Servant leadership: walk the talk - EDITORIAL

As we move into the eco-friendly, all-inclusive development year 2016, Government leaders need to be conscious of some of the main dangers or temptations facing them. It applies to religious, business and civic society leaders also.  

Constitution should unite people and reflect social contract

The Constitution of any State is the organic and the supreme law of that State. It explicates, regulates and articulates relationship and cohesiveness between the State and its people, people and people, State and institutions, institutions and people and also it directs and governs the State’s relationship with the rest of the world.  

Kidney racket Wake-up call for patients

‘Health is wealth’ -  a popular saying of yesteryear could be replaced as ‘Health equals wealth’ in today’s context. In an unexpected turn of events,a case was filed by the Telangana police against six Lankan doctors who were alleged to have conducted kidney transplants on Indian patients charging a sum of 60 lakhs for one transplant. In an attempt to identify the loopholes in the healthcare system that gives ri

Today is ash wednesday

Compassion, forgiveness and redemption: the important precepts in the life of a Christian that our Saviour Jesus Christ preached and commanded us to follow for which he died on the cross to redeem our sins.   

Education: the only weapon against poverty

I had the rare opportunity to attend and appreciate the annual book donation programme of the Dehiwala – Ratmalana Development Foundation and the Lalith Athulathmudali  Commemorative Foundation. The programme kept its promise to over 1000 children in the divisional secretariat division of Maha Oya, in addition to their regular book donation programme to 3000 students in Dehiwala- Mt. Lavinia area. The organizers have supported the chil

Money laundering is a serious crime : Eran

With the arrest of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the topic of money laundering has resurfaced.  In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror , Deputy Minister of Public Enterprise Development, EranWickremaratne

Post Independence Sri Lanka - Key challenges and policy responses

We celebrated the 68th anniversary of the country’s political independence on the 4th of this month. The period that we have completed is as long as the average life span of a Sri Lankan citizen today. Some of us.....

These are not mere numbers, but human lives - EDITORIAL

Tamil leaders in the North, according to media reports had requested the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Prince ZeidRa’ad Al Hussein who was currently on a four-day official visit to Sri Lanka to.....

Using elephants for school parades Are we being human?

Compassion for all beings is a message which is conveyed by all religions to the society for every living being on this earth has a right to live. Not only human.....

‘The Dream’: An initiative dedicated for children with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination which don’t become intense with time.

APPOINTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Former Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Justice (1970–1977) and an expert in Constitutional Law, Dr. Nihal Jayawickrama who strongly believes that the vacant position of the Attorney General should be filled with the senior most officer in the.....

Mahinda Rajapaksa was ‘70 percent right, 30 percent wrong’

Finally, the Joint Opposition, a euphemism for the cronies of the ex-President in Parliament, has turned to God. If the legend in Sinigama lives up to its fame, the  hundred thousand coconuts they smashed at the Devalaya there during the.....

Illegal fishing by Tamil Nadu fishermen - Gone with the trawlers

Sri Lanka lost US$ 40 million worth of sea catch a month to Indian fishermen who trespass the Sri Lankan Maritime Boundary to fish, a seminar was told in Colombo recently at the National Library.

Hela Bojun: Real taste of paradise

Today’s food market is without doubt dominated by fast food. Asian countries like Sri Lanka are caught in the fast food trap, with more and more people getting addicted.  However, it is a well-known fact that fast foods are......

Media make the innocent guilty; the guilty innocent - EDITORIAL

The media are the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that is power, because they control the minds of the masses.

Did Japan contribute to Sri Lanka and India to gain independence?

Sri Lanka’s history since 1505 shows clearly that it was the intervention of an external power that had always helped us to get rid of a foreign occupier from the country’s soil. 

Respect for law and order essential - EDITORIAL

There was a time in the recent past when ruling party politicians were considered to be above the law. 

Sixth Guitar Festival of the SL Guitar Association : Savouring music with a difference

The sixth guitar festival of the Sri Lanka Guitar Association was held at the Royal College auditorium last Sunday. 

The international community need not worry about matters of state interest”- President Sirisena

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein is to visit Sri Lankan...

Who is behind “Sinha Le”

What is this movement Sinha Le? Who is behind it? Who are the leaders? These questions had been...

THE NAME, FLAG & ANTHEM OF THE NATION

There has been a lot of discussion on the appearance in public of a sticker with a particular spin on...

No prophetic figures to challenge self-righteous Israel

We are born free but everywhere we are in fetters, so said the 18th century French philosopher Jean...

Work as a tool for Human Development

At the recent launch of the Global Human Development Report (HDR) 2015 titled “Work for...

What is delaying the Right to Information Bill?

‘Right to freedom of expression’ is enshrined in the constitution. Free speech should provoke. It might offend; it might be unfair; and it could well cause prejudice. But it’s the price we must be ready to pay for the ‘right to freedom of expression’.

Freedom without responsibility is a bluff

Independent Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake -- widely respected as the father of the nation -- made an extraordinary contribution to the sustainable development specially in the agricultural sector with the revival of the historic Parakrama Samudra, which had a 14-km-long bund 

Independence Day Messages

Independence Day MessagesOn this day, as we celebrate the 68th anniversary of our Independence, we are proud

Independence of 1948 revived LET’S SING ‘ Namo namo matha’ TOGETHER

We remember that the Independence of Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was then known) was gained on February 4, 1948. The UNP was founded on 6 September 1946 by amalgamating three right-leaning pro-dominion 

Father of the Nation D.S. Senanayake in retrospect

D. S. Senanayake, (popularly known as DS or the Father of the Nation) the first Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka, in his inaugural address to the nation, said: “The independence we won would be a reality

The mysterious death of Gugadas Dharshan

A child is always a treasure. But these treasures are devalued in today’s society since parents have much more to do than just taking care of children. When children face grave circumstances as a result of irresponsible parenting, parents would do anything to get their treasures back. The country was shocked to hear the mysterious death of a child in Sampoor whose body was found in an abandoned well last week. It was also found that a huge

WHO WILL PREVAIL?THE PM OR THE PRESIDENT?

President Sirisena has followed up his important BBC interview on accountability with a lengthier one on Al Jazeera. The BBC interview evoked a swift, sharp reaction from Human Rights Watch, the Global Tamil Forum,the New York Times,and the US Ambassador to the UNHRC—as well as the Sri Lankan PM himself. Samantha Power took a swipe on missing persons and impunity. Ban-Ki-Moon weighed in, supporting international participation in the judicia