Tribute to the fallen: Honouring the legacy of officers and other ranks

There are moments in the life of a nation when ordinary men and women are called upon to bear extraordinary burdens. In times of uncertainty, conflict, and sacrifice, it is the members of the armed forces who stand between peace and chaos, stability and disorder, freedom and fear. Among them are those who gave everything they had in their youth, their dreams, their futures, and ultimately their lives in the service of the nation. Today, the Assoc

The Art of Knowing When to Go

There is a particular kind of institutional theatre playing out across boardrooms and cabinet offices right now in the UK, and if you work in communications, you will recognise it immediately. Someone who should have left weeks, sometimes months, ago is still in the building.

The Keystone of Sovereignty: A robust judiciary is the ultimate guarantee of Sri Lankan national security and survival

In the traditional discourse of international relations, “national security” is often visualised through the lens of hardware: main battle tanks, fighter jets and the strength of the standing army.

Kotalawala dies in Remand Prison-1907 Suicide or Homicide?

The murder of Francis Attygalle (21), the only male heir of a wealthy family, shocked colonial Ceylon in 1906. The handsome millionaire, linked by marriage to the families of D. S. Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala, and J. R. Jayewardene, died from a gunshot wound under mysterious circumstances, leaving controversies that haunted the island’s political landscape for decades.

A rising cost of living and stagnant wages

For many Sri Lankans, the struggle today is not theoretical. It is lived daily, in grocery bills that keep rising, electricity tariffs that strain monthly budgets and salaries that remain largely unchanged.

A call to prioritise people’s health

Another shortage of medicines has been reported in the news, much to the dismay of patients. People receiving treatment from main hospitals such as the National Hospital will be inconvenienced due to this crisis if it is not addressed immediately. The Minister has instructed health authorities to intervene and resolve this impending crisis.

Govt. failures and insidious attempts to intimidate judicial processes

It has been around 19 months since the present Government was elected into power. To be perfectly frank, the present National People’s Power (NPP) Government has failed to keep many of its pre-election promises. Its biggest failure has been its inability to reign in the sky-rocketing cost of living and provide poorer sections of the community sufficient economic relief.

Aloka’s elevation through Samsara: street dog meets his saviour

Now that all the hubbub over Aloka - the Indian street dog adopted by the Rev. Pannakara for the World Peace Walk - is finished, there is a profound silence. That is all too familiar after such celebrations.

Colombo’s green heritage: A call to enrich Viharamahadevi Park

Very recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a fascinating tree walk at Viharamahadevi Park (formerly Victoria Park). The programme included insightful narrations on the historical significance of several iconic landmarks surrounding the park, including the Sri Lankan Ex-Servicemen’s War Memorial adjoining the Public Library, the National Art Gallery, Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Town

Time for Tamil parties across the Palk Strait to act

The fisheries dispute between Sri Lanka and India remains an irritant in bilateral relations, affecting not only diplomacy between the two neighbours but also the livelihoods and emotions of the Tamil people living in the Northern Province. At a time when Sri Lanka is attempting to deepen economic cooperation with India and benefit from regional integration, the unresolved fisheries issue remains a political and humanitarian flashpoint capable of

Nakba Day: Naming and shaming perpetrators

What could be a more shameful indictment of the so-called civilised world than the Nakba anniversary? Today is Nakba Day—the day on which the inhumanity and hypocrisy of the civilised world are exposed. It is a day to name and shame those responsible for one of history’s worst horrors—which sadly happened while the Nazis were being condemned for the Holocaust of Jews—and those who continue to perpetrate it today.

Palitha Place residents struggling with garbage crisis

Residents of Palitha Place — a key link road connecting Veluwana Road and Gnanawimala Road in Dematagoda, Colombo 9 — are increasingly concerned over the apparent breakdown of regular garbage collection services by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). Until recently, the CMC garbage lorry visited the area two to three times a week, stopping at two designated points and allowing ample time for residents to dispose of their waste responsibly. This

Fertiliser crisis and Sri Lanka’s long road to self-sufficiency

Sri Lanka’s farmers are facing a double whammy due to unseasonal weather patterns and rising global tensions due to the US-Iran conflict. Sri Lanka imports more than 90 percent of its fertiliser requirements, especially urea from Iran. Iran’s urea production is built on its abundant, low-cost natural gas feedstock, making it one of the most cost-effective producers globally. In 2024, up to 30% of global fertiliser trade passed through the Strait

Due to arbitrary administrative actions: Futures of 3000 Gampaha Wickramarachchi University undergrads in jeopardy

Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, the 16th state university in Sri Lanka, was established in 2021. At the time of its establishment as a university, it didn’t possess even the minimum facilities required to function as a university.

