Editorial - Time to move towards ‘inclusive growth’

Economic growth is the buzzword that has come to epitomize post-war Sri Lanka. It should correctly be so for a country coming out of a 30-year war that saw the large scale destruction of human resources and property.

Govt’s PR skills can’t fill empty stomachs - Tharaka Deshabimana Nanayakkare....

As the provincial council election campaign is getting sharper each day, public attention on the candidates contesting these elections get equally sharp. It is more so when the kith and kin of former prominent politicians contest to follow the footsteps of their family legacy.

Ukraine Flashpoint for a new Cold War

Who said the Cold War is over? Look at the crisis in Ukraine. It indicates that the Cold War embers are still smouldering, though they are unlikely to engulf the whole world as a major fire, as had been the case prior to 1991 for some four decades, during which the nuclear clock had been often set at five-minutes....

General Election in India Congress still in with a chance

The drum beats are already sounding for the soon-to-be-held general election in the world’s largest democracy, India- the country that shows China how it should be done. There is a sense in the country that the ruling Congress Party and the influential Gandhi/Nehru core of it is on its way out after 10 years of a.....

Parliament got this one right - Editorial

Governments propose, Oppositions oppose.  That’s a four-word capture of parliamentary tradition.  Considering prevalent numbers the outcome is predictable.  One cannot fault the opposition for opposing when legislation tabled for vote is of a self-serving nature.

Govt. to learn from South Africa while preparing for Geneva

The Assistant Election Commissioner for Gampaha was perusing the nomination list of the New Sama Samaja Party when he suddenly noticed a name that sounded similar to his wife’s name. Being curious over the discovery, he checked the name with the civil status of the candidate, and was surprised to.....

I am a fighter, not a quitter - Ranjan Ramanayaka

United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian, Ranjan Ramanayaka made a politically audacious statement that he was willing to be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Western Province in the upcoming elections. Despite all the media attention he is not in the UNP list for the Western Province.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s biggest mission to forge unity in the UNP

United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was this week appointed to the Leadership Council thrusting him into the centre of the long festering leadership crisis in the party that has been continuing for the past few years.

From the smoke go to the fire - Editorial

An important first step to save the younger generation from many forms of addictions—including the hi-tech negative side of Facebook-- Parliament yesterday debated and approved regulations intended to curb the use of tobacco and alcohol.

nasty battle between Tobacco Control and Industry Interference

Although fast food, alcohol and television are yet to be widely recognised as clear health hazards, tobacco has definitely passed that stage. Nobody anymore argues that tobacco poses serious harm to people’s health.

Depression need not be a permanent state - The path to happiness

Irrelevant of age, economic or social status, depression is a condition that is commonly prevalent among individuals today. Before the complexities of the fast- paced lives and the highly competitive nature present in.....

Can we learn to be good parents?

A skilled artist knows to integrate the numerous elements of art in his ardency to bring forth a most beautiful and awe inspiring work to the joy of many souls.

US and India: From estrangement to engagement to estrangement

Estrangement seems to be the natural pattern and state of relations between the United States and India with the past decade of engagement, seemingly apparent in 2014 as an aberration, largely so, because the United States reduced it to.......

True democracy lies in people power

Elections are important as it opens an avenue for people’s participation. True that it does not give full democratic participation and the right to express what one wishes, however it is futile to think, in a bourgeoisie democracy where state power is in the hand of the rich, that we could get a fair chance of changing the set-up ......

A Legendary Thomian Teacher - D.N. Pereira

What prompted me to write about our beloved master Douglas Noel Pereira (popularly known as D N Pereira) is that he was both a student and a teacher of St. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia which is indeed remarkable.

Editorial-Global warming too close for comfort

Some of the worst ever ice, snowstorms and floods in several parts of the United States, Britain, Japan and other countries provide devastating evidence of the effects of climate change due to global warming. The Government and people of Sri Lanka, instead of just watching this floody hell on television, need to .......

Speed Reading with Sanjeev

Speed Reading with Sanjeev is a reading programme that gives an individual the ability to actively read, gather the salient points in what they read and do this really fast, in a manner that is stimulating to the mind.

Drugs do not provide happiness it’s only a curse

The illegal usage of drugs and its negative consequences are considered as universal issues since countries over the globe have been affected by them throughout the years. The illicit cultivation, production, distribution and possession of drugs are crimes according to Sri Lankan law.

form of Urban planning and the art of map making

Thursday Feb. 05, 3 pm - Riding a rickety bus with a good-natured conductor to Fort, looking forward to the Colombo Art Biennale (CAB) Curated Walk through the Rosemarie Trockel Exhibition by Ulli Groetz at the Museum of Economic Development. I have visited just about all our Museums, but have never heard of this one.

Promoting religious harmony in a plural society

What prompted me to write this article was the highly illuminating and timely Daily Mirror editorial of January 30, titled “take the middle path for religious harmony”. The insightful observations made.....

Social Media Should we love it or hate it?

Does Cyberspace kill? Is it not our ignorance about the nature of new social media that leads to tragedies mostly? The tragic death of Venusha Imandi, a young school girl from Kurunegala, compels.....

Editorial - Public sector TUs digging their own grave

We are being compelled to weigh the merits and demerits of the public sector in the country as well as the occasional outcry by the employees of that sector against privatisation, every time....

The X-Factor in Politics and Reconciliation

The oft-neglected and ironically oft-powerful quality is what I call the X-Factor in Politics and Reconciliation. Whilst efforts do exist they are not scaled up to the potential they should be or indeed can be. The reasons are several, and a subject for a separate discussion. However, the case must be made, once and for all.

Sextortion is an in-thing today But the law has to do some catching up to deal with it

Bribery and corruption has become a way of life in Sri Lanka. It has permeated every segment of activity however insignificant it may appear to be. It transpires that the biggest offenders are in the education, police and health sectors. Although the financial element in bribery and corruption is still reigning supreme despite the.....

Commemorating 107 years death anniversary Remembering Colonel Henry Steel Olcott

Henry Steel Olcott was born in August 02, 1832, into a pious Presbyterian household in Orange, New Jersey. In his teens he attended the College of the City of New York and Columbia University. At the age of twenty, he became a convert to spiritualism.

Why is law which works for one doesn’t work for the other?

I have great fears for Sri Lanka. Half a century of steady political brainwashing of citizens by successive governments regarding the exaggerated value of religion in life and politics, as well the ‘uselessness’ of democratic methods of governance seem to having the desired effect. Many citizens seem to be clueless as to......

Increasing Religiosity and Social Cohesion

I was encouraged to start writing this article at 4.00 in the morning on the Independence Day as I was woken up by the loud noise emanating from two rival places of worship in a particular Kandyan town where I spent the night.

Country or ego? - Editorial

Sports governance provides us a perfect sample of human behaviour at large. What is happening to this country’s status internationally, is also happening to this country’s sports with a chilling indistinguishability.

THE MARCH OF FOLLY GENEVA 2014 AND SRI LANKA’S INDIA POLICY

In his authoritative presentation on his January 2014 trip to Geneva and the US, Secretary to the President Mr Lalith Weeratunga made a pointed reference to the IPKF......

Re-imagining Dependency an Ode to Unpopular Economics

The relationship between migration and development has been a long-scrutinised topic of debate within developmental discourse. Understanding of these dynamics have......