Cutting MPs’ pensions - at what cost?

Few political promises generate as much public applause as cutting the privileges of politicians. In a country battered by economic collapse, tax hikes and austerity, any move to trim parliamentary perks appears morally justified. It is more so because the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) has portrayed politicians in a bad light, holding them responsible for all the ills the country is grappling with. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s de

War clouds over Iran-US talks: A Game of Chicken

The United States is adopting a dangerous strategy in its bid to force Iran to yield. Washington seeks nothing less than the total submission of Iran’s sovereignty. To achieve its objectives, it engages in talks while keeping a gun to Iran’s leadership—believing, mistakenly, that gunboat diplomacy will compel Iran to surrender. The dispatch of the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Persian Gulf ahead of talks in Muscat, Oman, was a clear signal of coerci

Begin teaching road discipline in the schools

The Police must enforce road discipline to counter accidents. The best is a very strenuous training in Prevention, Detection. and proper prosecution. These are the three main ingredients the Police should concentrate on if the police is to achieve desired success. The Police Department should have a long term plan and a short term plan in handling and creating road discipline. The long term plan should commence with the Schools and they must incu

‘Democracy dies in darkness’: Jeff Bezos vs The Washington Post

In a shocking development, the owner of the ‘Washington Post’ newspaper has fired thirty per cent of its staff. That owner is billionaire Jeff Bezos, who has owned the Post since 2013. The ‘Washington Post’ is 149 years old. Founded by Stilson Hutchins on December 6, 1877, it is the oldest and most widely circulated daily newspaper in Washington, D.C.

Justice Held Hostage: Why Lawyer Strikes Betray the Public Trust

The recent decision by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) to stage a nationwide boycott of court proceedings following the tragic murder of Attorney-at-Law Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife has reignited a crucial debate: Do lawyers have the right to hold the justice system hostage to express their grievances, no matter how legitimate those grievances might be?

Bribery, the greatest enemy of a democratic nation

A recent news item read that an Acting Registrar of Births and Deaths attached to the Alayadivembu Divisional Secretariat in Akkaraipattu was arrested for allegedly accepting Rs. 500 as a bribe to issue a birth certificate. Incidents of this nature reminds people that the system hasn’t really changed even after all these years.

Tenant Protection Bill: A cure worse than the disease

Quite rightly, the Government has agreed in court to reconsider the proposed Tenant Protection Bill. As currently worded, the Bill dangerously tilts the balance in favour of tenants, including those who default on rent, damage property, and fail to pay electricity and water bills, while leaving landlords virtually powerless.

“Don’t count on IMF or World Bank” - Independent economist Ahilan Kadirgamar

As a response to Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, saying, while on a visit to Sri Lanka, as to how government discussions with the IMF can help recover from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah-which had disastrous effect on ailing economy- internationally renowned political economist and senior academic Ahilan Kadirgamar is of the view that this country cannot count on either IMF or the World Bank

India, Sri Lanka’s security inseparable Shivshankar Menon

India’s former National Security Adviser and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, in an interview with Daily Mirror, discusses how India- Sri Lanka relations have evolved over the time and India’s role in ending the war against the LTTE. Mr. Menon was in Sri Lanka to attend the Indian Ocean Conference organized by Pathfinder Foundation. As the Foreign Secretary of India during the last leg of war in Sri Lanka, he was a member of the Troika Mechan

Killing of the attorney-at-law sparks fresh worries But claims of a ‘national security threat’ are hyperbole

Law and order, and judicial fairness in Sri Lanka, were under scrutiny last week over two separate incidents. First, a lawyer and his spouse were gunned down in the car park of a supermarket complex in Akuregoda in a suspected underworld shooting.

Becoming gender sensitive in post-Ditwah SL

Life stands still for many people affected by cyclone Ditwah, especially in the outskirts. The disaster cannot be described as a sudden occurrence when looking at existing gaps in disaster communication to begin with.

Repaint the crossings before lives are lost

Pedestrian crossings are not decorative road markings — they are critical safety features designed to protect human lives. Yet, across Colombo, several pedestrian crossings remain without clearly visible zebra stripes, particularly pelican crossings with traffic signals.

Crimes, not isolated incidents

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on Sunday had decided not to appear before courts island-wide on Monday in protest over the fatal shooting of attorney-at-law Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife W.A. Nisansala in Akuregoda.

