Leaving Rajapaksas uncurbed will be a colossal blunder

Those who lose at elections don’t seem to realise that they, elections, have consequences. Dulles Alahapperuma, Dinesh Gunawardene, Rohitha Abeygunawardene, Kumara Welgama.

Insulting a Lady who dared to differ

An internationally renowned soprano from Sri Lanka sings the popular devotional song Danno Budunge at Galle Face as part of the independence day celebrations. She gets hooted by the crowd and pilloried by television and electronic websites. A week after this shameful event, none of the better-informed media, or people who should know better, have come to her defence. What exactly is the problem?

Geneva jazz, SLFP blues and Sinhala rage

I had a great time at the Colombo Jazz and Blues Festival and a bad one reading about the Consultational Task Force of NGO types to “enforce” the intrusive, US-driven Geneva resolution under the monitoring of a UN expert.

Corruption in Health Sector puts life at risk - EDITORIAL

With the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) getting back to work after its chairman Prof. Laal Jayakody and Chief Executive Officer Prof. Krishantha Weerasuriya agreed to come back to their posts, it is pertinent to look at some of the details about how  international pharmaceutical networks function, what it does in Sri Lanka and what we as a country need to do to prevent undue influence on our health sector.

‘Flickering Fortunes’

I consider it a great privilege and an honour to make this brief presentation on the occasion of the release of Volume 1 of his reflections by Lakshman Ratnapala, a distinguished alumnus of St. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia. I am particularly glad to be able to do so because I had to decline his invitation to write a pre publication review due to time constraints.

What is the current process of the good governance?

A year has passed by since the present government came to power, and so many changes have taken place within then.  The budget was passed,   independent commissions have been formed, and a new financial crimes investigation division (FCID ) has been established    and  new measures have been  taken to take the country towards prosperity and  recognition. 

Mawathagama youth turning out Rockets

When most of the developed countries are making a frantic effort to conquer the space with the use of Rockets, unmanned and with spacecraft carrying Astronauts, a youth from Sri Lanka living in...

A great name in Buddhist history - Col. Henry Steel Olcott

World history finds its greatness and attraction through the services rendered by philanthropists. A person whoever he is, achieves greatness through ideologies borne in his.....

Dark clouds that overshadow two myopathic sisters

Stella Young, the Australian comedian, journalist and disability advocate once said, “The thing about disability is that you adapt, you do what works for you.” Yet at times there are so many difficulties in....

The majority say; ‘Thank you, Yahapalanaya’

The Yahapalanaya government came to power with a promise to apprehend those involved in corruption, thuggery and murder. But later a public outcry developed when no.....

Politicians – Jacks of all Trades?

A few smaller parties in the UPFA,   namely MEP,   NFF,   DLF,   and PHU supported by some other SLFP members who have extended their support to the former President have collectively formed the Common Opposition in....

US way to stop political interference in the Supreme Court - EDITORIAL

A three-day workshop began in Parliament yesterday to educate MPs on the full restoration of parliamentary democracy by making Parliament to be like a virtual government with

Who am I?

Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity, expression or behaviour is different from those of typically associated with their assigned sex at birth. In many countries....

It’s the national anthem of Sri Lanka for all Lankans - ‘Namo Namo Matha’ is unique

‘Namo Namo Matha’ sung by the people of this country from the time of independence translated into Tamil or any other language deprives it of its status and identity with Sri Lanka....

First Birth Centenary of President D. B. Wijetunge - The Peasant and pleasant President

Sri Lanka’s third Executive President Dingiri Banda Wijetunge, was born in a village near by our last kingdom, on February 15, 1916. As a fitting tribute to this grand politician and.....

Rajapaksa’s HR dirty bomb, ticking, ticking…

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein concluded his four day visit with what was widely seen as a conciliatory note: He conceded that the....

Eco-education and eco-spirituality - EDITORIAL

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, essentially an imported Western concept dedicated to romantic or personal love. This year and in the years to come, we are called upon to.....

Case for including health as a fundamental human right in new Constitution

Sri Lanka, though recently categorized as a middle income country, has achieved very good health statistics for several decades at a relatively low cost ....

Radio: The signature tune must be unity - EDITORIAL

Switch on your radio today, though it is difficult to tune into the correct station because there are about 75 channels in Sri Lanka alone. Today is the annual World Radio.....

An ode to radio on ‘World Radio Day’

Today is ‘World Radio Day’ - a day to cherish the distinctive quality of radio to touch lives and bring people together across every corner of the globe. Radio is ubiquitous, reaching listeners on-air, online, on site and on demand......

National anthem sung in Tamil a step in reconciliation?

The singing of the National Anthem in Tamil not only brought tears into the eyes of many Sri Lankans...

Sarath Fonseka and parliamentary politics

Even his strongest critics will admit that Sarath Fonseka was THE MAN to lead the Army in the...

Prince Al Hussein offers concession but with difficult conditions

From whatever angle we look at it, there were positive as well as negative aspects in the statement...

Good governance and constitutional reforms

Arising from my recent presentation to the ‘Public Committee on Constitutional Reforms, I wish to...

EDITORIAL - Peaceful youth revolt in the US

At the primaries for the United States presidential election in November this year, an unprecedented...

Don’t compromise on the ‘country first’ policy

When President Maithripala Sirisena came out of a virtual nowhere to be elected as the Executive President in the people’s silent revolution of January 

G-Key Sri Lanka’s second largest financial

Recent news on Lalith Kotelawala being summoned before PRECIFA, and the Bill Gates of Lanka arriving there on a Wheel chair, 

Sri Lanka – Cost of Inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the Public Sector?

The governments in the past could no doubt meet the challenges in economic,   institutional and ideological changes in the country.  There is a perception that moral and ethical standards in public sector personnel

I have a Democratic Right to be an MP

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, the newly appointed Member of Parliament, took oaths yesterday under the UNP’s’ elephant symbol to fill in the national list position left vacant following the passing  away of the late Minister M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardene.  In a candid interview with the Dailymirror, Field Marshal Fonseka expressed his views on the appointment, his eligibility to be an MP and his political  caree

Mayhem in yellow robes or true patriotism?

He is in the news again. Parading in yellow robes, portraying himself as a martyr of the present day and saviour of Sinhala Buddhists; Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero, a Buddhist monk whose credentials are more of a homage to a defeated regime of corruption and deceit than a parade of a victorious army, played another one of his infamous ploys, and this time too, came out a loser.