After Hambantota Port Project... Govt. bound to face differences in Trinco Oil tank farm project

The government is still struggling to get clearance from all the stakeholders to proceed with the Hambantota Port project with a Chinese company. It is hampered due to differences within the government itself and legal issues arising from the original text of the agreement.     

ACJU STATEMENT UNACCEPTABLE WE DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY ON MMDA REFORMS

We, the undersigned, find the recent statements of the Chairperson of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), that reform of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) is not needed, to be unacceptable. It is patently clear that the ACJU has contributed to the 8-year delay in the reform process despite the desperate need for substantive reform of this law.    

Repeating the ‘Ginger for Chillies’ error

There was a time when victory over enemies was about bashing heads, seizing their women and enslaving their children. It still happens of course. The cost-effective way is for the powerful to dictate, the weak to submit, hands to be shaken with the key representatives of the respective parties facing the camera, a show of bonhomie and crisp statements about long-standing historical friendships. Heads don’t get bashed, but enslavement is w

We are great worriers, not warriors

Although our own medical officers have threatened to go strike again, tomorrow April 7, is World Health Day with this year’s theme being, “Depression: let’s talk”. In this stress-filled era some globalization dimensions, which are of highly competitive if not throat-cutting, depression has risen to the top as one of the main causes of ill health.   

Judicial enforcement of socioeconomic rights: Why it must be resisted

Nevertheless, as the promise of a new constitution beckons, a raft of other issues, such as the reform of personal laws, and....

Geneva resolution is about prosecutions, not reconciliation

After the UN Human Rights Council 34th session ended in Geneva, the US said it introduced three resolutions....

Towards a smart generation for Sri Lanka - EDITORIAL

The National Youth Convention last week and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s Youth Conference on Sunday, April 2 are....

Wimal Weerawansa’s free fall from grace

Wimal Weerawansa is a destructive politician. After Anagarika Dharmapala, he is probably the most effective rabble rouser who....

‘Tug-o-war’ between the GMOA and the Government - EDITORIAL

The deadline given by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) for the government to settle the issue involving....

From Article 50 to ASEAN @ 50

Last Week, British Premier Theresa May triggered the official divorce proceedings for the United Kingdom with the European Union....

Constitutional Reform and Political Diversions

The Government is dragging out the Constitutional Reform process. Is it a lack of political will? Fear of reaction from the Joint.....

Terrorist attack at Westminster - EDITORIAL

Terrorism in its broadest sense is the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror/fear to achieve a....

Asia’s poor are left behind

The Asian economies are picking up speed again. After the big hit from Wall Street when the bank, Lehman Brothers, collapsed in a heap in 2008, sending shock waves everywhere, a recovery is now in the works.   

Grave injustice to rural children

  The watched pot never boils. Yet, the department of examination has released the much awaited G.C.E. (O/L) results in double quick time to the utter surprise of the parents, teachers and the students. In my ramblings, I came upon some children who were on cloud nine. 

Sustain Lanka: Let Us Go Green

Though the United States President Donald Trump has cast a dark cloud over the world by cancelling his predecessor Barack Obama’s executive orders to restrict climate change and go green, Sri Lanka has set a proud example to the world with the five-day Sustain Lanka National Festival which started yesterday at the BMICH.   

Trumped by Ideology

There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken in the flood, Leads to the Presidency of the United States.  

A clash with UNHRC in the making

Considering the contradictions between the Government’s dealings with the international players in respect of human rights and its media statements issued for local consumption, one would wonder whether it is the international community or the people of this country or both or itself that the Government is going to hoodwink.

What a world! We want the right to destroy our planet

“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,” J. Robert Oppenheimer said quoting from the Bhagawad Gita. He was one of the fathers of the first atomic bomb – the illegitimate child conceived and delivered by the top secret Manhattan Project. 

