LH Plantations (Pvt) Ltd. survived a harsh business environment

As the erstwhile Managing agents of Kurunegala Plantations Ltd.. we were naturally pleased to read about the continued resilience of the company, but were dismayed to observe that, as in the past, certain unflattering observations had been made about the period during which it was under our management. Although no direct reference has been made to LH Plantations (Pvt) Ltd, the inference was clear.

Human Rights is an inherent right of every person

The term “Human rights” in today’s context within Sri Lanka is a term that has almost taken a multitude of space within the media and writings of academics and intellectuals. The term is somewhat of a cliché among those who are against the current status quo of the country and has been a topic that has been a central point of focus locally and more importantly internationally, with the government of the country held answe

The Met Department crisis ....(Your Voice)

if anyone need somewhat accurate weather predictions please look at the Indian meteorology department satellite image. by looking at cloud patterns and directions it moves, it is possible to predict at least "rain or not". try and see!

‘Soul-representative’, not ‘sole representative’?

SLMC leader, Minister Rauff Hakeem, has once again flagged issues that are pertinent to the stalled discourse on a political solution to the ‘national question’. Given the indifference bordering on insolence displayed by most political parties to the year-long talks between the Government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), they can only be expected to contribute negatively to the PSC process, when initiated more vigorously, that t

Sectarian carnage for Karzai to survive

Afghanistan has bled enough but it is likely to bleed more as the attacks on Tuesday's Shiite religious ceremonies portend. Yes, the sectarianism which ruined Iraq has raised its ugly head in Afghanistan.

Met Dept Crisis: A sign of the government’s misguided priorities

It has been a long standing joke that in Sri Lanka we should expect the opposite of what the Meteorological Department forecasts—“sunny skies” is a forecast for a gloomy afternoon.

We are still stuck in the winter of our discontent!

By Jude Fernando The Arab spring is fast becoming a global phenomenon in the sense that it is an inspiration and metaphor for branding the anti-government protestors around the world, reimagining of the geopolitical relations, and has promoted many governments (e.g. China) to take precautions to prevent it happening in their own countries.

Saving Libya's heritage

The survival of Libya's most important heritage structures, amidst the tremendous losses inflicted on life and property by brutal conflict, has brought a sense of relief. However, the organised looting of some of Libya's treasures has raised serious concrns about the implementation of international conventions that are meant to protect monuments and curb trafficking in antiquities.

Ragged truth of ragging

So, it happened again. The same setting. The same time period. Yet, an unfair ending. The incident that hit the headlines of Monday newspapers about the undergraduate, who was said to have been traumatized by excessive ragging, raises again the questions to where the country’s tertiary education is heading. According to the news report, the magnitude of the trauma was such that the twenty-year-old had been admitted to a hospital ward rese

Safeguarding patients’ rights and keeping medical profession safe

The Court of Appeal suspended the government circular issued recently bringing the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) under the Department of Public Enterprise. The first circular sought to regulate, supervise and monitor the SLMC under the Public Enterpries Department.

Quotes of the Week

Uva gets special treatment because I am a Rajapaksa Shashindra Rajapaksa, Uva Chief Minister and nephew of President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Government’s enemy is not afar or near but within

The protest organised by the Socialist Youth Union was peaceful and the intention was to present their grievances to the Ministry of Finance, the compiler of the 2012 budget.

Empowered women can stand up to abuse

From time immemorial gender based violence has been prevalent. Though we moot this topic from time to time, no proper actions have been taken to put a full stop to this social problem.

The government is absolutely confused: Sajith

UNP Co-Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa  discussed the budget 2012.  excerpts follow for the full  discussion watch online.

DOING WHAT HAS TO BE DONE

The strength of the government today is that it can do what it really wants to do, whether this is good or bad. With its 2/3 majority in Parliament and unchallenged popularity of the President, the government is able to take the majority of people alongwith it. Now it is getting ready to take on a challenge it has long sought to avoid.

