Editorial
Home » EditorialThe forgotten workers of May Day
May Day came and went, and as always, it was a political show of strength with workers of the world divided and what was meant to be their day overshadowed by politicians. May Day is not even celebrated in May in the country where it was first declared – the United States, which instead marks Labour [...]
Kerry visit marks revival of US-SL ties
US Secretary of State John Kerry leaves Sri Lanka today after an overnighter. It is the first official -dedicated – visit by so senior a US diplomat since William P. Rodgers came, back in 1974. Colin Powell visited along with two ex-US Presidents in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, mostly to inspect the damage. [...]
If you are ‘Honourable’, put country before self
The spectacle in Parliament earlier this week speaks for itself. It reminds us of a postprandial speech made by the late Lakshman Kadirgamar at a UK-SL Friendship Society dinner, before he turned from lawyer to lawmaker. He said that in Britain, Members of Parliament were not referred to as ‘the Honourable MPs”, but some are, [...]
19A defeats Govt’s well meaning RTI Law
On Tuesday, the new Government is optimistic that those parts of the 19th Amendment (19A) to the 1978 Constitution — cleared by the Supreme Court — would be passed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament, notwithstanding undercurrents of a spoiler by lawmakers unhappy with the outcome of the January 8 Presidential election. While there is [...]
Implement promises; not elections now
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has long felt that the 1978 Constitution has run its course. Quoting the third US President Thomas Jefferson, he wrote in a United National Party (UNP) publication ‘Vision and Reality’ on the 35th anniversary of the 2nd Republican Constitution that all Constitutions must be revised every 19 years. Why 19 years [...]