Bridging the Divide on Socioeconomic Rights in Sri Lanka

Continued from Thursday, March 23 This article is the second of a two-part series on the question of constitutionalising ESC rights in Sri Lanka. The first part presented a case for recognising the obligations of the state towards ESC rights. It argued that these obligations were reinforced by the aspirations of the Sri Lankan people, as reflected in the report of the Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reform (PRC).

Dilemma in Tamil politics

Two veteran politicians in Sri Lanka that I respect very much are both senior Tamil politicians.  Both have been in active politics for well over 60 years for now. Veerasingham Anandasangaree is one. A school teacher, he taught at KotelawalapuraVidyalaya, Ratmalana too. He later took to law in mid 1960s. He started his political career with the LSSP in 1955.

Launching of the Young Woman Engineer Award 2017

Although women represent more than half of the Sri Lankan population, their representation in the field of engineering is considerably less. In order to combat this problem and to encourage more women to be part of the industry, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Young Professionals (YP) have introduced the The Young Woman Engineer Award (YWEA).

Vladimir Putin has ‘spoken’

Russian President Vladimir is known to be a ‘strong man’. That ‘strength’ was amply demonstrated recently in action taken to blunt protests organized by the Opposition. Putin doesn’t rant and rave like those who have made it a habit of blaming their ills on Russia or those who have been quiet when the USA gets down and dirties the elections held elsewhere and are now upset that Russia may have done some tweaking at h

We’ve been agitating for social change - Nicola Grinstead

The global Girl Guides Movement is the only movement in the world that is open to every single girl who wants to be a member. And that is because we genuinely believe that the experience you get as a girl guide provides the skills, the experiences and the confidence one needs to fulfil one’s potential as a young woman in the community that one lives in. It’s really important for a young woman to be able to take control and make sensib

Wigneswaran: The judge who forgot ‘the whole truth’

A highly successful lawyer was once asked why he was not interested in becoming a judge. He had laughed saying, ‘I would rather talk a load of rubbish all day than listen to a load of rubbish’ that Judges have to listen to. That’s their job. And one of the things they have to listen to day in and day out throughout their careers is the oath taken by witnesses to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Whate

If you want to do business, stay out of politics

Former Minister Mervyn Silva has often stirred controversy if not scandal by saying or doing something outrageous such as tying up an official to a tree. But last Sunday, in announcing he was forming a new party, he made an exhortation which every political party should follow. Mr. Silva said anyone wanting to make money would not be admitted to the party. There may be big question marks over whether it will be implemented and what progress

Drought Kills Crops but won’t Impact Milk Output

You may not believe me; I have news about the drought: Good news, better news, best news and the bonus.Did you know that the income from selling milk compensated the farmer’s losses incurred from crop failures during this period? That’s the good news as the farmer with dairy cows received 46.1% higher income this Maha season. The drought had a beneficial effect on milk production, increasing it by 77% during this period. That’

Air is cleared over PC and LG polls

The air was somewhat cleared about doubts regarding the postponement of the Provincial Council and local authorities’ elections when President Maithripala Sirisena indicated to the Chief Ministers and Provincial Ministers representing his party that the polls would be conducted.    

US strived to secure Prabhakaran’s surrender to American troops: Rohitha Bogollagama

Sri Lanka’s wartime Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, in an interview with the Daily Mirror , revealed how an advanced intelligence team from the US military landed in Sri Lanka during the last leg of the war to secure the surrender of the LTTE leadership. Mr. Bogollagama presently represents the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Excerpts of the interview:

Interview with JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake ‘The time is right for the masses to safeguard t

The Chief Opposition Whip is chosen by the opposition. Only someone lacking basic knowledge would claim that the leader of the opposition and the Chief Opposition Whip are appointed by the ruling party.

Open letter to President and Prime Minister…

 “Susie, what shall I do - there isn’t room enough; not half enough, to hold what I was going to say. Won’t you tell the man who makes sheets of paper, that I haven’t the slightest respect for him!”