What is the significance in LG elections?

All hurdles on the road to the local government elections have been removed finally with an amendment to the Local Authorities....

All things are transient and impermanent

Dust unto dust, ashes to ashes. All things in life are transient and impermanent. Religious leaders have stressed this reality but from what we see in the world most people appear to be suffering from the self-inflicted delusion that earthly possessions, 

Yahapalana-muddling rises above shortage-distractions

The term ‘devolution’ has an interesting Sinhala translation that makes for word play:  (Balaya-bedeema, literally ‘dividing power’). Now bedeema in Sinhala can refer to division as well as distribution.

Letter from a soldier to The President of Sri Lanka

The writer served in the Sri Lanka Army for over 27 years from 1973 to 2000 before he took early retirement for professional and personal reasons.

Blue Economy, USS Nimitz and the Way Forward

The concept of “Blue Economy” has been introduced to Sri Lanka by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources along with a Think Tank to collect knowledge from all walks of life.

Prof. Yash Ghai reading Sri Lankan minds on federalism states ‘There seems to be a phobia in your

Prof. Yash Ghai has advised in the negotiations and making of constitutions in about 15 countries.

Petrol shortage across country Who fuelled the fuel crisis?

The impending fuel crisis has caused much inconvenience to the public. Long queues of three wheelers, cars and other vehicles and complaints by the public indicate the severity of this crisis.

Even new amendments to LG Polls Law are flawed – EC member Prof.Hoole

Election Commission’s Member Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, in an interview with the Daily Mirror, shares his thoughts on the Commission and the upcoming local authorities’ elections  

THE CONSTITUTION OR THE COALITION?

With shockingly dangerous irresponsibility or sheer nihilism, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe wants the Constitutional Assembly to loosen the centre’s ties with and hugely augment the autonomy of the Northern and Eastern provinces at the very same 

The Saffron showdown – BJP VS Shiv Sena

From hosannas to Rahul Gandhi claiming he is good enough to lead the country, a meeting with BJP bete noire in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee and a booklet bashing BJP leaders under the tile ‘BJP crook’ - all this within a week or so - the Shiv Sena has done 

Why anti-SAITM campaign was never about free education?

Last week, the government announced that the private medical school at the centre of a bitter dispute, South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine(SAITM) would be 

‘President must be elected by Parliament’

Government MP Jayampathi Wickramaratne, who is playing a pivotal role in constitution making, shares his thoughts on the current status of the process and plans for the future. Following are excerpts of the interview done with MP Wickremaratne. 

‘Sri Lanka is too small to have a Federal state’

Sri Lanka Law College Dr. Jayatissa de Costa, in an interview with , argued that Federalism, under any garb, wasn’t acceptable for a small country like Sri Lanka.  Dr. de Costa, a President’s Counsel, says the entire constitution making process was unconstitutional. Following are excerpts of the interview done with Dr. Costa.   

Unpublicised, voiceless victims of war - EDITORIAL

With United States President Donald Trump arriving in Japan yesterday for an extensive four nation tour of Asia amid the growing...

Rural Discontent

What does Sri Lanka’s rural economy look like after decades of exclusion? If the recently- released findings of the Household Income and....

“Seventy years of hard work” - Gill Caldicott

Gill Caldicott, the new Country Director of the British Council in Sri Lanka took up her post in August this year. With experience spanning....

All roads lead to Rome

That is a loose translation of what the 12th Century French theologian Alain de Lille said about the Eternal City. We in current Sri Lanka....

Asian G5 Braces for Trump whilst African G5 takes on ISIS

The hallmark of the 21st Century was that whatever stability and narratives that governed the 20th century started to unravel at...

Will The Unseating Of Geetha Disqualify the UPFA List of Galle MPs?

Popular Sinhala movie actress Geetha Kumarasinghe, who was elected Member of Parliament from the Galle electoral District on the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket in August 2015 has been unseated as an MP by rulings of the Sri Lankan Judiciary.

Action plan for clean air

Cancer. Stroke. Heart Disease. Asthma. These are some of the life-threatening diseases caused by air pollution, a problem that kills more than six million people worldwide every year and which is the most pressing environmental health risk humanity faces. In 98% of cities in low- and middle-income countries air quality exceeds WHO safe-levels and is having a severe impact on health. The youngest, oldest and poorest among us are most affected.

Hope from throw-away soap

With war and violence, fraud and corruption, drug addiction and sex addiction and the latest vice of “fake news”—which was chosen by Collins dictionary as the word of 2017—the media spotlight is more on negative factors instead of the positives. Thus society to a large extent has become negative. Most people’s lives are clouded by despair and anxiety if not depression.

India’s pride vs BJP pride

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who enjoyed a sunny season with western media for three years appears to have hit a snag during the past few months. 

Xi: China’s new Mao emerging as world’s most powerful man

‘While there’s water, mix the plaster,’ says a Chinese proverb equivalent to the English proverb ‘Strike the iron when it is hot’. This was exactly what President Xi Jinping did 12 days ago. 

Can Article 9 Save “Buddhism” ?

“The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).”   

If you were to kill all opponents, only you will be spared

It is disheartening to note many people coming forward to defend National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa who threatened to bomb the Parliament if it adopted a Constitution based on the interim report of the Steering Committee appointed under the Constitutional Assembly that has been entrusted to draft a new Constitution. 

Will President’s APC supersede Steering Committee?

The country witnessed a major uproar after the Steering Committee released its interim report outlining proposals for constitutional changes.

Bombs in Parliament need to be defused

Going by the rhetoric and the text pertaining to constitutional reform currently being debated in Parliament, it is all about two things. 1) Expunging of the clause supposedly privileging Buddhism, and 2) Devolution of power.   

In order to remain as one “We are seeking maximum possible devolution” - Sumanthiran

Following are excerpts of the speech made by TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran at the Parliament debate on the Interim report of the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly. 

Why a new constitution? - Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe

Following are excerpts of a statement issued by former Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe PC regarding the much talked about Interim Report of the Steering Committee presented to parliament for debate. 

What the war heroes really think

“There are no grievances specific to Tamils” - Udaya Gammanpila, Western Provincial Council Minister, 2014