Basil was totally correct

The remark by former Finance Minister and the National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at his farewell press briefing that those who voted for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the present government was also responsible for the current political and economic crisis gives much interesting food for thought.

What happened in the Senaka Bibile era is happening again

With the main Aragalaya or public revolt continuing for the third month against what the Rajapaksas wanted to build up as a family-government,

How far should you go to ensure election of ‘good MPs’?

The genesis of the slogan demanding 225 clean and virtuous Members in Parliament has a long political history. In the 4th century B.C. Aristotle in “The Politics”, argued that if it is inevitable that not all.....

Sri Lanka hears the faint noise inside community kitchens - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka is seeing the first signs of some sections of the community thinking of whether the ‘neighbour’ had his or her meal. Just the other day ‘Sarvodaya’ together with ‘Singularity Sri Lanka’ organised....

Breakdown of society as economic crisis and Ukraine war continue

The 16th-century British philosopher Thomas Hobbes had a negative view of human nature. Human beings are, by nature bad, the pessimistic thinker believed. Hobbes said people were.....

Political stability fundamental to economic revival: AKD

In the midst of an unprecedented economic and political crisis, the NPP’s approach has resonated with many who blame the wrong policies followed by the two main political parties for the last 74 years.....

The ‘ada davase mahanakama’

‘Upasakamma ipaduna heena kule…’ (Translatable as ‘[of] the devout mother who was born into a lower caste…’) is one of the songs in Nanda Malini’s ‘radical’ album ‘Pawana (The wind).

Corrupt politicos and personal agendas

The past couple of weeks have been significant judicially and politically when considering the number of related events that took place during that period.

Loving families create a just and fair society - EDITORIAL

Philosophers and theologians have described the family as a domestic temple, church, mosque or other sacred place because.....

Why are we hated so much?

In the month since May 9, journalists, especially those reporting the protests up close have had to take a reality check. Till then, many....

Mirihana land reclamation project leaves farmers fuming

At present reclamation activities are underway at an 80-acre paddy land close to Galwala Road in Mirihana and Pita Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya. As a result.....

An Aragalaya needed for public sector reform

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed to conduct a formal study on the public service with the aim of providing quality pub

Lessons from the fiasco over the detention of ‘Aeroflot’

As if Sri Lanka did not have enough problems, the government last week let another one crop up and then when a full-blown foreign policy crisis was in the making, staggered to extricate itself. The detentio

Stop the repression of democracy-Artistes

More than a month has passed since government-sponsored armed mobs, wielding wooden poles and steel rods, brutally assaulted .....

A Failed Govt Destroying our Children

In May 2022, over half a million 16-year-old Sri Lankan children sat their Ordinary Level (OL) examination. Passing this exam.....

Alliance Française de Colombo returns to its historical premises at Barnes Place

In Colombo, the Alliance Française is now experiencing a new start after the entire renovation of its historical premises: new cultural.....

Common Minimum Programme for Economic Recovery

We are in the throes of an unprecedented crisis. No useful comparisons may be drawn from the 2001- 02 period of negative economic.....

Relevance of Dhamma in Today’s Politics

2258 years ago, the 32 year-old Arhant Mahinda Thera undertook the enormous task of introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka. He delayed....

From ‘Gota Go Home’ to realities on the ground - EDITORIAL

It is over 50 days since the ‘GotaGoHome’ campaign kicked off. The campaign which started off as non violent protests.....

Re-visiting the “Sniper” killing of Robert 19 years ago

The armed struggle launched by Tamil militant groups to achieve the objective of a separate Tamil state caused massive loss of life and bloodshed.

Their name is ‘tomorrow’

Tomorrow the United Nations marks the World Day against Child Labour with this year’s theme being “Universal Child Protection to End Child Labour”. In a statement the UN calls for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to establish solid social protection floors and protect children from child labour.

Food crisis and home gardening

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been alarming the people, especially the low-income communities of a famine-like situation in the upcoming months due to the current foreign exchange crisis.

Food Security: 4.9 mn currently in need of food assistance - UN Official

UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, in an interview with Daily Mirror, speaks about the looming food crisis and the initiatives by her office to assist the country. She also shares....

Sri Lankans must heed the calls to grow at home - EDITORIAL

There are calls from the government and experts in food and agriculture to start growing food in home gardens. Many years ago such a call would have been seen as an added burden by a person.....

Foreign policy-making: Lessons for Lanka from India’s diplomatic crisis with Islamic states

There are foreign policy lessons Sri Lanka could learn in the diplomatic crisis between India and Islamic nations, including the super-rich Gulf countries. At the core.....

#aragalayaleft?

‘Left’ in internet parlance refers, apparently, to an individual who has withdrawn from a group, for example one on WhatsApp created for like-minded people or those who share some common attribute (for example being a member of a particular sports team or a political collective).

Surviving on two meals, when even one meal is uncertain

“To be ignorant of one’s ignorance is the malady of the ignorant” – Alcott Bronson Lest we forget to remember, we begin today’s column by once again highlighting the fact that those most affected by Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic and political crises are those in no way responsible for causing it. In that case who is?

The need for foolproof mechanisms of governance

Whatever happens from here onwards, Sri Lanka as a country is going to go through a few years, at least, of hardship, shortages, scarcity.....

Grounding of flight and SL-Russia relations - EDITORIAL

On June 2, 2022, Russian Aeroflot flight A330-343 was detained in Colombo by aviation authorities, at the request of Irish Aircraft .....

Nobody is to take the blame

Sri Lankan Finance Ministers have been presenting annual budgets with an ever-expanding deficit for the past several decades. Past or present governments neither took it seriously nor were serious measures taken to reverse the situation.