for COVID-19, several allegations were levelled against the parent company – Brandix Apparel Limited about how they handled the upsurge of cases.

COVID-19 outbreak in Minuwangoda Sri Lanka still debating on whether it’s a community spread!

COVID-19 is not over yet. At least it was made clear with the discovery of an isolated patient from a garment factory in Minuwangoda, which is being described as the first community case after two months.

CP Voted against Sirimavo’s caste-based ‘Atrocities’

C.P. de Silva belongs to the yesteryear’s old guard of great politicians of Sri Lanka. His 48th Death Anniversary falls on October 9....

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.

Animals feel the heat in a chaotic ecosystem

Sri Lanka is at a critical juncture with regard to protecting its environment and wildlife. With mounting incidents of habitat destruction, many endemic species would soon lose their homes and will therefore be threatened towards extinction within the next couple of years.

Sri Lanka’s Child Protection Crisis

As many as 31 underaged boys and girls living in unsafe environments were identified during a survey conducted in the Arachchikattuwa Grama Niladhari division in the Puttalam District. The reasons were manifold.

Understanding the leopard in a variety of habitats

Ongoing long-term work by the Wilderness & Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT), under the purview of the Department of Wildlife Conservation....

Human-Elephant Conflict in Horowpathana

Horowpathana also includes an Elephant Holding Ground (EHG) to cater to problem elephants and was established in 2015. Recently, speculation was rife that ‘Rambo’ an elephant from Uda Walawe National Park would be

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 20th Amendment Bill Lest We Forget

Strident calls were repeatedly made from many quarters for the 19th Amendment to the Constitution to be repealed.

Public transport 'side-laned'?

“Miss, mantheeru neethiya nisa api bus passen yanna one. Ithin drop eka parakku wei,” (Miss, because of the lane law we have to follow the buses. So I will not be able to drop you on time), warned a tuk tuk driver. The newly introduced and much-spoken of traffic lane law has therefore been subject to appraisal as well as criticism over the past few days. While many believe it to be a way t

Mushrooming boutiques invade residents’ privacy

Despite city beautification projects that have been taking place, several areas in Colombo are still awaiting a facelift. One of these areas is a section of Malalasekara Mawatha, opposite Arcade Independence Square. Residen

Early political attempts by Lankan Muslims to voice their concerns

Over the years, Muslim politics in Sri Lanka has been undergoing changes in terms of issues/concerns, organization, alliances, and of course, relations with other communities. There have been periods of consonance as well as disso

Land acquisitions in Hanthana and Knuckles Mountain ranges

Sri Lankans will soon lose their opportunity to boast about the rich biodiversity the land once had. Ad hoc practices such as clearing protected areas....

Wanathawilluwa forest clearance: Whodunit?

Days after the Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland, situated in Puttalam District, made headlines over an illegal clearance, nearly 100 acres of forest area was reportedly destroyed in Kuratiyamohotte.....

Vulnerable adolescents or victims of abuse?

On September 6 as many as 100 adolescent couples in Anuradhapura were taken in for questioning on the accusation of engaging in ‘improper behaviour’.

Kidneys that whisper death

A flute version of Beethoven’s ‘Für Elise’ was echoing from a distance, indicating the hour of the choon paan vehicle. The young and the old alike had arrived at the roadside to purchase an evening snack. Harmonising the background noise was the chatter of few women walking back home from an evening bath. We were in Galenbindunuwew

Burning Panamanian tanker leaves SL authorities gutted

Weeks after MV Wakashio, a Japanese-owned bulk carrier, ran aground a coral reef in Mauritius, a crude oil carrier MT New Diamond caught fire around 38 nautical miles East of Sangamankanda Point in the East Coast of Sri Lanka on September 3.

Local farmers face newer challenges in a post-COVID era

The Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre (DDEC) is a hive of activity from 5.00am onwards on any given day.

Internal strife within ITAK takes disturbing turn

The “Mathiya Seyal Kuzhu” (central working committee) of the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) also known as the Federal Party will be meeting today (Aug 29) in Vavuniya. The committee is generally referred to as “Mathiya Kuzhu”(Central committee). The Central Working committee is the key representative body of the ITAK. It comprises representatives elected by each district as well as ex-officio members. The ITAK is the premier political party

Facing the new normal with old business habits

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently announced that the COVID-19 wave will prevail for another two years. This means that people will have to continue adhering to basic health guidelines....

Preserving the dead through taxidermy

The Department of National Museums came under heavy scrutiny after photos of the black leopard’s carcass went viral on social media.

Using digital forensics to Apprehend wildlife criminals

Wildlife crimes in Sri Lanka and around the world are escalating at an alarming pace. Illegal activities such as snaring pose a threat to endemic species and the link to the illegal bushmeat trade has in most instances been exposed.

Future course of defeated ITAK leader “Maavai” Senathirajah

The recently concluded Sri Lankan parliamentary election resulted in the defeat of several veteran politicians.

Countrywide power failure a repeated mistake?

The island-wide power cut which occurred on August 17 at 12.45 am and continued for 8 hours has disrupted economic activity and day to day lives of people in different sectors.

E PLURIBUS UNUM - (Out of many, one)

Liberal democracy is rooted in the rights of individuals, and not the rights of groups or fixed communities. Liberal democracy cannot exist without a national identity that defines what citizens hold in common with one another.

Commercial projects leave Sinharaja ‘gasping’

The ‘lungs of Sri Lanka’ are gasping for air. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1988 and is arguably the most important biodiversity site in the country.

toxic Colombo air that we breath

It’s a crystal clear fact now. Colombo’s air quality index improved by leaps and bounds during the COVID lockdown phase. But this jubilance is short-lived as it’s predicted that the pollutants will again encroach the city when traffic returns to normal. Both public and private institutions including schools invite more than 1.9 million people and over 500,000 vehicles to this city daily. Colombo w

Bracing the estate workers to meet stings of fury

All isn’t well for the estate worker in the Hill Country – the land of tea. Reaching out to every tea bush on the mountainous terrain amidst nasty leech bites and threats from leopard and wasp attacks is a fraction of the effort that goes into making the perfect cuppa. So far, four people in the Hill Country have succumbed to wasp attacks while 800-900 of them have been hospitalised; just for this year. These include people in areas such as Abor

Did Sumanthiran Win In Jaffna By “Stealing” Sashikala’s Votes?

The one-word answer to the question “Did M. A. Sumanthiran of the Tamil National Alliance win in the Jaffna Electoral district by “stealing” the preference votes cast for another TNA candidate Ms. Sashikala Raviraj?