“New” Rajapaksa regime under President Gotabaya

The election of Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the seventh Executive President has effectively demonstrated that the “Ruhunu Rajapaksas” have come to stay as a dynastic political force in the country. As stated last week in the first of this two-part article, the patriarch of “Medamulana Dynasty” was Don Alvin Rajapaksa (D.A. Rajapaksa), the father of Chamal, Mahinda, Gotabaya, Basil and five other children.

SL President makes first foreign visit to India

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is now on a visit to India - his maiden foreign tour. On the other hand, India was the first country that seems to have taken the election of former Defence Secretary as the Sri Lanka’s President so important that it sent its External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishanker within a day after his swearing in. Dr Jaishanker was said to have taken a personal message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.

President Gotabaya and the fears of the West

With ceremonies redolent with symbolism, followed by administrative moves that sent clear messages to the public, Gotabaya Rajapaksa took office as the President of Sri Lanka signalling a clarity of purpose and a no-nonsense approach to his duties that lay ahead. The indications are that his tenure will be very different from those of the presidents before him, including that of his brother Mahinda.

Can President win over minorities ?

Many people in the South seem to be overjoyed by the election of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President at the November 16 election with an overwhelming support of Sinhala Buddhists.

Tamil politics in crisis need alternate programme

Reading Northern Tamil politics from Colombo, the presidential election seems to have proved Tamil political leaderships of all colour are caught in a serious dilemma. Much fractured TNA had to eventually compromise to announce....

Indo-Lanka Accord 2019 - EDITORIAL

ndo-Lanka Accord’ does not describe happiness. It was an agreement that belonged to a different time, a different context and obviously associated with people who have since passed on.

Is Trump the ‘Chosen One’ or Judas of the Palestinians?

Today, November 29, is the International Day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Why such a day and why only for the Palestinians? This is because the international conscience, whatever little is left....

Suggested priorities in key sectors for new regime

The election of a caretaker Government brings with it a sense of responsibility in resurrecting lost hopes. This could be in people as well as in the socio-economic perspective. Several key sectors including health, finance, law, environment, administration and media have been addressed by successive Governments, but today, all these areas need to be revisited.

Will India bail out Sri Lanka in Geneva?

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa does not wear traditional ‘Kurahan satakaya’ (red coloured shawl) which is part of the family’s traditional attire. All the other members of the Rajapaksa family in politics stick to this dress code, but President Rajapaksa is an exception.

Education System: is it future-ready?

All presidential candidates came up with plans for the country. Rosy pictures were painted. Promises galore there were. Some of the plans were pragmatic, some idealistic and some downright silly. In all, without exception, there was talk of the future.

‘For every child, every right’

Last week on Wednesday, November 20, the United Nations marked Universal Children’s Day. Earlier known as World Children’s Day, it was renamed in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day with the intention of promoting “international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide and improving children’s welfare”.

Let’s Unite for our country!

PROCRASTINATION is the name of the game, a game that is well played in our island country!!! Whether it be Politics, Elections, Bringing Criminals to Justice, Building Bridges, or Planning Equitable Distribution of Wealth, Making Schools available to All Children, Giving Equal Opportunities to every Sri Lankan, especially the differently abled in order to give them a sense of

State work culture set to change Pursuing lofty targets amid concerns

President elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa announcement that loss-making institutes have to be turned around has been met with positivism more than a lackadaisical attitude.

Reconciliation in an ethnically polarized society

The mandate was overwhelming; overwhelmingly Sinhala and Buddhist. So was dissent and rejection; overwhelmingly non-Sinhalese and non-Buddhist. Looking at the Graphics, Charts and the numbers of votes-cast they projected, it seemed more like citizens of two countries, instead of one, were at a break neck race, voting to get their respective candidates elected for

The Cabinet!

First let’s look at the positives. Clearly, the size stands out for its smallness. Just 15! The previous regime had to legislate a limitation and even that was mere eyewash.

One in 3 women or girls experiences physical or sexual violence

In the United States this year there have been hundreds of cases where husbands have killed their wives for various reasons. The Cable News Network (CNN) - the world’s first 24/7 cable television channel started by the legendary Ted Turner who is known as captain planet for his work in saving the world from an environmental catastrophe—reported on Sunday that in the latest case of violence against women a man had murdered his wife, packed her bod

When religion and politics walk together, the whirlwind follows

A good ruler should act impartially and should not be biased and discriminate between one particular group of subjects against another. (Cakkavatti Sihananda Sutta) According to recent newspaper reports, the leader of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organisation Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera has confirmed that his organisation will be dissolved after the next General Election. He said, “The spiritual power of the robes had finally defeated the extremi

Why Sajith, Gota lost H’tota and Colombo Respectively?

B…’s comments are more than mere observations, he follows it up with insightful thoughts opening up an astute debate on behaviour patterns of Sri Lankan politician and voter during different types of elections: Presidential, Parliamentary PC and LG.

Why did people vote in the way they did?

Many people of all walks of life have already expressed their opinions on the outcome of the Presidential election concluded on last Saturday. It is important for political leaders to know why people voted....

GOTA’s Rise: A Global Perspective

The new President-elect of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a week into his administration has already hit the turbo and is on full throttle. He expects everyone in his governance mechanism, including his elder siblings irrespective....

US recognises Israel’s right to Palestinian lands - EDITORIAL

Today these words reflect crimes committed against the Palestinian people and cry to the heavens for justice.These crimes caused Nelson Mandela to say in December 1977 commemorating Palestinian Solidarity Day

President Gotabaya spearheads return of Ruhunu Rajapaksas

The 2019 presidential election is over and Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been elected as the seventh Executive President with a thumping majority. The result seems to have upset the calculations and predictions of many a commentator and analyst writing in English both in Sri Lanka and abroad. It has indeed been amusing to see some of them “blaming” the voters for going against the grain of their assessments. What they fail to realise is that

Postmortem of a presidential poll

From early this year, the diverse political factions which formed the governing and opposition political parties in parliament have been girding themselves to face the impending presidential polls.

Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

This is from that old gentlemen who thanked Gotabaya Rajapaksa, personally for constructing the jogging track and the beautiful lake at Bellanwila, which was once a marshy land breeding mosquitoes, a few months back when he was jogging along and waved his acknowledgement.

After the funeral, the clear winner

The tide which brought Maithripala Sirisena and the UNP to power in 2015 has now turned the other way. That, at any rate, is what I gather from last week’s results. And that tide didn’t just turn......

Gender gap in the job market - A serious setback?

Women in Sri Lanka constitute a formidable 52% of the estimated population of 21 million. It is a matter of great concern when out of the total economically-active population of 8.5 million, only 34% are women.

New President: What’s in store for minorities?

Analyses of results of last Saturday’s presidential election seem to run counter to recent history. The main reason for the assumptions of political analysts seems to be the popular but wrong presumption that people always support candidates on the basis of their policies and past performances.

Now is time for “Alternatives”

“Discussions on ‘alternatives’ should begin when almost the whole society is in one mind. That begins from how a strong democratic opposition to the government could be forged”

Let’s get attached to other communities - EDITORIAL

As much as the recent Presidential Elections showed how much Sri Lanka is divided, certain posts on social media underscore the fact that we need to work more on reconciliation.

Foreign policy challenges for new Rajapaksa Govt.

Last Saturday’s election was more free and fair than the 2015 presidential election in more than one way. Violence and election law violations saw a drastic reduction during this election when compared to the 2015 election.