Interference with the judiciary is a part of governance in Sri Lanka

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was questioned by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Tuesday in connection with an alleged US$2 million bribe linked to the purchase of Airbus aircraft during his second administration.

What SJB can learn from the British Labour Party revolt: Find a new leader

The recent Local Government Elections in Britain had thrown the Labour Party into disarray. The Labour Party was routed, losing 38 councils it previously held, and nearly 1,500 councillors. Nigel Farage’s ‘Reform UK’ broke through Labour’s red wall, winning 14 councils, a net gain, and over 1,450 councillors.

A call for improved bureaucratic efficiency

I refer to the headline news item in your issue of 8th May captioned “South Korean envoy seeks improved bureaucratic efficiency in trade facilitation”.

Sri Lanka’s Security Imperative: Why a strong National Security Council is urgent – Regional lessons

Sri Lanka in 2026 finds itself at a dangerous crossroads. Its commanding position in the Indian Ocean should be a strategic asset, yet it remains a vulnerability.

Would SL fall victim to the cybercrime industry?

The recent arrest of 37 Chinese nationals who were involved in cybercrime related activities and subsequently deported from the country, raises fresh concerns on whether foreign cybercrime syndicates have infiltrated into Sri Lanka.

It is premature to review the NPP Government

In reflection on the editorial titled, ‘The NPP Government’s half-time scorecard unimpressive,’ published on May 9, I believe that conducting a performance review of the NPP Government is premature.

Will Vijay too, shield behind Kachchativu in times of difficulty?

Capturing power at an election two years after forming a political party is no doubt an incredible achievement even by a highly popular film star. However, Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar popularly known as Thalapathy (Commander) Vijay, who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday after securing support from several small parties, now enjoys an absolute majority in the State Assembly; but he seems to be heading towards a politica

Tennis champ VP gives a lesson in empathy

I was seated on a bus plying the 177 Kollupitiya-Kaduwela bus route in the night of May 6 2026 when two attractive ladies boarded the vehicle near the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. They were obviously after a training session and took their seats, but not in the same row. After the bus had travelled some distance, a man in his mid-thirties boarded the bus and sat on the seat in front of one of these ladies. When the bus conductor approached the

Radical change in the UK’s political landscape

This is an era of political surprises. New parties have stormed the political arena, demolishing entrenched players in country after country. It all began in Sri Lanka in 2024, when the freshly minted National People’s Power (NPP) swept the polls. In Nepal, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), dismissed as a marginal player, stormed the citadel of power in Kathmandu in March this year. It was led by 39-year-old rapper Balen Shah. Two months la

Adaptive edge: Leadership evolution in the changing nature of air warfare in US-Israel-Iran conflict

From the thunder of cavalry charging across open fields, from mighty battleships ruling the seas to jet aircraft streaking across the skies, each era has transformed how nations project power.

The King, The Country Queen and the Art of Saying the Right Thing at the Right Time

Last season, my column ‘The PR Insider’ explored the world of public relations and strategic communications, from nation branding and conversations in Davos to the currency of influence surrounding the UN General Assembly in New York.

China: Sri Lanka’s only true energy ally

This interview outlines China’s strategic outlook for 2026, focusing on its mediation role in the Middle East and its “shared future” with Sri Lanka. Key highlights include the push for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement, emergency energy support for Colombo, and a visionary proposal for trilateral cooperation between China, India, and Sri Lanka.

The proposed India-Sri Lanka bridge : Gateway to prosperity or threat to national security?

The Palk Strait Bridge and Tunnel is a proposed 23-kilometre (14 mile) link across the Palk Strait between Dhanushkodi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Talaimannar on Mannar Island off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka.

The NPP Govt.’s half-time score card unimpressive

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National people’s Front (NPP) Government has been in power for the past two years and five months. In simple language the regime has only two more years in power before it has to face the people at the next round of elections. It is a good time as any to check how many of its pre-election pledges Government has achieved.

Healthy minds, safe workplaces: A shared responsibility for SL’s future of work

She wakes before the mist clears. By the time most of Colombo is having breakfast, she has already been working for two hours, plucking, carrying, meeting a daily quota that does not change regardless of her rest, discomfort or nourishment. She works on a tea plantation and is among many others whose contributions are vital to the economy, yet whose experiences are not always reflected in any occupational health statistic.

Trump can’t decide if Cuba needs regime change

Last week, we looked at the international political game of regime change, and how it has evolved over the centuries to its present shape, with the world’s only remaining superpower, the United States, assuming the dubious status of the world’s top ‘regime changer’ under President Donald Trump.