HILLARY IN MYANMAR

If Myanmar's regime was looking for approval from the superpower as it goes down the road of political reform, it has got one now, even if this is somewhat cautious and with conditions attached. The visit of Hillary Clinton was the first by a United States Secretary of State since John Foster Dulles' in 1955, and for this reason, it carried symbolic value.

Southern Expressway:Smooth rides and rough edges

Sri Lanka’s first expressway leading to Galle was able to garner critical acclaim and public cheer. It is the most anticipated road opening and now the most visited road according to estimates that suggest it served 6000 vehicles in the first 18 hours after its opening. Referred to as the ‘E 001,’ its first entry point is situated in the outskirts of Colombo, in Kottawa while the furthest it will take you is to Pinnaduwa in Gall

Counting the dead after the living had left

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s announcement that officials in the North and the East were counting the war-dead, to arrive at a clearer figure is fraught with problems, if one were to rely entirely on the same. It has the potential to cut either way, pushing the figure above the unscientific 40,000-mark of the international community as much as bringing it down drastically.

Will the judiciary crack under pressure?

The C.J.will not and cannot  do a thing,its the people who have to think for themselves and make proper decisions. SORINIS

VOLUNTEERING; BECAUSE THE WORLD NEEDS US

For most young people life is a struggle to amass as many achievements as possible to attain various definitions of the term “success”. Teenagers study hard, get involved in competitive sports and extra-curricular or co-curricular in the hope of receiving admission to a prestigious and competitive institutions of higher education.

Met Department under ‘cyclonic’ conditions

Weligama and Kapparathota fisher communities sacrificed many of their fishermen due to the cyclone that hit the country last week. The Meteorological Department came under severe criticism for their failure to pre-warn these fisher communities that heavily depend upon them.

I sacrificed my self- respect for the children; Grero

Recently appointed Monitoring MP Mohan Lal Grero spoke to the Daily Mirror on his reasons for crossing over to the side of the government, his vision for the educational system of this country and the issues of the university lecturers.

Promoting ‘liberal values’ or superimposing an ideology?

It is a Western paradox. On the one hand, to espouse the cause of democracy and a nation’s right to self-determination and on the other, to seek to impose values on that very same nation.

Testing waters in Myanmar

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Myanmar marks a new chapter in relations that had literally ground to halt over differences in policy.  The recent small but positive changes acknowledged by US President Obama as  “flickers of progress” are the reason why Clinton is in Myanmar — to determine for herself the extent of the political openness by the military backed government of U Thein Sein.

The Budget 2012; division and upheaval

The Budget 2012 was much anticipated and many hoped that the government’s financial proposals for the  upcoming year would propel the country towards economic growth as well as to keep the people happy.  However it seemed that public servants were duped and there was a sense that the government was  yielding to the pressures of the IMF.  The budget also brought with it a number of political commotions where parliament

Your Voice

West dominate us;  who is west who is east who is north who is east?  All the problems can be solved by good heart with good thoughts, good deeds and trust and honesty. If not evil spirits get into evil persons with evil intentions.

Besieged Pakistan has little choice

The Pakistani government's outburst against yet another violation of the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty has become all too familiar. The people of Pakistan have seen and heard enough of the theatrics.

The Collapsed House of Norwegian Cards

Dr. Susantha Goonatilake The over 200 page statement of failure on the Norwegian attack on Sri Lankan sovereignty in its faulty "Pawns of Peace: Evaluation of Norwegian peace efforts in Sri Lanka, 1997-2009" is a document on lessons we should learn. It was but a culmination of the 500-year attempt by the West to dominate us. It was the failure of a “spiritual and temporal conquest of Sri Lanka" as the Portuguese historian Qu

My real election will be the next one: Shashindra Rajapaksa

Q: Being part of the Rajapaksa family, how has that affected your politics? Do you feel an immense amount of pressure?

Protecting the Himalayas

The ministerial declaration issued by India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh addressing food, water, energy, and biodiversity concerns in the Himalayan region is a welcome initiative to protect this biodiversity-rich mountain range.