Factors underlying Bangladesh’s booming economy

A strong and stable government led by a bold and innovative leader, who has ensured peace and communal harmony over a lengthy period, has made Bangladesh an economic tiger in South Asia. Under Prime Minister Sheikh

Female Buddhist education and the Buddhist revival

The Buddhist revivalists of the late 19th century placed great emphasis on female education. Colonel Henri Steele Olcott spoke of the need for Buddhist Girls’ schools, claiming that “the mother is the first teacher”, and this was echoed by Buddhist men who argued they wanted “companions who shall stand shoulder to shoulder with ourselves.” The rise of the Sinhala Buddhist petty bourgeoisie, comprising of traders, merchant

Elections and Ideology

The Presidential election nominations are to be finalised today with numerous contestants, but the outcome is going to be a battle between Sajith Premadasa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Fate of Gamalath and Dilrukshi? How AGs, SGs, BCs Survived in the Past? Can Bend, Break and Make the Law!

Delivering the Lalith Atulathmudali Oration in 2012,C. G. Weeramanthri - Former vice President of International Court of Justice, said,“If public confidence in the judiciary is lost, there can be no rule of law.

Bullying and lies seem part of this US Presidency - EDITORIAL

The unexpected and unacceptable keep happening in the US. The leader of the so-called ‘free world’, the personage referred to as the most powerful man in the world - the President of the United States of America....

SL’s failure to manage: socio-economic change and its tragic consequences

2015 was yet another lost opportunity for Sri Lanka to find a way out of the pervasive and deep rooted economic, social , cultural, environmental and political issues facing the country over several decades.

GOVT. SHOULD DECLARE 2020 AS ‘YEAR OF TOLERANCE’

We are in the phase of rapidly fading memories of the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage which was orchestrated and carried out by a group of misguided Sri Lankan Muslims. Their actions which the vast majority (please note word vast majority) condemn in no uncertain terms have resulted in the surfacing of deep mistrust and suspicion of all Sri Lankan Muslims. We as a community are being collectively punished for the actions of a few extremist terrorists

Sajith pledges to be a leader to ‘ALL’ communities

Shortly after addressing the United National Party’s convention held on October 3 at the Sugathadasa Stadium, the party’s presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa took part in an open forum organised by the National Muslim Collective at Hotel Ramada in Colombo. A large crowd -- mainly representing the Muslim population – thronged the venue, led by Ministers Rauff Hakeem, Kabir Hashim, M.H.A. Haleem, A.H.M. Fowzie and Rishad Bathiudeen. In addition

Lanka needs a Gandhiji: His message was his life

The November 16 presidential election will mark a crucial phase if not a turning point or new page in the history of independent Sri Lanka. If we need a personality with a vision and goals to change the corrupt and unjust system we have today it needs to be someone who could grow or be transformed into the calibre of a Mahatma Gandhi whose 150th birth anniversary was marked on October 2.

Climate Change: An Unstoppable Movement Takes Hold

On the eve of the September UN Climate Action Summit, young women and men around the world mobilized by the millions and told global leaders: “You are failing us”. They are right Global emissions are increasing. Temperatures are rising. The consequences for oceans, forests, weather patterns, biodiversity, food production, water, jobs and ultimately, lives, are already dire — and set to get much worse.

Can we have an export oriented economy ?

As the rest of the country gets ready for the November Presidential elections, farmers in Pollonaruwa are looking up and hoping for the skies to open out, so that the present lack of water would be solved.

Tyre pyres and white vans Pot calling the kettle black

While Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate for the November 16 presidential election, is facing fresh hurdles to his candidacy following legal action by two civil society.....

From CRISIS to CRISIS through presidential elections

Today is one ‘Friday’ that would be marked in history as a memorable ‘Good Friday’ to one or the other party in the petition the three-member bench in the Court of Appeal (CA) would deliver its ruling on; a ruling either way....

Recovering Gandhi’s religious vision

Gandhi was suspicious of many things modern, including modern Hinduism: a new, 19th century religion, sharply demarcated from others, and a fitting rival of Islam and Christianity. Why?.....

Public Servants, Seeking to be served, rather than to serve - EDITORIAL

The torrential rains that unleashed their fury on Sri Lanka during the past couple of weeks are gradually abating in most parts of Sri Lanka though thunder showers have been reported from some others. The torrential rains, the resultant floods and overflowing rivers affected some 150,000 people with tens of thousands displaced and housed in temporary shelters with health

Gota is needed to bring the best out in Sajith

Just when UNP lawmaker Sajith Premadasa was seeing the road ending before him due to internal politics within the Green Party he got an opportunity to rise like a butterfly after a period of playing the role of caterpillar.

