Hobson’s choice or “Homben Yana” Choice?

Way back in the 16th century, there lived a man in Cambridge, England by the name of Thomas Hobson. He rented and sold horses and was the proud owner of a stable that had 40 stallions of all breeds. Anyone who wanted to rent a horse from him to ride the paddock or journey into the far horizon, paid money but was not allowed to select the horse. 

Japan re-doubles efforts to ward off North Korea’s nuclear threat

Japan was virtually razed to the ground when an American B-29 bomber dropped the atomic bomb over its city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. In the attack, 80,000 people perished, and in addition, a large number of people killed subsequently due to radiation. Horror, inflicted by this attack is still engraved in the minds of the Japanese. Three days later, a second B-29 dropped another similar bomb on Nagasaki, killing at least 40,000 people. 

Just wars and just battles

Battles are fundamentally different from wars although the two terms are often used as though they are synonyms. They are different and this is why sometimes people say ‘the battle was won, but not the war.’  

Tomorrow, April 5!

Commencing his submissions before the Criminal Justice Commission for defense in arguably the biggest criminal case in Sri  Lanka, the ‘main trial’ (maha naduwa) of leaders of the 1971 insurgency,

Let stability be restored

Amid confusion and conflicting reports with different parties having different agendas and vested interests, Parliament will today take up the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The joint opposition which presented the motion last month says it is based on the Prime Minister’s role in the Central Bank Bond scam. 

Crisis in the UNP Whence it came, whither it goes?

From the time he entered the chambers of State Council of Ceylon in 1943, J. R. Jayewardene (JR) had been branded as a Reactionary Capitalist.

CORRUPTION, DRUGS, AND MORE!

1. Moving away from the usual banal political repertoire let us concentrate on other things, for a change!!! I read a refreshingly different article in the Ceylon Daily News of 27th March ‘HONOUR AMONG THE CORRUPT’ but the blurb is what caught my attention - it says, and I quote: 

No Confidence motion brought in to weaken Govt

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Puravesi Balaya Co-convener Gamini Viyangoda said that if this no confidence motion has been brought in because of the alleged Bond Scam there is no justification for it. 

No confidence motion Joint Opposition desperate to return to power

Citing a number of reasons including the alleged involvement in the alleged Central Bank Bond Scam, the Joint Opposition members recently signed a no confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Joint Opposition said that they were optimistic of winning the no confident motion with the intention of neutralising Premier Wickremesinghe’s powers in the Government.

GCE exams - O/L or A/L are not the end of the world

The story about a student in Mullaitivu who had committed suicide after having failed in the last year’s GCE Ordinary Level examination was overshadowed by the success stories of many students in various other parts of the country and the obsession of the media with the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The story also might have not drawn the attention of the media as it was heard from a relatively remote are

Tomorrow: new beginning or beginning of an end

The No-Confidence Motion against the Prime Minister is not just against him. In its practical implication it is about the government as a whole. This is not about how it is interpreted constitutionally, but how it would work out, practically, if it wins.   

19A AND POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT

 The 19th Amendment (19A) to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was passed by the 225 member Parliament on 28 April 2015 (Three years ago) with 215 voting in favour, one against and seven absent.

Is the 19A Unconstitutional ?

This brief note will focus exclusively on the Constitutional Propriety of the 19th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution. It will not dwell on its pros and cons.

Cricket Lovely Cricket

Volleyball is Sri Lanka’s national sport. But cricket, known as -the ‘gentleman’s game’ is by far, the most popular sport in the country, irrespective of gender, class...

Trade conflict fears to keep world on edge for weeks

A full-scale global trade war has not broken out yet - but that hasn’t stopped the market from fretting about one or analysts from warning about the potential...

Putin stays put As the Empire strikes back

Trade wars, diplomatic expulsions, domestic political battles, North Korean leader Kim’s trip to China were few events that took global media attention....

Significance of Bak Full Moon: Buddha and Good Governance

On a Bak Full Moon day, in the fifth year of his enlightenment, the Buddha perceived a dispute brewing between the two Naga Communities in Northern Lanka led by two Kings Chulodara and Mahodara. Buddhism with a message of Peace for all humankind—the Buddha, preached his doctrine to the warring parties at Nagadeepa on his second visit to this land. Buddha quoted from several Jatakas to illustrate the evils of conflict and the value and benef

Easter only after a Good Friday experience

Easter is the most important day for Christians. It is the one major event that Christians, who are otherwise divided over many things, agree upon. It is the day that celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from a gruesome death on the cross. People love Easter because it is an ideal story with a happy ending. The victim has turned victorious and there is much glory in the end.   

The Wonder of our Wewa’s

Sri Lanka’s King Parakramabahu the Great, is famous for what he said, “Let not a drop of water flow to the sea without serving the people”. 

The rise of Putin and the politics behind the poison

If Britain can prove that Russia was responsible for the poisoning of former Russian spy and British double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the southern British city of Salisbury on March 4, then it has every reason to be furious. 

Road to further disgrace

Therefore, they denied the allegation and defended those who were accused of the fraud, even writing books on the matter.  

Three Who Dare not Face Presidential Election

The third, Mahinda Rajapaksa is ruled out on 19A, as he had already completed two terms. 

RUSSIAN CLASSICAL BALLET IN COLOMBO

Beneath the evening sky, the final two days of March will conclude in an artistic note, as Russian Classical Ballet will be performed at the Nelum Pokuna Performing Arts Theatre. 

The intersection of reconciliation and history

In any given society, the Great Reconciliation Game will be played between two factions; the nationalists and the cosmopolitans. 

BETRAYAL THROUGH THE YEARS

Betrayals are nothing new and have happened in one form or another from time immemorial.

Restore political stability and get down to work

In the aftermath of the sensational results at the February 10 local council elections and the Kandy district ethnic or religious violence which compelled the Government to declare a State of Emergency for 10 days, Sri Lanka has been plagued by political instability with serious consequences including a body blow to vital foreign investments and the tourism industry. Though the Kandy district crisis has been settled to a large extent, attention

NO CONFIDENCE MOTION AGAINST PM THE NUMBERS GAME IS ON!

It has been reported that the Joint Opposition (JO) and the youngest political party the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramua (SLPP) whose de-facto leader is the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa [MR] has handed over a No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Prime Minister from the UNP/ UNFGG on Wednesday March 21, 2018 signed by 54 members of the JO /SLPP as well as 3 Junior Ministers of the SLFP/UPFA. It was surprising that the former President who was

The leadership group is culpable

The Australian cricket captain Steve Smith was understandably down in the mouth when he faced the media after Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera tampering with the cricket ball. He acknowledged wrongdoing, apologized and promised that it would not happen under his watch ever again. Through it all, he kept referring to a ‘leadership group’.   

Memo to UNP ‘Defy Rajapaksas’ The battle-cry of our generation

“Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us.”~Henrik Tikkanen, Finnish AuthorAmerican students took to the streets to defy gun violence. It was more to defy those politicians who were financially backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the infamous Non-Government 

WHO IS FOOLING WHOM?

1. FROM WHOM IS THE PRESIDENT RUNNING AWAY? ‘NO CONFIDENCE’ MOTION HAS BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST THE PRIME MINISTER, SO WHY IS THE HEAD OF STATE RUNNING AWAY FLYING TO PAKISTAN???