‘We will take the hard road’

State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne, in an interview with , spoke about the future economic vision of the Government. Following are excerpts of the interview done with Minister Wikramaratne. 

UNP opposed what SWRD proposed in 1959 TO Grant financial assistance to Lalith

The debate on the motion which began at 5.35 pm in the House of Representatives on February 24, 1959 under Prime Minister....

When the State Fails...

When the State fails, everything else tends to fail as well. This is what we observe around us today. Parliament does not enact urgent...

Absurdity, thy name is India - EDITORIAL

Two weeks before the Gujarat assembly polls, India is today at its worst as far as sanity is...

Government and human rights: Strong words must lead to swift action

This month the Sri Lankan Government made bold and unequivocal promises to ensure all our individual human rights are....

Tale of two Constitutions

It is an indelible fact that the lack of political will combined with fundamentally flawed Provisions of the 1972 and 1978 Constitutions and the mind – set framework of the majority community to share power with the Tamils stifled the Devolution Process.

Religious extremism is no new thing.

What drives people to extremes? Why do the people behind Wahhabism, Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State (IS) get so charged up and angry?   

Cultural revolution against male chauvinism

With a tsunami of sexual assault or harassment allegations being made by women against a large number of VIPs including United States President Donald Trump, entertainment bosses or stars and media group personalities, women’s leaders are calling on women to continue their cultural revolution against male chauvinism. They are also calling upon noble men of integrity, care and concern for 

Getting rid of Polythene

The Chairman of the Central Environment Authority (CEA) Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri in an interview with the Daily Mirror discussed the implementation of the ban of polythene and the progress it had made so far in society. Excerpts:

Mugabe’s ouster opens door for TNC invasion

The bloodless coup is being greeted with celebrations in Zimbabwe and recognition from around the world. But beware of empty revolutions that produce no democracy. 

People’s sovereignty is exercised mainly at elections

Widespread speculation, contradictions and confusion along with questions as to who is trying to do what have arisen, after the Court of Appeal issued an interim stay order, on a gazette notification relating to delimitation.   

Selfish Urban Professionals and Governance How the ignorant willingness of the urban middle-class ac

We Sri Lankans witnessed some serious issues in governance during the past month or two. Not that we were without issues and problems before.

The New Left: A new hope?

Not too long ago before the American election unfolded and upset what was predicted to be a Hillary Clinton victory, I posted the following comment: “Clinton is a domestic dove and foreign policy dove.

Presidential predicament For a patch up he would have to grant some drastic concessions to Rajapaksa

The possibility of mending fences by the two factions of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the incumbent president Maithripala Sirisena is quite remote, despite several people attempting to bring the two ?factions together, especially to contest the forthcoming local Government elections.

final testimony at Bond Commission – Reality Check

Whether PM Ranil Wickremesinghe was ‘summoned’, ‘requested’ or he ‘volunteered’ to present himself before the PCoI (Presidential Commission of Inquiry) investigating the alleged Treasury Bond Scams is immaterial. 

Slogans used by rulers to dupe the Buddhists

Anagreement between the UK and the Kandyan Chiefs of Ceylon titled, Kandyan Convention,was signed in 1815. The terms of the convention stipulated that the Kingdom of Kandy would be annexed to the British Empire, giving Britain total control 

Reducing price of beer is a blunder!

The Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention is the premier Sri Lankan interlocutor for evidence-based policy measures and community-based interventions to prevent and reduce harm caused by alcohol and other drugs. This institution comes under the 

Who is commissioned to do what, with ‘SAITM’?

A so-called Commission on ‘The SAITM Crisis, and Deriving Solutions’, is in session these days at the OPA (Organization of Professionals Association) auditorium.  

Without a vision, TV will lose its credibility

Tuesday November 21, was World Television Day and the United Nations says this day was proclaimed in recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its 

Unity between MR, MS is unlikely, unless President makes great compromises

With the Court of Appeal suspending the implementation of the Gazette notification on delimitation, there is a modes of uncertainty again on the possibility of conducting the local authorities election. Let alone that the parties are in preparation for the election.   

Yahapalanaya divested of lajja and baya

Shame is not a feeling that is wholesome. It refers after all to a sense of humiliation caused by being conscious of having done wrong or having been foolish. Fear is not a wholesome attribute.

SL Politics: genetically it is so !

Events in the public realm make politics bizarre. President Sirisena suggests Ranil Wickremesinghe should step down as Prime Minister before he gave evidence at the Bond Commission. So some newspapers report.

The three puppeteers

The influence of Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (SWRD), Junius Richard Jayewardene (JR) and Rohana Wijeweera (Wijeweera) on the local political theatre is unmatchable.

SLFP CRISIS, TAMIL POLITICS AND ELECTORAL ‘JUDGMENT DAY’

It was amusing to see Mr. Sampanthan of the TNA ascending to his full moral height in the Budget debate and making an impassioned oratorical appeal to Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, while sitting in (rising from) the seat that rightfully belongs to Mahinda and 

Good governance in operation

In a fine example of good governance and its principle of all being equal before the law, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday appeared before the Presidential Commission probing the alleged scams in the Central Bank bond issues and testified for 

Musharaff’s re-entry to politics may usher in greater military involvement

With the exit of Nawaz Sharif from the Prime Minister-ship of Pakistan in July this year, and the recent formation of a 23-party alliance by former military dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the military is likely to acquire a greater role in the troubled country’s politics.   

The Significance of Article 9 of the Constitution Should or could it be removed

Article 9 of the Constitution has become the subject of much discussion. Could or should it be removed from the Constitution

Bond Commission and Parliamentary Privileges

Government parliamentarians and their peers in the joint opposition seem to agree at least on one thing; their opposition to the Attorney General’s Department for revealing secret telephone 

" What’s now being exposed is the mafia behind it "

Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) Chairman Sunil Handunnetti in an interview with the  said that the revelations of COPE members in constant contact with Perpetual Treasuries owner Arjun Aloysius was evidence of a “mafia” type organised crime ring. Following are excerpts of the interview done with Handunnetti.    

Beware! Here comes the Sri Lankan mafia - EDITORIAL

At the rate the interested parties have been propagating the image of a “Moonshine mafia” these days, any outsiders might....