SLFP struggles to retain identity in the wake of elections

As the day of nomination for the presidential elections approaches fast, uncertainty and anxiety engage the minds of voters over the latest developments.

Options galore for the disenchanted

People are good. Even bad people are good. They don’t think they are bad and they do things to make others believe they are good. In short, there are few wrongdoers in this world. This is why, when politics is the subject at hand, those offering comment talk as though they are the most sincere, most just, most democratic, most fair and most principled people on earth.

INTEGRITY, KINDNESS AND COMPASSION ! - EDITORIAL

Integrity is a most precious virtue, the most outstanding; Compassion motivates people to go out of their way, to go that extra mile to help the physical, mental or emotional pains of another human being!!! Kindness generates Compassion and is sadly lacking today wherever in the world you turn!!!

Sajith’s candidacy and revival of Premadasa Exceptionalism…

Hats off to Sajith Premadasa! To paraphrase a much clichéd quote: He came, he saw and he conquered, no question. Drive and determination and raw ambition, the three fundamental elements essential for achievement of desired results in any field were amply manifest in the personality of Sajith. Added to that was an army of fellow travelers whose lot is invariably woven

Presidential Elections: Our eager wait to be deceived

When Mahinda Rajapaksa held out the hand of his brother and former Secretary of Defence GotabhayaRajapaksa and proclaimed ‘I am handing over my brother to you’, at the inaugural national convention of the SLPP in August, I was reminded of a very poignant scene from the Holy Bible where after his crucifixion, hanging from the cross, Lord Jesus Christ handed over

Importance of Greta Thunberg

What have a fifteen year-old schoolgirl from Sweden and anti-imperialist fighter Mohandas Gandhi got in common? And what sets them apart from others who actively work to promote causes they support from the environment or to rid themselves of the yolk of imperialism?

Commander Conundrum and Peacekeeping

The UN Department of Peace Operations has suspended Sri Lankan Army contingents serving peacekeeping operations in some countries in response to the appointment of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva to the position of Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. There were two versions of the UN position on the matter. On September 25, the UN Spokesman Farhan Haq said in New York that “In light of this appointment, the UN Department of Peace Operations is,

Sajith should shun vagueness in his policies

Last week, the United National Party Working Committee nominated Sajith Premadasa as the presidential candidate of the Grand Old Party, and effectively, of the UNP led alliance. Mr Premadasa’s candidature may not impress those who wanted a more forthright choice with a degree of policy substance. But, alas, there was no such in the competition. One who could have somewhat made a difference, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya pulled out, ostensibly, after Mr

Will Hansaya, Symbol of Grace & Beauty Deliver this Time?

The Swan represents grace and beauty on many planes. It is linked to love, poetry and music. Swan was sacred to Venus, the goddess of love in Roman mythology. In Greek beliefs, this bird...

We Want Strong Leadership and a Statesman-like Leader

Has Sri Lanka ever had a statesman as Prime Minister? This is a rhetorical question because the answer can only be a resounding ‘NO”. We need a Lee Kwan Yu. Someone ruthlessly efficient who does not allow unnecessary factors....

Israeli elections and Palestinian core values - EDITORIAL

Driven out of their homes and lands in 1949 when the United Nations recreated the state of Israel, the Palestinians are today one of the the largest and oldest bloc of refugees in the world.

What type of VOTER are you?

The presidential election is on us. It seems that each presidential campaign season brings with it no shortage of new (mostly old) ideas of how to fix what ails our country. Many of these gems involve.....

Aftermath Of Bandaranaike’s Assassination: INVESTIGATION TO INDICTMENT

Sixty years ago on September 25, 1959, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (SWRDB) the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka then known as Ceylon was shot and seriously wounded by a Buddhist monk named Ven.Talduwe Somarama Thera. Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike succumbed to his injuries the following day. The fourth Prime Minister of Independent Ceylon/Sri Lanka passed away on September 26, 1959 exactly twenty-two hours after he had been shot.

Major factor for a just and fair society

Over the past few centuries we have seen the emergence of four pillars of democracy. They are the Executive which is expected to be blessed with the gifts of honesty and integrity, accountability and transparency, a like-minded Legislature, an independent Judiciary and a free media.