Don’t make Sri Lanka the drug hub of Asia - EDITORIAL

Sunday June 26 was the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with the highly published event being held in....

Say no to coal for a greener, safer environment

Sri Lanka being a signatory to the Paris Agreement, is committed to safeguard the environment, help reduce global warming and.....

The St. Peter’s College I knew and loved

Realization has gradually dawned on me that I am old, very old. Now, that I am 84 years, keeping young is problematic. It is.....

Tribute to Neville Wijeyekoon on his death anniversary

When my aunt Ramani Ponnambalam suggested that I wrote a brief note on her father (My grandfather), Neville Wijeyekoon on his.....

BREXIT and Sinhala Only Limits of popular mandate

Commentators of South Asian politics tend to view the voting habits in the region with a degree of condescension. They indeed have a.....

Brexit: Victory for xenophobia, nationalism, exclusivity - EDITORIAL

The referendum in the UK on whether the country should remain in the European Union (EU) or leave it –‘Brexit’ is......

Lessons from Britain’s political earthquake

one of Shakespeare’s most quoted sayings is “O! Judgement Thou art fled to brutish beasts and men have

Is ISIS on the wane?

Within matter of days, a self-appointed ISIS “lone wolf” Omar Mateen, with no actual links to home office ISIS

Refugees: Feel their pain and hear them weep

Why do some people fear or dislike refugees? Why are they xenophobic? Isn’t harbouring ill-feelings...

EDITORIAL : Lady Widow, arise from the ashes

Yesterday was a special and important day -- the International Widows’ Day intended by the United...

Somawansa and the ethnic problem

Former   Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Somawansa Amarasinghewho passed away last...

Prejudice, Persecution and Violence

All over the world, minorities are under attack. One would expect mass scale migration, wider travel...

Did Forces ‘Jump the Gun’ over Sampur?

The decision by the forces is a matter of concern though it appears to be justifiable: from where did they get the courage

We are trying to give back voice to the people Manouri Muttettuwegama

The word mechanism is used there is, if I put it simply the consultations are going to take place with affected people.

The approvers are leaving the Yahapalana building

A few days ago a die-hard UNP loyalist shared a story on Facebook. The claim was that the First Phase of the Colombo-Kandy Expressway would be completed in 36 months. There was a comment along 

RTI: The right step, but a long way to go

While the world’s attention will be focused today on Britain’s historic referendum to decide whether it should remain

Constitution Making: SLFP , UNP harbour different priorities

As the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly forges ahead, it has become visible that the principal 

Corruption equals poverty… no denial is necessary

Many of our rural folks have been conditioned and brainwashed with a notion that poverty is caused mainly by exploitation of one class by the other. The influx of Socialist Marxist thinking, in addition to the sheer arrogance and insensitivity of the ruling class which was dominated and spearheaded by educated, English-speaking elites, who were clustered around big cities in the country, advanced the acceleration process instead of reduction or e

Eighteen months of Yahapalanaya: in retrospect

WAs the Yahapalanaya government reaches the significant milestone of a year and a half, it is, perhaps, a worthwhile exercise to look back on the performance of an administration which held out abundant promise to the public on multi-faceted “Change”, and to assess the degree of fulfilment of that promise. Daily events involving almost every identifiable group across the country’s social spectrum now provide ample testimony to a

Politicians need four wheels: Rajitha

The healthcare industry today is openly described as a ‘mafia’ due to various underhand quotations and tenders that have been passed to issue drugs. Recently the two heads of the NMRA stepped down from their seats since they believed that they had much political interference. In a candid interview with the Dailymirror, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senarathne gave his version with regard to the reasons behind the resignation of wor

Defeating the deadly dengue

It is pandemic and has become a terror in many sub-tropical and tropical countries of the world. Especially after the heavy rains and floods, Sri Lanka has become a country, which is gravely affected by this deadly disease. However, in the recent past the country has carried out many programmes towards eradication and prevention of dengue, such as awareness programmes for the public, regular fumigation, and upgrading skills in hospitals in regard

Steer clear of extremes - EDITORIAL

In the aftermath of the Orlando massacre and the brutal murder of one of the British Parliament’s rising stars, Sri Lanka also needs to consider the imposition of tougher laws against extremists. Last Sunday, a week after the massacre of civilians in an Orlando night club, some 50,000 people gathered in the city for a memorial service and the most notable feature was the appearance of a rainbow – signifying the beauty of unity in dive

Scientists Manoj, Nalin win silver for innovative Asthma, COPD relieve process

Scientists Manoj Hettiarachchi and Nalin Kannangara, co-creators of a patented process for the manufacture of Dry Powder Inhalation medications to relieve Asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), were recently awarded a Silver medal at the Geneva International Patent Exhibition and competition having previously earned a Presidential Award at the Presidential Awards 2016 organised by the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission.   

Shape your meal to shape your body

The nutrition month is commemorated by the government in June every year. However, this year’s theme formulated by the Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Ministry is ‘Shape your meal to shape your body,’ interpreted as measure and eat to be in shape. In Sinhala it is ‘Hadata Inna, Manala Kanna.’

CBK vs. GR Ethics from my father

Can’t stay with Govt. if Gota comes in: CBK -Daily Mirror, June 16, 2016   Today (June 22) being the death anniversary of my father Mervyn de Silva, the founder-President of the Editor’s Guild of Sri Lanka, CBK’s threat to leave the government inevitably triggered a recollection of a typically sardonic one-liner of Mervyn’s from the 1970s. We were at the Supper Club when bandleader Claude Fernando came over to our tab

‘My First Library 2’ -Book Launch

With a humble beginning as a Government teacher and becoming the Principal of Asian Grammar School and Giggles International....

Rare, Unique! A few thoughts about my father Ranjith Wijesinghe, on Father’s Day 2016

This is not an article on famous failures, but about a person who has led me to victory and success who is an ‘unknown success’. His....

Pragna Pradeepa : 27 years and beyond... “I am answerable to the People”

‘Pragna Pradeepa’, a charitable project to donate school books and other necessities to poor and needy children, a concept.....

Don’t innovate for the sake of innovating: G. Nagesh Rao

G. Nagesh Rao, 2016 USA Eisenhower Fellow, a skilled engineer, IP Legal Adviser and an entrepreneur will be addressing.....

STF Chief invokes the past of ‘breaking limbs of journalists’

It sucks being ignored when you badly need attention! DIG Ranjith Perera, the commandant of the Police Special Task Force.....