Free meals and the culture of hard work - EDITORIAL

Just a few days ago we read in the newspapers that the All Island Canteen Owners’ Association (AICOA) President had stated that no one should be given free meals and that those ‘demanding’ free...

Debt restructuring, corruption and our nation

Our country’s external debt obligations in 2022 exceed US$7 billion. But the country’s forex reserves as of March 2022 is just US$1.6 billion. In April, the country announced a default on all its foreign debt and said it would seek an IMF bailout.

Let’s Shield the EPF with the Instincts of Winston Churchill

The private sector workers of Sri Lanka are required by law to transfer 23% of their incomes to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) every month, towards their retirement savings. The EPF is managed by a special division within the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), and the Monetary Board of CBSL is tasked with overall stewardship of the Fund.

Naysayers of domestic debt restructuring: What is the alternative?

Parliament on Saturday approved a domestic debt restructuring program that would rework nearly half of the country’s US$ 42.1 billion domestic debt. The plan covered US$ 19.5 billion of Domestic debt in Treasury...

Challenges facing public sector reform in Sri Lanka

As public sector reform is one of the conditions for getting the IMF bailout, the Sri Lankan government is trying to figure out how...

Look into the sources of strength of criminals - EDITORIAL

The proverbial monkey planning to have permanent shelter amidst heavy rains and forgetting once the showers cease is always reminded....

‘Dingiri Dingaale’ The Tamil film song liked by many Sinhalese

This article focuses on the evergreen ‘Dingiri Dingaale’ song from the Tamil film ‘Anbu Engey?’ (Where is love?) that was first screened 65 years ago. Although a Tamil film song, the number was hugely popular among Sinhalese too. I have written about this song in my blog earlier.

Cannabis - another disaster

The government is planning to permit limited cultivation of Cannabis (Ganja) on state land especially for export on a “get rich quickly” system.

Letters to the Editor Political slogans against EPF, ETF

With the restructuring program, Governor of Central Bank and Government has confirmed that there is no impact for the existing members’ balances and assured to release the fund on claim by members. Also guaranteed 9% annual interest to be paid within next two years and decide the interest rate according to the investment returns of future years.

Palestinian lives matter - EDITORIAL

Since the violent birth of Israel on May 14, 1948, in what was originally the State of Palestine, ‘Brittanica’ estimates that of the number of Arabs displaced from their original homes, villages, and neighbourhoods during the period from December 1947 to January 1949 range from about 520,000 to about 1,000,000.

Dispossession by Domestic Debt Restructuring

The domestic debt restructuring plan announced by the Government last Wednesday and passed by parliament on Saturday, targets only one significant domestic financial asset, namely retirement funds. Far reaching changes to the future of working people’s lives are never a done deal, and much can change between the Government’s plan and what can be politically sustained as resistance mounts. Why did the Government target retirement funds,

Health sector mafias and lawmakers who promote yoga - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka, it seems, is slowly losing its grip on governing the county in an acceptable manner; concerns coming mostly from how its citizens are suffering because of deteriorating facilities for...

Mercenary mayhem: Putin emerges as a Machiavellian Prince

War is too important to be left to the generals. This quote is as relevant today as it was in the early 19th century, when French statesman and journalist Georges Clemenceau first said it to stress the importance....

The 52nd state of Amnesia

Not too long ago, I tried to remember all the states of the United States of America. I missed Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. A well-informed and well-read friend of mine, a citizen of the US was impressed. He said that most Americans (of the US) wouldn’t be able to name all 50.

people-centred co-op societies- EDITORIAL

In this era where the Government is taking bold moves to stabilise Sri Lanka’s economy after the worst ever crisis since independence in 1948, a vital move would be the revival and modernization of the co-operatives and societies in Sri Lanka. According to the Co-operative Development Department, the co-operative societies system started in 1906 to fulfil the economic needs of rural farming community by granting loans.

Finally, India is truly rising; Sri Lanka should piggyback

Five years back in China, I submitted my doctoral dissertation, having chopped off two complete chapters on my supervisor’s advice to be on the safe side for both of us. It was an analysis of competition....

Debt restructuring and our local debt - EDITORIAL

In April last year, our country’s rulers finally admitted that sections of the public already knew for some time - that we had reached a point of no return. Our expenditure had far exceeded our income....

Aswesuma: Learn from the past

The government has launched a social welfare scheme called “Aswesuma Social Welfare Programme” to help the poor segment of the society that has been affected by the ordinary economic system that has been shaped up for the high-income segment to further benefit and also by the current economic crisis. This seems to be a project under the social safety net envisaged by the International monetary Fund (IMF) in its programme for Sri Lanka

A CALL TO SL CIVIL SOCIETY 2024 SHOULD BE A YEAR OF TOLERANCE IN SRI LANKA

We are in the phase of rapidly fading memories of the 2022 ARAGALAYA and Economic meltdown, faded memories of the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Easter Sunday carnage and lost memories of a 3

Sumanthiran’s Bill on PC election: A waste of time?

The private member’s Bill that has been presented by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran to amend the Provincial Council Elections Act is in a way an attempt to test President Ranil....

Insurrection in Russia and challenge to the dollar - EDITORIAL

Countries around the world were shocked at events which unfolded in Russia on Saturday, where a mutiny by the ‘Wagner Private Military Company’ founded by Evgeni Prigozhin (a one-time close friend....

Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Matale District JVP Insurgency

Former Sri Lankan President and ex-defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa known generally as Gota figured prominently in an Associated Press (AP) news report dated June 22, 2023.

Can’t we find a famous personality to celebrate world Yoga Day? - EDITORIAL

World Yoga Day was celebrated across the world on June 21 (Wednesday) with Sri Lanka too having many events across the island to mark the occasion. The word yoga....

Don’t gag whistleblowers, for they are a vital part of democracy

War is a lie. Terrorism is a lie. The state is an embodiment of lies, damn lies, and statistics. As Winston Smith, the main character in George Orwell’s mind-blowing political novel 1984, finds out, even....

Her land, her rights: Key role of women

With Sri Lanka still struggling to overcome the socio-economic crisis, there appears to be little or no time to contemplate on issues like desertification and drought. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana

Why SL claim it has less capacity Than least developed countries for trade facilitation?Concerning notification made to the WTO

In contrast, Sri Lanka has made poor progress moving from 29% to 31.5%. What is alarming is that Sri Lanka, which was slightly ahead of the average performance of LDCs in 2017, has fallen far behind them by 2023

Evolved mindsets and understanding the work of stand-up comedians

In a country full of religious maniacs, halfwits and bigots, I’m determined to avoid the prickly subject of religion, but what happened to standup comic Natasha Edirisooriya needs a comment.

Repaying our debts. and the unthinkable alternative - EDITORIAL

Up to December 2022, our external debt stood at US$ $49.7 billion. By April 2023 we suspended debt repayment, announced ourselves bankrupt and applied to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a US$2.9 billion....

Political will imperative in eradicating corruption - EDITORIAL

The government seems to have placed the fate of the country totally on the success of the programme sponsored by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, it, no doubt relies on the success of the government’s professed plans of eradicating corruption.

How much more entitlement for Sri Lankan Politicians?

How much more self-entitlement should politicians in this country have? Consider the tragicomedy at the International Yoga Day at the weekend.