Towards a common goal… Opposition parties unite to save perks of former Presidents!

At long last, the political opposition has come together to achieve a lofty national goal! That is to make sure former president Mahinda Rajapaksa continues to reside in his palatial 30,500 square feet mansion in Wijerama Mawatha, paid by public money. The residence, located in a sprawling one-acre plot and valued at Rs. 3 billion has an estimated monthly rental value of Rs. 4.6 million, according to the government’s assessors.

Rev. Dr. Harold Panditharatne, a virtuoso enigma of our times

It is my great privilege and honour to have been invited to write this brief critique on the life and mission of Rev. Dr. Harold Peter Francis Panditharatne; a genius philosopher, a master pedagogue and simplicity personified. I began my life in the National Seminary in September 1979, and Fr. Pandith (as we then called him) was my Rector of the National Seminary in Ampitiya. I vividly recall how we went to meet him in his office on arrival. He

Challenge of recovering billions of dollars stashed away abroad

The problem of recovering billions of dollars stashed away in safe havens abroad, is universal, with both developed and developing countries facing it.

Is NPP theory on crimes and politics still valid? - EDITORIAL

The “Clean Sri Lanka” project of the National People’s Power (NPP) government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake covers every aspect of life of Sri Lankans and Sri Lankan society including environment, governance and attitudes of individuals.

“Col” Kittu, comrades kill themselves to prevent capture by Indian Navy

The life and times of former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) military chief for Jaffna district, Sathasivampillai Krishnakumar, has been the focus of this extended article.

Emotional Resilience: How to bounce back and thrive

Life doesn’t come with a manual, but it does come with its fair share of curveballs. Whether it’s a job loss, a breakup, or just one of those weeks when everything seems to go wrong, the ability to recover and move forward is what keeps us grounded.

Fall of Ego in ‘Old’ Elephant and ‘Redundant’ Telephone

Good: Malimawa facilitated the leaders of the UNP and SJB to set aside their egos and come together.

Inflated egos, hypocrisy, and difficulties in keeping election promises EDITORIAL

It has been nearly four months since President Dissanayake was elected into power. His parliamentary colleagues took over power from the Wickremesinghe-led regime in November 2024.

Tech Giants, Political Winds, and the Erosion of Digital Accountability

The podium crowd at the latest US presidential swearing-in ceremony does not bode well for keeping hate, vitriol, and fakes out of the digital information space. The presence of tech bro-billionaires hint at one thing, acquiescence to the new mode of play. And taking stock of what has happened to X (formerly Twitter) since the take-over by the tech-bro-in-Chief, Elon Musk, serves as a harbinger for similar chaos likely to unfold on other platfor

HEC: A long-term solution for country’s sake

In 2019, the Department of Wildlife Conservation published its policy statement in the newspapers seeking public opinion. Since the long-term proposals that the writer submitted to the department,

From the Rubber-Rice Pact to Oil for land deals

A plethora of changes are taking place in our land since the presidential election of September 2024 and general election which followed in November 2024. Yet, some things remain unchanged. Our country’s External Debt reached USD 56.6 billion in September 2024, compared with 55.9 USD billion in the previous quarter. This debt has to be paid off. The projected repayments in the period 2021 - 2025 is expected to be USD 4.432 billion. In other words

The Presidential row over security and mansions

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s warning last Sunday that the security provided for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be removed if the latter grumbled further about his security was unbecoming to his stature and his professed promise to bring in a new political culture.

Beyond economic malaise: Charting Sri Lanka’s future for prosperity

Sri Lanka stands at crossroads in its economic history. Following a series of financial challenges, the country requires a robust and comprehensive policy framework to stimulate recovery and ensure long-term prosperity.

Manifest Destiny: Trump’s speech raises fears of fascism

Oh democracy, what crimes are committed in thy name? With apologies to French revolutionary Madame Roland for rephrasing her last words,

Fearing the Richard who died - EDITORIAL

When the much looked forward to film ‘Rani’ is released soon, it is sure to take us back to a dark past when youth went missing sans a trace. Richard de Zoysa was one such youth who went missing.

