OUR CRUMMY STAMPS AND CRUMMIER PAPER MONEY TELL A STORY

 Money, yes money, the stuff that makes the world and everybody on it, go round and round is indispensable. It superseded the ‘I’ll give you this for that’ in singles or in numbers in systems of bartering adopted by our ancients.

Is Parliament's dignity under threat- Let us establish a Parliamentary research service

It appears that everyone  is moaning at the qualitative decline of Parliamentary debate in our country; this is indeed a shame for the standard of debate and the conduct of our.....

Douglas Devananda slams npc

Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda charged that the Northern Provincial Council had failed to deliver anything to the general public despite high hopes pinned on it by people at the elections.

The Cabinet and Sri Lankan Tamils

The executive power exercisable by the Cabinet of Ministers plays an important role in the governance of parliamentary democracy. The executive power under both the Soulbury and 1972 Constitutions was vested with the Cabinet of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

Promoting Excellence: Learning from the Nearest Neighbour

India’s premier private TV channel, NDTV, in association with the country’s largest industrial conglomerate, TATA sponsored a national event recently at the Indian President’s official residence, Rashtrapathi Bhavan in Delhi.

Are we eating to die? -

We are often told that we should not eat to live, but live to eat. The situation seems to have turned a full vicious circle and today—despite all the marvels of modern medicine--most of us are often unknowingly forced to eat to die.

Editorial - What lies in the road ahead?

On Thursday, the Central Bank presented the Road Map 2014—the economic policy document which lays out valuable information about the road ahead for the country’s economy

Africa: Tribalism lives, for better and for worse

There was a time, not that long ago, when African leaders insisted that it was politically incorrect to discuss tribalism. Tribalism was the face of old Africa that the modernisers, inheriting their domains from the departing colonialists, refused to accept.

Wigneswaran Must Adopt PRAGMATIC APPROACH

The New Year started off on a positive note for Canagasabapathy Viswalingam Wigneswaran! The Northern Province Chief Minister was invited by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa....

The complaint against the Bribery Chief

Following is the petition submitted on Wednesday by JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti with several allegations against the Chairman of the Bribery Commission Justice Jagath De Silva Balapatabendi.

Here’s what the year 2014 holds for you

Great success in any venture could be expected this year for Aries natives.   Social recognition is also likely. The planetary influence indicates matrimonial affairs, educational pursuits and for overseas travel.

Chechen war games: The politics of the Olympics

“They plan to hold the Olympics on the bones of our ancestors, on the bones of many, many Muslims buried on our land by the Black Sea. As Mujahideen we are required not to permit that, using any methods that Allah allows us,” said Dokku Umarov, the self-styled Emir of the Caucasus.

‘White Christmas a harbinger of natural disasters’

In the western world, a white Christmas is a Christmas covered with snow. This time, countries in the North Pole experienced such a Christmas. A sudden winter storm  swept Canada, the US, England and France on the................

Politics and Rathika - Editorial

Few Sri Lankans would know of a lady called Helen Halyard.  Helen was a third-party candidate for the US Presidency in 1992, representing the Socialist Equality Party (SEP).

Little (pet) shops of horrors

A cluster of rather tiny cages chockfull of various birds, kittens, rabbits and puppies crowd the entrance to the wee pet shop located alongside the pavement bordering the busy road, a few feet away from the Jubilee Post junction.

‘Full throttle’ lobbying spree to meet possible UNHRC challenges

 The New Year dawned, and the country is slated to experience pressing political and diplomatic challenges in 2014. Main among them is the session of the United Nations Human Rights Council scheduled for March.

‘Cleavage-hiding’ Sitsabaiesan’s evaluation mission in the North

A Canadian parliamentarian of Sri Lankan origin is the latest visitor to the country to undertake a tour of the previously war- torn Northern Province, attempting to evaluate rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts in the region.

Mischievous Indian attempt to vilify Muslims here!

Indian allegations of possible Muslim militant attacks in Sri Lanka over the hanging of a Bangladeshi political leader on December 12, 2013 was another mischievous attempt to portray the Muslims of Sri Lanka as being in conspiracy with militants and terrorists.

Hope and choice in the New Year - Editorial

 As we moved into 2014, some people lavishly spent more than Rs. 20,000 per head for a few hours of revelry while many others were rummaging through garbage bins.

I’m also of the slfp old guard, how can i ignore them?

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview conducted via email stated that there can be “no one Policeman in the world” and questioned as to where those accusing the government of human rights violations were during the past three decades.

Actors and actresses nursing political ambitions

Actress Geetha Kumarasinghe is determined to make her mark in politics, as if we aren't already in enough trouble. Her ambition, as well as drive, seems to have grown by leaps and bounds since her initial disappointment at elections several years ago.

Lakshman Kadirgamar and problems of the post-colonial world

On December 16, 2013  a seminar on ‘Democracy, Sovereignty and Terror:

socialism and the capitalist market economy

In Sri Lanka, it is generally assumed that state takeover of the economy is a step towards ‘socialism’ and fair play

Editorial-The Year 2014: Ours to make it the best yet

In a sense today is another day.  Just another day.  The sun came up like it did yesterday and as it will tomorrow.

‘Uncrowned King of Batticaloa’

Joseph Pararajasingham who served as Batticaloa District MP for fifteen years was killed eight years ago on Christmas day. Had the Batticaloa parliamentarian been among the living, he would turn eighty in November 2014.

‘Cuba stands against politicisation of the UNHRC’

Cuba has gained the membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).  As a key ally of Sri Lanka, the country is now planning to play a major role at the March session of the UNHRC.

This country is the property of one cartel

UNP MP Sujeewa Senasinghe who has been one of the most vociferous critics of both the government and the opposition speaks to the Daily Mirror about his views on the newly formed Leadership Council, the allegations of corruption against the government and much more.

They come from Jaffna He comes from Colombo

A9- the road from Jaffna to Colombo is rapidly improving – surface and surroundings- as hundreds from the South travel to the North and are greeted by the northern traders as the mainstay of their sale. Northerners travel in greater numbers to the South in ease and spends more.

Editorial - Conflict over counting of conflict-deaths

A row had developed between the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Census and Statistics Department over the “Census on human and property damages due to conflict.

Editorial - Massacre of the innocents

As the world marks the day on which innocent people and especially children were killed or made to suffer, mainly by wicked and selfish political leaders, we could reflect on....