Elders left to the mercy of circumstances - Editorial

The bitter truth about the International Day of Elders or Older Persons which falls today with International Children’s Day is that while many authorities, NGOs and INGOs hold functions in view of it, thousands of elders are languishing and dying in hospitals and......

THE GREAT LAND ROBBERY

A determined naval rating butted Rajiv Gandhi with his rifle, before the Indian PM thumbed the Indo Sri Lanka Agreement amidst fanfare and gunshot. Some watching the incident on TV vouched J. R. Jayewardene (JR) was fleetingly amused before he did a rapid volte- face for diplomatic niceties– naturally

We always do what we believe is correct, right? Wrong!

A Teacher, who believes that learning at school should be student-oriented, told his class that they are going to discuss the topic of ‘Respect for Elders’. One girl jumped up and asked “but why?” The teacher, visibly shocked, asks her to explain her question further:

A time to rise like a phoenix from the ashes

The Northern Provincial Council election is now over. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) comprising all sections of former militant groups (with the exception of Douglas Deva’s EPDP) as expected swept the board.

Editorial - Senaka Bibile: Talk is cheap, take action

Yesterday we again commemorated the 36th anniversary of the death of Prof. Senaka Bibile who is widely regarded as the greatest medical benefactor of humanity that Sri Lanka has hitherto produced. What he did for the people of Sri Lanka and the world is well-known.

Editorial - The first cabinet and today’s: what a contrast!

In this era of giant cabinets when few among the common people know who is the minister of what and what he or she is doing or not doing, we recall that it was on September 26 1947—64-years-ago that Sri Lanka’s first cabinet was sworn in.

PRODUCTIVITY IN PUBLIC SERVICE THEORY VS. PRACTICE

This article may be considered as an open proposal in response to the press notice published by the Ministry of Finance calling for proposals from the general public for the reformation of public service in Sri Lanka.

Germany for peace and austerity

The Germany of the victorious Angela Merkel, the second most powerful political leader in the world, is the...

Editorial : Lawyers, here’s your vision and mission

In this explosive era where the rule of law is breaking down with lawlessness if not anarchy raging on...

Holy idiots and jihadi vultures tarnishing Islam

Whether the myriad Islamic extremist groups are the creation of the world’s most astute intelligence groups...

Post Election TNA and Central Govt. have difficult task ahead Their actions will have to be influenc

In the immediate aftermath of its unprecedented electoral victory, the 28 elected members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) passed a unanimous resolution on Monday to be transmitted to Northern Governor G.A. Chandrasiri, that.....

A beacon of light for the blind

Imagine waking up one day to complete darkness. It might seem like an unlikely nightmare, but Khalid Oshman lives in that reality every single day. After losing his eyesight due to a wrong injection given to him in the prime of his life, Khalid was plunged into a world of darkness.

Emergence of the ‘Third Force’ in politics The surprise package at the 2013 PC elections

‘Old soldiers never die, they just fade away,’ goes the cliché - but former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka refuses to even fade away. As the dust settles on elections in the Northern, Central and North- Western provinces concluded last Saturday, Fonseka has become a focus of attention.

125 years of caring for the elderly

The Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor celebrates 125 years of loving service to the elderly poor of Sri Lanka on 8 December 2013. The congregation, which was formed by Saint Jeanne Jugan, who is aptly called a “Saint for our time”, ...

SWRD; Cleverness was his creed and smartness the manner of his mind

Twenty-Five years ago I described Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike as a man with a future behind him. It was a time when in that Mecca of mediocrities called the State Council of Ceylon he stood out as an infidel with cleverness as his creed and smartness as the manner of his mind.

Obsession, superstition plaguing our nation - Editorial

It is evident that a wave of superstition is engulfing Sri Lanka. Whether it is East or West, superstition has been a part of the lives of the people. While the westerners relied on crystal balls to foresee their future, we easterners paid homage to all kinds of deities to protect ourselves from evils.

Massacre of Democracy in Egypt

Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi democratically elected by at least 13 million people was unseated by an infamous military coup of his appointed defence minister

Listen! We’re making far too much noise

 I was talking to a salesman at a music instruments shop in Colombo 10 the other day

Polarisation and ‘infrastructure invasion’

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) swept all five districts in the Northern Provincial Council in the polls held on Saturday.

Editorial-Give the people a credible alternative

History has clearly shown that one of the vital factors for a vibrant democracy is a strong Opposition which plays not only an active but a pro-active role

BETRAYAL MOST FOUL

The military defeat of the LTTE Terrorists in May 2009 did not bring in its wake a return to decency; a return of standards or good governance that we once stupidly took for granted.

NORTHERN PC: LESSON TO LEARN, LANDMINE TO AVOID

Having been in my early 30s, a Minister in the North-East Provincial Council a quarter century ago – I resigned within six months – I remember how easily it can all go wrong and what the landmines are.

Questions over amnesty period granted for Wildlife offences

Following a press briefing by the Minister of Wildlife Conservation Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, environmentalists expressed their concern and disbelief over the recent decisions taken by the Minister.

Sunila Abeysekera, Comrade, Fearless Defender, Activist and a Feminist

Virginia Woolf said “As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.”   The whole world was Sunila Abeysekera’s country as she....

Encountering political reality, at last! - Editorial

Further to what we said about the first would be Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), needless to say that an optimist would see the results of the NPC election as a golden opportunity for the....

PC Polls; First Reactions of the main parties

In a response to the election results, Chief Government Whip and Senior Minister, Dinesh Gunawardane said the people had once again endorsed the government’s programmes by giving a thumping majority in the Central and North western provinces.

Cartoons contain a message to the people

One of Sri Lanka’s leading cartoonists, Winnie Hettigoda, speaks to Daily Mirror about his views on cartoon as medium for social and political change, the role of cartoonists and the future of political cartoons as well as his upcoming pioneering exhibition ‘Digital Brush’.

The Plague: My all-time favourite

Having been introduced to French literature early on because of my French language studies, I began reading French authors avidly. Among modern works, The Plague by Albert Camus gripped me like none other, and has remained a firm favourite to this day, remaining eminently readable.

Do’s and Don’ts in Cosmetic industry

The Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) is organising a workshop titled “Cosmetic Industry in Sri Lanka: What you should know” on Wednesday, September 25 at its Main Auditorium.

An impossible dream comes true after the war

“I thought all this would be impossible before the end of the war. I could not even dream of getting married to a girl because of the life I led before the war ended” said Murugaiyya Sashikumar (33) just minutes after entering into a wedded life with his wife Jeyrasa Mary.