16th November 2018
Volume 1 - Issue 21  

Volume 1 - Issue 17
2018-09-21
COVER STORY

Continuing Corruption In The Energy Industry Keeps Electricity Rates High

Kshama Ranawana
Inordinate delays in implementing renewable energy projects, mostly because it is claimed that politicians and bureaucrats are demanding kickbacks from investors are costing the country billions of rupees.  This is despite the government’s stated commitment and policy to make the country “energy sufficient” by 2030. The situation resulted in a former minister of power and energy,  currently the Megapolis and Western Development Minister, Patali Champika Ranawaka calling for a Presidential commission of inquiry   to investigate  the cause for the delays, economic cost to the government, ...Continued
POLITICS

Stool Pigeon Squeals; The Plot Thickens

Vishvanath
The government, troubled by a surfeit of issues, now has some more seemingly intractable ones to contend with. One of them has the potential to sour relations between the SLFP and the UNP further.   One may have expected the allegation that there was a plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to be treated sceptically by one and all. The person who revealed the alleged plot is not a prominent figure with credibility. He is a police informant doubling ...Continued

COMIC STRIP - WASANTHA SIRIWARDENA

COLUMNS

DUMPED! – Lanka Cricket Plunges To New All-time Low

Columns
Dion Michael
Sri Lanka’s cricket plunged to an all-time low when the team was unceremoniously dumped from the Asia Cup tournament in just three days and after two big defeats at the hands of Bangladesh and newcomers Afghanistan. The heady night of 17 March 1996 when Sri Lanka was crowned World Champions remains a mere memory in the distance after the night of 17 September 2018 when the young Afghanistan team sent the Lankans crashing out of the Asia cup with an emphatic victory. The Asia Cup ...Continued

Prospects For Constitutional Reform Are Receding

Columns
Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
On Tuesday 18th September, there was a report in the Daily Mirror newspaper, bottom right hand corner of page A4 quoting Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratna, that the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly will submit its report to the Assembly shortly.  Dr. Wickramaratna is also quoted as saying that the proposed constitutional reforms have not in any way weakened the unitary character of the state, nor paved the way for federalism or diluted the foremost status given to Buddhism.  The report referred to, is the composite report ...Continued

Shortage Of Trained Social Workers Impacts Interventions

Columns
Shamindrini Peiris
As far numbers go, the good news for Sri Lanka is that there has been an overall decline in the number of people taking their lives.  Of concern, are reports by Sumithrayo, which provides suicide intervention assistance amongst other services, that those attempting suicide is ten to twenty times more, and that this number is increasing. Even though the World Health Organization(WHO) places the age-standardised rate of suicide in Sri Lanka at 30.3 per 100,000 people, the Sumithrayo website states that the number of suicides ...Continued
PHOTO ESSAYS

A Magnificent Parade

Photo Essay
Almost every major Buddhist Temple in the country conducts an annual Parade, known as “Perehera” in Sinhala.  But the perehera...

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