English Medium: Policy, Politics, Psychology and Potential

Gamini Akmeemana’s (GA) brilliant article, “English: What Our Politicians Failed to Understand” (13th January 2025), inspired me to offer both heartfelt praise and clarify a popular misconception.

Can we enfranchise expatriate workers without biometric-based IDs?

Given Sri Lanka’s dependence on remittances from expatriate workers, there is strong justification for enabling them to vote.

The journey of Victor Ivan….From making bombs till the pen nib exploded!

Journalist Victor Ivan is perhaps one of the greatest examples of a person braving all odds and a partial disability to achieve lofty goals and most importantly leave an indelible mark in his chosen profession, the field of media.

Conserving biodiversity for future generations - EDITORIAL

Habitat fragmentation due to human activities has posed significant threats to biodiversity on this planet.

The second coming of Donald Trump and the electability of demagoguery

On Monday, the United States of America swore in as its 47th president, Donald J Trump, a convicted felon who made a remarkable comeback, ditching jail time by virtue of getting elected to the highest office of the most powerful democracy in the world.

Paddy cultivation and rice production: issues and recommended solutions

Paddy cultivation in the country is a peasant industry with no corporate bodies involved unlike in tea. The paddy lands are essentially family-owned or by a small group of farmers. This background taken together with the fact there is no agricultural banks in the country leave a massive vacuum in financing paddy cultivation which is eagerly filled in by the big-time rice millers.

Rohingya’s testimonies - Who are they and why are they in Sri Lanka?

Rohingyas are an ethnic community from Myanmar’s Rakhine province who have been facing severe persecution for decades. Myanmar’s government doesn’t accept them as citizens and hence, they are stateless. Many have been living as internally displaced in camps while others have gone to other countries as refugees. Bangladesh hosts most of the Rohingya refugees, numbering about one million. There are also Rohingya refugees in other countries. Sri Lan

Lankan Presidents wash dirty linen while the public starve

Today we are witnessing a rather vulgar sight of a past and sitting president of our country spitting venom and washing dirty linen in public. It would be comical, if it was not so shameful. The unfolding drama of the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States -replete with threats, imposition of tariffs and bad mouthing opponents which preceded the ceremony is in similar vein.

Lankan movement hails Trump for opposing LGBTQIA++ Woke values

On Tuesday, the Mothers’ Movement of Sri Lanka (MMSL) will submit to the US embassy here, a petition addressed to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to keep up his fight against LGBTQIA++ Woke values and help restore traditional social and familial values in America, Sri Lanka, and the world at large.

Tariff reduction would not solve power related issues - EDITORIAL

There seems to be an issue with the government’s decision-making process which is sometimes manifested by conflicting statements or acts by government institutions or ministers on various issues.

How Tiger ‘Col’ Kittu lost a leg when a bomb was thrown at him in Jaffna

Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Jaffna District Commander Sathasivamillai Krishnakumar alias ‘Col’ Kittu was regarded as the uncrowned king of Jaffna in the mid-eighties of the twentieth century.

Finance Capital, GDP Growth and Sri Lanka’s Economic Depression

There is an emerging international debate about what is at stake with GDP growth. In Sri Lanka, not just nationally, but even at the provincial level, GDP growth and contribution are attributed to economic success.

The President eats his words, but with aplomb - EDITORIAL

Whether one reads the newspaper, switches on the radio or watches social media, one topic dominates. They all have one criticism or the other of our four-month old regime.

UNP-SJB rift, a matter of ego

Many political alignments are being planned in the North as well as South these days in view of the forthcoming local government and provincial council elections. However, the only proposed plan that might have a significant bearing on the political map of the country would be the one to unite the Main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the United National Party (UNP).

No end to killings in Palestine despite ‘Peace Agreement’

Yesterday, negotiations led by the US, officially brought the carnage unleashed by Israel on Palestine to an end. The Agreement sees an immediate stop to Israeli aggression in Gaza and the biggest release of Israeli captives since the last temporary truce in the early months of the war.