The stated aim of microfinance companies is to uplift the lives of rural communities by providing them with financial assistance. In Sri Lanka, the provision of financial services to rural households was largely recognised with the 1986 ‘Janasaviya

The election of a caretaker Government brings with it a sense of responsibility in resurrecting lost hopes. This could be in people as well as in the socio-economic perspective. Several key sectors including health, finance, law, environment, adminis

S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, one of the three members of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, which played a vital role in the recently concluded elections, agreed to discuss some of the questionable areas relating to the commission’s role . An engine

Any Sri Lankan social media user would have noted the rise in post election hate speech since the results of the Presidential Election was announced. The post election hate speech mainly revolved on two groups of voters; the voters of the Negombo ele

B…’s comments are more than mere observations, he follows it up with insightful thoughts opening up an astute debate on behaviour patterns of Sri Lankan politician and voter during different types of elections: Presidential, Parliamentary PC and

Many people of all walks of life have already expressed their opinions on the outcome of the Presidential election concluded on last Saturday. It is important for political leaders to know why people voted....

The 2019 presidential election is over and Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been elected as the seventh Executive President with a thumping majority. The result seems to have upset the calculations and predictions of many a commentator and analyst wr

Sri Lanka entered the 21st century amid a devastating civil war which took thirty years to end. But just a decade later, Sri Lankans were exposed to another terror attack on April 21 which shattered the country’s emerging peace. Post-war, Sri Lank

Sri Lanka’s eighth presidential election, with a record number of 35 candidates vying for the highest office of the state, concluded on Sunday. While polling was underway on Saturday, a number of independent parties and non-governmental organizatio

Dengue fever plagues Sri Lanka annually, increasing after a rainfall when conditions are optimal for mosquito breeding. Climate fluctuations also accelerate the epidemic’s spread and people must be mindful that dengue is again on the rise due to in

Over the past weeks, women’s rights were heavily debated as front-runners of the presidential campaigns pursued the female vote like never before. The promises from both leading campaigns included free child care and free sanitary pads for women. E

Sri Lanka said good morning to Monday with a sense of belief that the future would be better for them under the new presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Year 2019 is of great significance as it marks ten years since the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the Sri Lankan military forces. People looked forward to enjoying peace after years of conflict and there seemed to be more fr

The bloodied past of the thirty-year long conflict keeps reflecting in their memories. Having lived the greater part of their lives on battlefields, engaging in what were termed as ‘humanitarian operations’ against deafening noises emanating from

Sri Lanka is home to 1,967,523 Muslims. Muslims of Sri Lanka are of various ethnic groups: Sri Lankan Moors, Coastal Indian Moors, Malays, Memons and Bohras. The Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act....

The iconic former Indian Chief Election Commissioner Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan popularly known as T.N. Seshan, who was feared by almost all politicians, including Prime Ministers in India, passed away last Sunday at the age of 86, at his Chenna

From trolling the recently killed ISIS leader, Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, to coping with successive defeats of the Sri Lankan cricket team, memes are a popular form of interaction and exchange for many netizens of the island. Current events in Sri Lanka,

Exercising one’s right to vote is the fundamental right of any citizen. With Sri Lanka’s eighth Presidential Elections just weeks away on 16 November....

The Tamil community in Sri Lanka has played a crucial role in the country’s politics despite Sinhala hardliners not willing to give members of this community much hope and opportunities.

Out of 15, 992, 096 eligible and registered voters, 30.8% are youth voters and 1.55% are first time voters. This year’s Presidential Election is coming months after the gruesome Easter Sunday attacks and a year after the constitutional coup, the fi

Whatever the reason given, in 2005 the vast majority of the Tamils from the North and East and even in Colombo did not go to the polling booths to exercise their franchise. The result, as they say, is history. Yet it is imperative for that history to

The political stage is getting heated by the day as many faces continue to pledge their support for existing parties and new alliances. Recently several artistes, both veteran and amateur too pledged their support to various candidates and even went

Ever since the approval of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) USD 480 million grant for Sri Lanka, the country has been embroiled in a debate over it, with the government portraying it as something beneficial whilst the opposition is raising

As canvassing heightens, party supporters are doing the rounds convincing possible target audiences to cast their votes in favour of their candidates and manifestos. Recently one such canvassing video went viral on social media sparking debate among

Kegalle, a district in the Sabaragamuwa Province, comprises a largely agrarian society with rubber, tea and coconut being cultivated as main crops. Apart from that, minor export crops such as coffee, cocoa, pepper, clove and nutmeg also contribute to

With 1,751,892 registered voters as at 2018, Gampaha is described as one of the ‘swing districts’ and is also the second largest with 18 seats next to Colombo. Why it is described as a swing District is because 14 out of the 15 times there has be

This writer devoted several hours in the past fortnight to communicate with a cross-section of Sinhala media personnel in the Southern, Central, Sabaragamuwa, North Western and North Central Provinces of Sri Lanka. A few journalist colleagues in Colo

Another young student has emerged among the array of students who have showcased their talents in innovations and discoveries recently in the island. While engrossed in contemplating...

Kelum Perera, who graduated from the Department of Physics and Electronics, University of Kelaniya, has invented a remote controlled regulator for ceiling fans. The device can be controlled using a mobile phone....

Following the Easter Sunday carnage, tourism was one of the main income generating sectors that experienced a thundering blow. Almost all tourists left the country while many bookings were cancelled. Although several tax concessions were given to hot