XI Jinping asserts civilian supremacy in the PLA

Through a series of purges, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been trying to curb the power and autonomy of the generals of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and assert his -- or the Communist Party’s -- supremacy in the Central Military Commission (CMC), PLA’s top-most decision-making body.

Legislators’ pensions: Denying a legitimate expectation

In 1976, the late Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike initiated the legislation that would provide a person who had retired after serving in the national Legislature for a minimum period of five years with a pension during his or her lifetime. The Parliamentary Pensions Act No.1 of 1977 is applicable to any Sri Lankan citizen who had served in the Legislature since July 7, 1931.

From Joy to Risk: What Every Parent Should Know About Sharing Children’s Photos Online

In Sri Lanka, we love sharing family moments and children’s photos on social media to celebrate milestones, stay connected, get likes and sometimes even earn through monetization earn some money.

Need to cultivate positive attitudes

The Independence Day editorial of the ‘Daily Mirror’ had correctly and clearly illustrated facts that hindered Sri Lanka’s economic, social and political progress, despite attaining so-called freedom some 78 years ago.

Valuing care work and women’s struggles amidst escalating climate crises

As a country that is recognised as extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts, Sri Lanka is now at a critical juncture in terms of prioritising climate resilience.

The strategic paradox:Why the 2002 peace process was the LTTE’s beginning of the end

The seminar held on February 12, 2026, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, organised by senior lawyer and respected political activist Shiral Lakthilake, provided a rare intellectual collision regarding the legacy of Prof. GL Peiris’ work: “The Sri Lanka Peace Process : An Inside View”.

Justice & Its Uneven Memory-’83 Black July

Nearly four years after the violence that scarred Sri Lanka on 9 May 2022, the Gampaha High Court has delivered one of the most consequential verdicts arising from the ‘Aragalaya’ period.

French action against UN Rapporteur - a ruse to divert attention

Four days ago, the French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned in the French National Assembly what he termed the “…outrageous and reprehensible remarks of Ms. Francesca Albanese”, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian territories. Barrot called for Albanese’s resignation.

Whither national security?

The spate of shootings believed to be done by underworld groups have once again come to the fore. The double murder at Akuregoda on Friday is a reminder that national security isn’t just a buzzword.

The Epstein Files Didn’t Just Expose Peter Mandelson. They Exposed What We’ve Been Calling Leadership.

There is a particular kind of vertigo that sets in when the people we were taught to trust turn out to have been unworthy of it all along. The release of more than three million pages of Epstein-related files by the United States Department of Justice has produced exactly that sensation, not just in America, but with seismic force across the Atlantic, where it has engulfed the British government,

Politicisation of Rule Of Law

Rule of Law is considered as a concept consisting of predominant principles required to be followed in the process of making and implementation of laws in democratic states.

Does corruption index reflect the reality ?

After ten years of negative performance, Sri Lanka has risen from 121stplace to 107th place on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2025.

Broken promises and Protection of the State from Terrorism Act

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, is an aphorism. It warns that holding high authority, especially without checks and balances, leads to immoral behaviour.

Darkness by Dispute: Who Will Take Responsibility?

The street light in front of No. 1, Charlemont Road, Wellawatte has remained out of order for an extended period. This particular stretch becomes completely dark in the late evening once nearby shops and establishments — including the iconic Savoy Theatre — switch off their lights.

Is Sri Lanka Ready for Mega Trade Integration?

Sri Lanka stands at a critical point in its economic diplomacy. As a country, Sri Lanka has now stabilised its macroeconomic fundamentals under the IMF Extended Fund Facility. Yet, the country now faces a far more important question: what next? Stabilisation alone cannot deliver prosperity. In fact, growth must follow. Trade integration is key in this regard. Market-diversification is also needed for Sri Lanka in a global context where dominant

Behind the hijab: Epstein files expose Middle East’s moral decay

When poverty enters through the door, religion and morality fly out of the window. This adage applies equally to wealth; in reverse logic, we may say, “Religion and morality fly out of the window when wealth appears at the door.”

Tenant Protection Bill: A Cure Worse Than the Disease

Quite rightly, the Government has agreed in court to reconsider the proposed Tenant Protection Bill. As currently worded, the Bill dangerously tilts the balance in favour of tenants, including those who default on rent, damage property, and fail to pay electricity and water bills — while leaving landlords virtually powerless.