Playing with fire: Sri Lanka should avoid ‘long Covid’ on economy

Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 response has been reeking with gaffes, procrastination and miscalculations which effectively saw its initial modest success degenerating into a runaway pandemic. But in one crucial area, the country got it right: V

‘San Francisco’, 70 yrs on and Hambantota Factor: Need for DS-JR Combination

On September 17, 1951; 70 yrs ago, [date coincided with JR’s 45th birthday], the New York Times covered the proceedings....

Fear or Rights; Will the Aussies cancel the Afghan Test? - EDITORIAL

Australia was part of the US-led coalition forces that had militarily occupied Afghanistan for nearly two decades. Commencing....

Writing Letters to Michele Bachelet Causes Turmoil Within the TNA

The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) is currently in a state of great turmoil. The current TNA crisis is linked up with the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) in Geneva. The issue is that of writing letters to the UN Human Rights Commissioner Ms.Michele Bachelet.

Big powers may wage war for our fresh water resources

Climate change consequences are already battering many countries in the world, although they were expected to come in the 2030s.

After 75 years: Challenges before the UNP

The two main political parties that ruled the country alternately since Independence, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) celebrated their 75th and 70th anniversaries respectively, a few days ago. Unfortunately for them they celebrated the anniversaries on September 2 and 5 as parties that cannot make any impact on the country’s politics.

Teachers Strike and some Key Issues

I have been greatly troubled by the current Covid situation like everyone else, not merely because of the disruption of the economy....

Deshamanya M.A. Bakeer Markar An accomplished, dedicated parliamentarian

Deshamanya Marhoom Al Haj Mohammed Abdul Bakeer Markar’s ancestry is traced to Sheik Jamaluddeen-Al-Maghdoomi, an Arab....

Dealing with children addicted to video games - EDITORIAL

Parents are at a loss these days when deciding on whether to curtail the time and data given to kids for online education. This is largely...

9/11: Mystery continues as to who did it for whom

Exactly 20 years ago yesterday, Mujahideen leader Ahmad Shah Masoud, popularly known as the Lion of the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan....

The real masterminds want Kangaroo courts and lynching?

It didn’t take too long for diehard Yahapalanists, who had been gung-ho about what they believed was imminent incarceration of political opponents following the victory of Maithripala Sirisena over Mahinda Rajapaksa in January 2015, to turn their guns on their heroes. They were upset that the ‘wrongdoers’ weren’t being put behind bars en masse.

State of Emergency; is it the panacea for our ills?

Hemmed in by the Covid-19 pandemic, the skyrocketing cost of living, the shortage of essential food items, dwindling foreign reserves and a depreciating rupee,

A state-sponsored elephant racket in the works

A controversial new gazette has been issued seeking to employ elephants for work and tourism, which critics argue is a racket disguised as measures to protect Sri Lanka’s elephants.

A Candle in the wind - EDITORIAL

Two days ago, on September 6, Sri Lanka’s most popular singer and entertainer par excellence – Sunil Perera - leader of the ‘Gypsies’ passed....

Deadly consequences of strict visa rules

Last week I spoke with two trusted colleagues. It felt like I was talking to the same person in time lapse mode. One of them was in Kabul....

UNP is 75 not out; Can the grand old party regain its lost glory?

The United National Party (UNP), the Sri Lankan Grand Old Party celebrated its 75th anniversary on Sunday (5) via Zoom technology. And the leader of the party and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe put forward his parties “Greater

New Zealand knife attack: NZ kept Sri Lanka in the dark over would-be deportee’s terror record

Mangala and the North

The outpouring of tributes to Mangala Samaraweera, after his untimely passing speak to the respect he commanded both....

Solutions and the way forward regarding: ‘Ugly sporting truths’

With reference to the article of July 27, 2021, as titled above I reiterate the following, for the purpose of clarity. A group of parents....

Can UN live up to its founding principles? - EDITORIAL

In a week’s time, the United Nations General Assembly will be holding its 76th sessions. The organization was set upon....

‘Palm Court’ to ‘Sirikotha’: Heading for a ‘Diamond Death’?

Date: Sep 6, 1946: Time: 5.00 pm: Place: ‘Palm Court’, Albert Crescent, Colombo 7. Col. John Kotalawala, welcomed those present

Jacqueline Fernandez; Lankan Star Shining in Indian Film Sky

Sri Lanka’s Jacqueline Fernandez who has made a name for herself in India as a successful film actress was very much in the news last week for reasons unconnected to her cinematic career.

Democracy cannot succeed unless people are educated and vote wisely

The People’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but the people’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary says Reinhold Niebuhr an American Reformed theologian,

What happened to Consumer protection laws?

A state of emergency is an anathema for many people in any country and a declaration of Emergency Regulations would make headlines and in most cases create a fuss among the people. Ironically, the Emergency Regulations issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on August 30 was big news only for the Tamil newspapers next day, while it was an ordinary story in the front page of Sinhala and English newspapers.

Do teachers miss ‘their’ children at school? - EDITORIAL

Teacher-principal unions are roaring like lions. Probably they don’t hear the silent cry of students who are stuck at home. As much....

In the aftermath of Western debacle, Taliban face dilemma over Islam

Plunged in extreme poverty with the United Nations warning that two thirds of Afghanistan’s people are facing starvation due....

Lockdowns, of no use if not strictly monitored

Is Sri Lanka making any headway in its fight against the COVID pandemic? From what we can gather from media reports, it is only too apparent that the fight has lost it momentum or the thrust we experienced at the initial stages.

Covid-19 and citizenship

What should a citizen do in a situation that is certainly worrisome and is probably reason for alarm? What should you do what should I do? These are questions to which there are many possible answers.

“Your travel plans should not come first” – Dr. Dinu Guruge

In a recent live discussion on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic hosted by Daily Mirror Twitter Spaces, Colombo Municipal Council’s...

Aren’t our rulers forgetting something? - EDITORIAL

Going through the newspapers, or its newest face – the e-Paper - a super-rich citizen could be forgiven if he/she is forced into...