Editorial - Higher Education or Hire Education

One of Sri Lanka’s highest distinctions has been the literacy rate of about 90 percent—which is hailed as the best in South Asia. Most analysts believe the main reason for this is the credit-worthy free education policy introduced by Dr. C. W.W. Kannangara whose 129th birth anniversary was celebrated yesterday. 

Editorial - No stitch in time, but nine more to the patch

With Sri Lanka’s financial status wavering around bankruptcy and millions of families struggling for survival largely because of a soaring cost of living, the Daily Mirror in its Editorials has reiterated that a lasting solution needs to be found mainly in two ways

What’s wrong with our universities?

For a long period of time, the universities in Sri Lanka have been central to the success of the national higher education enterprise, pursuing distinctive missions while responding to changing societal expectations to expand and diversify their functions.

Milk Production beyond the Wet Zone of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is once again turning its attention to milk production. Government policy to decrease the reliance on imported milk powder used interventions such as; crossbreeding of the local cattle population with exotic blood

Time overdue to cut nuclear weapons

At the time of the “Cuban Missile Crisis” in 1962 when the Soviet Union secretly shipped into Cuba...

Editorial : Lack of transparency may render private unis bane than boon

The social stigma surrounding private universities in Sri Lanka is now evidently subsiding, except a...

Libya raid US tells the world, I’m the law

To hell with the others, I must survive. This appears to be the doctrine that shapes the foreign policy of the...

If the government does not care, consumers must get activated - Editorial

In the aftermath of the milkgate crisis or the milkmare, millions of Sri Lankans were left confused as to what milk they should drink, whether milk was safe for human consumption and whether milk was essential for people other than breast-fed babies or elderly citizens who cannot take solid food.

Khurshid visit harks back to India’s assertions

Less than a year into his role as India’s External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid arrived in Colombo a few days ago with a contentious agenda at a time when Sri Lanka had just concluded its first ever elections to the Northern Provincial Council and was swearing in its new Chief Minister.

Marking its 64th Anniversary Army keeps flag flying In development sphere

As the Army celebrates its 64th Anniversary today, the Daily Mirror spoke to the 20th Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen. Daya Ratnayake about the evolving role of the Sri Lankan Army.  To mark this important event, religious observances of all faiths, an all-night Pirith ceremony to invoke blessings on the Army, and   some festive activities are underway. 

Is society insensitive to the point of insanity October 10-World mental health day

If sanity and insanity were the two sides of a coin, no one can decide to which side our lives may lead us in the future. But something we must all remember is that no one is ever given a choice when they fall sick nor can their sicknesses be condemned, as each case is unique.

Denis Perera The General of All Generals

I would wake up on the 10th of October with the thought of wishing, “Many Happy Returns of The Day” to the General of all Generals of the Sri Lanka Army. Alas, it was not to be so, when I wished him on the 12th of October, 2012 for the last time.

‘Journalists’ job is to inform people, not influence events’

While continuing on the topic of newspaper column writing, it’d be useful to compare what we do here with how it’s done in another country. I’d like to take the example of Britain.

Editorial - How and why did Bibile draft disappear?

A post-mortem examination by a judicial medical officer may be necessary to find the truth about a growing controversy between Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena and a widely-respected state legal officer who retired in April 2012.

‘Personal stupidities have become national policies’

In a functioning bourgeois democracy, the system could to a certain extent auto-correct itself. In the past, before the Mahinda Rajapaksa government took office, Sri Lanka had that capacity.

Ramifications of 13A governing state land

The recent decision of the Supreme Court, coming in the wake of the first ever election to the Northern Provincial Council, has aroused much concern and mixed reaction that it is in the public interest to make with due respect to the court, a realistic analysis of its content.

PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS OF SRI LANKA PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

The country was first divided into several administrative units during the Anuradhapura era, These were the three provinces;  Rajarata,  Ruhuna  and  Malaya Rata. These were further subdivided into smaller units called rata.

Rhetoric and Reality of Knowledge Economy

Development trajectories have diverged widely across countries over time, depending on a whole array of complex factors. Understanding these factors is important, and the social sciences have played a critical role in unravelling the complexities involved.

This is maturity on the part of the TNA - Editorial

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the main Tamil political party alliance has shown the maturity of the majority of its leaders, by its decision to have its newly-elected Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran sworn in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Confusion over Eco Certificate : Drivers bear unnecessary burden due to alleged corruption in state

The latest buzz on the road rules state that it is a must for drivers to carry the Eco Certificate along with the driving licence, Vehicle Insurance and the Vehicle Revenue Certificate. Drivers have been complaining that the police demand to see the Eco Certificate, overruling the Vehicle Revenue Certificate

Return of Onam Age-old Keralite Festival celebration organised by the Kerala Samajam of Sri Lanka an

The Kerala Samajam of Sri Lanka along with the Kerala Vanitha Samajam is organizing a function “Onam 2013 celebrations” at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, 100 Independence Square, Colombo 7 on October 12, 2013 from 5.30pm onwards. The celebrations would include a cultural programme consisting

Guitar Fest-2014

The Guitar Association of Sri Lanka will hold its eagerly-awaited Guitar Fest 2014 on Jan.  25, 26 and 27,  2014. Organisers hope to take it out of Colombo this time, and hold it in Kandy, Galle, and Chilaw as well in Colombo. Sri Lankan as well as foreign guitarists will perform at the concert which will be free of charge to the public

For lack of an alternative

The results of the election of members for the Northern Provincial Council are still a hot topic of conversation/debate among the people.  The debate on the subject centres around the question whether or not the people of the Northern Province expressed an opinion in favour of separation by giving a tremendous mandate

Showdown between RIs and Pakistan Army: Implications For India

The cacophony of Pakistani religious radicalism seems to be heading for a crescendo. The country is being torn apart between the contending power centres of Radical Islamists (RIs) and the Army, with neither of them showing any intention of climbing down.

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES

The Friday Forum keenly followed the three Provincial Council elections in the Northern, North Western and Central Provinces held on September 21, 2013. The encouraging turnout, with voters exercising their franchise in all three provinces, supported the claim that the elections were relatively free and fair.

Editorial - Global warming: Selfishness produces suicide bomb

The suicide bomb of global warming—though many people are foolishly ignorant of it or care little and do less-is growing into catastrophic if not apocalyptic proportions all over the world.Environmental analysts or prophets have warned that if this trend of the excessive emission of carbon dioxide

TNA’S TUSSLE OVER PROVINCIAL MINISTRY POSTS IN NORTH

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which demonstrated that it was the premier political configuration of the Sri Lankan Tamils by winning 30 out of 38 seats in the Northern Provincial Council is currently undergoing a new experience.

Editorial - Boat people; Prevent a Titanic catastrophe

It was a  day of mourning in Italy yesterday and a minute’s silence was observed in all schools in the aftermath of one of the worst ever refugee boat tragedies as recovery efforts were resumed off southern Italy

SL NEEDS A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIA

Your editorial under the caption ‘A bridge over the troubled Palk Strait” has provoked me to write this comment. It quite rightly refers to the most urgent issue that we are seized with today as the fisheries issue.

Obama-Rouhani détente could change the world

The United States President Barack Obama’s 15-minute phone conversation last Friday with Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani has a few parallels in the post-World War II history. The world stood aghast at these shocking and unexpected events.