COVID 19 Raises the Urgent Need to Ease Congestion in...

Columns

Nov 23, 2020

It goes without saying, that currently, the COVID-19 Virus has become the most feared of illnesses the world over.  Apart from wearing masks and constant washing of hands, maintaining at least a meter’s distance between people has become our new normal. For those who have access to uninterrupted water supply, sanitizers and large areas of space, observing such guidelines is not an issue.  Not so, for those who live in less privileged circumstances.  And amongst all of these persons, the right to enjoy or maintain ...Continued

Women pilots makes history at SLAF

Columns

Nov 16, 2020

Today marks a historical event as two female officers were commissioned as pilots at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) at its academy in China Bay. This is the first time in the SLAF’s 69-year history where female officers were commissioned as pilots. In a press release the SLAF stated that today’s proceedings began on a grand note with the Commissioning Parade led by the Commanding Officer of the Ground Training Wing at China Bay, Group Captain Udaya De Silva marching on to the Parade ...Continued

A more Holistic approach to Mental Well- Being

Columns

Nov 14, 2020

    Even at the best of times, mild incidents of trauma could upset our equilibrium.  And dealing with a pandemic situation as we are now, has its own peculiar challenges, when even interaction with family and friends has been reduced to connecting through social media.   For most people though, especially in Sri Lanka, even keeping in touch through social media is not possibility.  And thus, the COVID related lockdowns has affected a fundamental lifestyle. The situation is worse for those coping with mental ...Continued

Government doesn’t have any money of its own

Columns

Nov 6, 2020

“The state has no source of money, other than the money people earn themselves. If the state wishes to spend more, it can only do so by borrowing your savings or taxing you more. It is no good thinking that someone else will pay – that ‘someone else’ is you. There is no such thing as public money; there is only taxpayers’ money.” It is now 37 years since Margaret Thatcher made that statement in a speech at the 1983 Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool. ...Continued

Should there be another entrance to Horton Plains?

Columns

Nov 6, 2020

The Imbulpe Pradeshiya Sabhawa wants to open up a Belihuloya entry way to Horton Plains. But Wildlife officials are not enthusiastic about that plan. Declared a National Park in 1988, Horton Plains is currently accessed through two entrances; the Ohiya and Pattipola Gates. Rich in biodiversity this montane grassland and cloud forest is where three of Sri Lanka’s major rivers, the Kelani, the Walawe and the Mahaweli begin.   It is home to many endemic species, some that are only found within the Horton Plains. ...Continued

The election of US President: Americans won’t vote for Trump...

Columns

Nov 2, 2020

Vishvanath

They will elect a slate of electors instead The US is going to the polls tomorrow (03 Nov.) to elect the next President. The US presidential election is held on Tuesday after the first Monday in the month of November every four years. The presidential election campaign has come to an end, and more than 92 million Americans have availed themselves of the facility to vote early. It is popularly thought in most parts of the world that the presidential election is between the incumbent ...Continued

Can we trust our governments?

Columns

Oct 22, 2020

The north no longer trusts the government.  The north thinks that the south gets all the investment.   Northerners are feeling that they are guinea pigs to be used in some larger social experiments.  The north deeply resents the south and thinks the capital city gets all the support from national politicians whilst the north sinks deeper into poverty. A familiar story? It certainly is in the United Kingdom today as large swathes of the north go into Coronavirus driven local lockdowns (known as Tier ...Continued

Gender Parity and Inclusivity only a Dream in Asia’s oldest...

Columns

Oct 22, 2020

New Zealanders elected a new parliament a few days ago and with it they’ve got themselves a well-represented legislature in terms of inclusivity. Indeed the 53rd Parliament of New Zealand consists of not only several members of colour and of the LGBTQ+ community butalso a higher number of women parliamentarians.   Prime Minister Jacinda Arden’s Labour Party bagged 64 of the 120 seats and more than half of those members are women. One of them is Sri Lanka born Vanushi SitanjaliWalters née Rajanayagam.  A lawyer by profession, ...Continued

Ragging; Is deploying Intelligence Services on Campuses the Answer?

Columns

Oct 15, 2020

    In September this year, Defence Secretary, Major General Kamal Guneratne told the Sunday Times that ragging in Universities will be eradicated with the assistance of the State Intelligence Services (SIS) and other such Intelligence agencies.  The newspaper also quoted the new chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Professor Sampath Amaratunga as saying that the Vice Chancellors of universities had been consulted and they too were in agreement with this plan. He had stated that the reason to involve the State intelligence apparatus ...Continued

CWC Seeks New Horizons for Plantation Community

Columns

Oct 12, 2020

Current leaders of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) believe it’s time they stepped up their efforts to bring plantation workers on par with all other Sri Lankans in terms of economic and educational standards. Even as the country and the world moved on, life on the plantations have barely changed, they say.  “The CWC was primarily concerned with winning citizenship rights, and then protecting that hard won privilege.  It is now time to move on and improve all other living conditions,’ explained Assistant Secretary, International ...Continued

In Pursuit of a genuine Republic

Columns

Oct 2, 2020

In 1972 Sri Lanka cut its ties to the British Monarchy, and officially became a Republic.   Yet, it seems that both citizens and administrators continue to live in the frame of mind of the ruler and the ruled, even though being a Republic is an opposing form of government to Monarchic rule. Co-authors of the “Sri Lankawe Swadeena Rajya Komisan Sabha (Independent Commissions of Sri Lanka), published by the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections  (PAFFREL) which was released in Colombo on Monday, September ...Continued

Unless Regulations are Enforced More Buwelikada Tragedies will Recur

Columns

Sep 28, 2020

Unless Regulations are Enforced More Buwelikada Tragedies will  Recur In Buwelikada, Kandy, the collapse of a five-storied residence resulted in the untimely death of a weeks old infant and her young parents, on Sunday, September 20. The victims were not residents of the house that collapsed, but neighbors, whose house was partly buried by the rubble. Reports and photos of the collapse are raising more questions than answers as rumours of the events that led to the collapse spread.  But what is certain is that ...Continued