Delimitation report and passing the buck

It was ridiculous on the part of the government to have a minister and an official arguing in front of the media over a matter that had to be sorted out between them. The argument broke out at the media conference on Monday for the handing over of the Commission report to Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha by Delimitation Commission Chairman Asoka Peiris.   

Premadasa ‘exceptionalism’ and the years of Bandaranaike mediocrity...

From 1989 to 2004, the years that witnessed the escalation of the war against Tamil separatists, the years that Sri Lanka had to deal with a multitude of gripping episodes of suicide bombers and diehard idealists, the years that whizzed past everyday life of ordinary men and women like a wind in a snow-swept Artic, the years that bore the ignoble insults of a nation mourning the death of border-village citizens, almost every other week, also witn

A noble personality, yet a vociferous speaker

A fearless man, who never feared anybody or anything, always stood by the correct thing and above all, he had a human heart. He was so courageous that he was ready to fight and to fight, even when hope is out of site.   

Vital year for Sri Lanka’s economy - EDITORIAL

Calling on parties and people to rise beyond petty party politics or the desire for personal gain, President Maithripala Sirisena and....

Super-minister in the South; toddy ban in the North: Wonder how devolution will work?

We are entering the New Year with many self-contradictions. In politics, at least one stands out. Consider this for...

May discipline prevail in the National Government - EDITORIAL

As the New Year 2017 dawned yesterday, the Rainbow Coalition - which was swept to office with high hopes and expectations on January...

India, China and MR’s new political project

With the Maithri-Ranil ‘unity government’ approaching the end of its second year in office in an increasingly acrimonious....

Looming darkness

With several islandwide power outages reported in 2016, many have predicted a looming power crisis threatening to cripple the...

To build a country, you need passion

We continue to have the most tyrannical and power hungry politicians for many decades. MS/RW formula could have been the....

Lester’s “Rekava” was the first Sinhala film to compete at ‘The Cannes’ film festival

“Rekava”(line of Destiny) directed by Lester James Peris premiered 60 years ago at the Regal Theatre in Colombo on December 28th 1956. It was a path-breaking venture in Sinhala cinema that notched many “firsts”.

Being optimistic about 2017

What you see depends on where you sit. There are the pessimists who see President-elect Donald Trump who said in his tweet about the need to engage in a new arms race. There are the optimists, sitting on the other side of the room,

Hopes for lasting peace amid explosive cyber war

Midnight tonight, when 2016 ends and 2017 begins, has been proclaimed as the International Hour for peace, a global effort launched in 1986 by John Randolph Price and the Quartus Foundation - a spiritual research movement. The vision is to give the international community an opportunity to gather for peace, love, understanding and forgiveness through a simultaneous global mind–link at noon Greenwich Mean Time on December 31st of each year.

Why did PCs reject the Development Bill?

The controversial Development (Special Provisions) Bill has been rejected by all nine provincial councils where it had so far been presented, thus reflecting that they would veto the Bill which, according to the opposition parties, would give rise to ‘two all-powerful  Super Ministers.’  

Federalism addresses minority rights: Prof. R. Sivachandran

Prof. R. Sivachandran, a Central Committee member of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), in an interview with the Dailymirror by email, advocates the Federal structure of government for the North and East. The ITAK is the dominant ally of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) at the moment. Expressing views at the time a constitution-making process is underway, he says powers cannot be devolved under a unity form of government as in today, fulfilling

A strong Central Government is foremost

Professor Emeritus of University of Peradeniya G. H. Peiris who has done extensive research in contemporary politics speaks about unitary and federal concepts, and the way forward for Sri Lanka. In an email interview with, Dailymirror he says the Eelam struggle remains despite the demise of LTTE leadership in the battlefront. 

Five minutes to midnight, Obama stuns Israel

So the Barack Obama administration has at last proved it has the courage to stand up to Israel but it was too little too late. Can President Obama achieve in the 22 remaining days of his presidency what he could not achieve in the past eight years?  

Poverty Alleviation: Let’s become part of the solution

The National Government has declared the New Year 2017 as the year of poverty alleviation. We hope that political leaders especially will not only take effective steps but also set the example needed for it while the people actively cooperate in this vital and noble mission.   

Year 2017 for Sri Lanka; Reading outside Astrology

Year 2017 dawns with all arrangements including a week for ‘reconciliation’ put in place to celebrate two years of Maithripala Sirisena presidency and Wickremesinghe government.

Unity Govt’s foundation in jeopardy?

Acrimony between the members of United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) sometimes raises doubts as to whether the foundation of the unity government is shaken. Despite taking on each other creating confusion in the minds of people on the government’s future, a Minister representing SLFP tried to dispel such doubts in China recently. 

Sri Lanka Blurring of a Vision?

I have written several articles in this column pointing out the precarious nature of the country’s economy and the disorderly state of society and polity in recent times. While the economy is unsustainably distorted, both structurally and functionally, many long standing social issues remain entrenched.

Little acts of kindness will make a mighty ocean

As we come to the end of 2016, it would be important to reflect on the little good deeds we have done for others, little acts of kindness and mercy in a spirit of selflessness and sincerity without expecting something in return.

J R to Premadasa to Chandrika days that changed a nation’s profile…

Last days of the SLFP-led 1970-77 coalition government showed sure signs of socio-political degeneration of a mythical charisma.

Set up quality control labs; manufacture drugs locally

One of the national government’s important promises was to introduce legislation and effectively implement the laws to make healthcare, mainly medicinal drugs available to all people at affordable prices.

“Will create a government above the government” -

The Chairman of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Prof. G.L. Peiris spoke to Daily Mirror on the provisions of the Development (Special Provisions) Bill. He says it contains provisions even overriding the powers of the President and Parliament.

Some reflections at the end of the year!

As the year 2016 comes to a close, it would be useful to reflect on a few things, perhaps good things; that would be important....

Police and the RTI Act - EDITORIAL

The Right to Information that has been much hyped by the leaders of the Yahapalanaya government in the recent past seems to...

Name of the game: Bala Giri Doshaya How miserable are the leaders?

Police enforce the law to the letter. Could politicians lift our country to Australian standards, based on the way the ‘present regime had started off”?

Celebration of love, challenging values and principles

Yesterday (25) Christians the world-over celebrated the birth of the Christ child. As the clock struck twelve, the stillness of the night was shattered as crackers and fireworks exploded commemorating the birth of Christ.

Provincial Governors with more powers needed to protect unitary status

In the wake of proposals for the reduction of powers of provincial governors in the new Constitution, Southern Province Governor Hemakumara Nanayakkara spoke out against the move. 

Sinhala Cinema’s Line of Destiny Re-drawn By ‘Rekava’ 60 Years Ago

December 28, 1956 remains a red letter day in the cinematic history of Sri  Lanka (formerly Ceylon). The maiden feature film of 37-year-old director Lester James Peries premiered at the upmarket ‘Regal’ theatre in Colombo on that day. It was a black and white Sinhala film named ‘Rekava.’ Though Rekava is spelt in English with both a ‘V’ as well as a ‘W,’ I am sticking to ‘V’ because