“Growth with Equity: Inclusive Development” —President Rajapaksa

Address by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013. Excerpts of the speech:

CW approach: democracy development, and respect for diversity Excerpts of the speech delivered by C

It is very good to see CHOGM back in Asia, home to three-quarters of the people of the Commonwealth. The first-ever CHOGM took place in Singapore in 1971, but it is almost a quarter of a century since a CHOGM was last held in the Asia region: that was in Kuala Lumpur in 1989.

Does Saudi Arabia want a nuclear bomb?

The negotiations between Iran and the West have not yet produced a deal. At the same time the BBC’s Mark Urban, a defence correspondent, has unearthed a worrying connection between Iran moving towards the nuclear bomb threshold and a Saudi Arabian decision to produce a nuclear bomb with Pakistani help.

Doctor, you cannot serve money and patients - Editorial

We are in a tragic era where most of the private hospitals have become big businesses and trans-national pharmaceutical corporations are being allowed to run or manipulate the health sector in collaboration with some health officials and medical consultants.

Commonwealth: Make it an economic bloc

If politics is the art of the possible, then international politics is the art of deception. At least in democracies that have checks and balances, politicians who betray the trust which the people have vested in them are thrown out of office at elections.

Iran nuclear talks: Unfinished, but alive

The inconclusive negotiations over the weekend on Iran’s nuclear program were disappointing, but two critical points have mostly been ignored. First, diplomacy takes work, and agreements rarely flow seamlessly from beginning to end. Second, if all those inveighing against any deal.......

The company you keep may affect your wellbeing

The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) and the Ministry of Health, in a collaborative effort to improve the quality of the healthcare services in the country, conducted a programme for around 800 newly passed-out doctors awaiting internship appointments in hospitals.

David Cameron can and must secure moral high ground - Editorial

British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated that he intends to talk tough when he meets President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo.  Mr. Cameron appears to have set the stage for serious engagement with Sri Lanka on the thorny issue of human rights violations; alleged, let’s add. 

Old enmities, pig farming and Harin’s ‘one young man’ show

A proposal made to the Cabinet on Monday by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama to set up a National Railway Museum, brought to the surface the silent enmity between Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake and Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Typhoon Haiyan carries ‘dangerous’ message of climate change

On Monday the United Nations opened its 19th Framework Convention on Climate Change in Warsaw, Poland. Given the unimaginable devastation wrought on his country three days earlier by Typhoon Haiyan, the remarks of the delegate from the Philippines had a special resonance.

a versatile son of the nation

The untimely death of former Attorney General and Chairman of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) C. R. de Silva last week robbed the country of a distinguished legal luminary at a time when the legal profession is at a crossroad.

Climate change; stop this madness now - Editorial

In the aftermath of the apocalyptic super typhoon in the Philippines—described as one of the worst in the country’s history with at least 2,500 people killed and more than 600,000 displaced - the people and Government of Sri Lanka need to reflect deeply on the root causes of such catastrophes.

Common “Wealth” to get a meaning

After the collapse of the British Empire, the Commonwealth of Nations was established to foster harmony, cooperation, and mutual economic benefit among the Empire’s former colonies.

Inconvenience is inevitable during development

Development of the Colombo City was a result of team work by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) with the assistance of the World Bank, Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil, said in response to.......

‘Commonwealth Carnival’ may overshadow Charter

Today, imperialism, which was depicted as the structural form of monopoly capitalism by Lenin, has become global capitalism, which is virtually managed by the Trans-lateral agencies IMF, WB and WTO.

Politicians will be politicians! - Editorial

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s decision to skip the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to be held from Friday to Sunday in Sri Lanka - if made as a result of Tamil Nadu pressure.......

‘Not only opportunity vulnerability too has been globalised’

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen Ayubowan, Vanakum, Assalamalaikum, Peace, Good Morning! On this most auspicious day of remembrance, it is an honour and privilege to be invited as keynote speaker of the 2013 Commonwealth People’s Forum.

Has boom in overseas education served purpose?

Higher education is widely considered as another area of business in many countries today. Universities are supposed to attract fee-paying students, both local and foreign, so that they can be at least partly independent of government support.

Civil society must unpack itself now - Editorial

Delivering the keynote address of the Commonwealth People’s Forum yesterday, medical professional and founder of MERCY Malaysia, Dr Jemilah Mahmood offered a comprehensive overview of the.....

Africa, beware of this romance with China

It is time for Africans to wake up to the realities of their romance with China...

Editorial : Equality before the law

He had built for himself a considerable reputation.  He was strict.  A stickler for rules.  He never let emotion...

Alert for Intervention in lankan affairs

That canard has been planted again apparently with Indian and possibly Western connivance. But this time...

Kadirgamar and the Intellectual Property Law

In 1977, Lakshman Kadirgamar, as the head of the Asia Pacific Bureau of the WIPO, had discussions with...

Peace At Last In The Congo, Black Africa’s Largest State

It is not so long ago that Susan Rice, now the US’s Ambassador to the United Nations, was talking about the Congo as the site of “Africa’s First World War”. Has the UN at long last really pacified this country, the largest in black Africa,

Editorial - How to save your heart from your cardiologist

The government with  another big loan from China is to build a state-of-the-art Out Patients Department (OPD) at the National Hospital in Colombo. Despite all these ultra-modern buildings or renovations and the marvels of modern medical technology, more people are falling sick more often in Sri Lanka.

Drones: Hellfire from grey skies

It is only realpolitik that stands in the way of referring the United States to the United Nations Human Rights Council for allegedly committing war crimes and not addressing accountability issues arising from its drone attacks in Pakistan.

Zonta International the voice of the woman

Zonta International is an organisation of women in business & the professions which was started way back in January 1919, when Marian de Forest, a playwright and a newspaper critic, envisioned that educated and.....

Political power-play at the PGIM - Editorial

The Daily Mirror, in its Editorial yesterday, focused on Sri Lanka’s unprecedented crime wave largely because of the politicisation of crime and the criminalisation of polities – compounded by a breakdown in law and order or a crisis where laws are not being implemented.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

Chinthana Tennakoon, 26 years old Colombo University undergraduate said that he did not fully oppose the proposed casino. “I think there is some kind of importance in establishing a.....

Casinos are sugar coated poison

Is Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena just another pawn in the Government’s casino gamble? He has been widely criticised in the recent past as a result of the casino circus.