Editorial
Home » EditorialWhen land acquisition ignores citizens’ rights
From time to time, Governments in this country have embarked on aggressive land acquisition drives citing development requisites. But when it comes to compensating those who are forced to give up their homes and businesses, the wheels grind very slowly indeed–or, for some, not at all. Under the Land Acquisition Act, the State can secure [...]
Drug menace: What is going wrong?
June 26 is International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking—as good an occasion as any to point out that Sri Lanka needs a multipronged approach to eradicate its growing narcotics problem. Flinging people in jail, where they continue to traffic and consume drugs, is no longer adequate or sustainable. Department of Prisons’ statistics show [...]
Realities of the Indian Ocean
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe received a clean bill of health from a New York-based hospital, enabling him to address an important UN conference this week on conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources. The fact that Mr Wickremesinghe was deemed hale and hearty is to be welcomed. It permitted him to attend [...]
Disaster Mismanagement and self-respect
“The drought came first, heaping untold misery upon man and beast. The deluge followed and, with it, a sweeping landslide. A succession of environmental disasters in recent years has proved that Sri Lanka remains ill-equipped to mitigate threats and save precious lives, if anything, the country is racing towards bigger catastrophes.” This is not just [...]
Whither merit in public service reshuffle
After months of struggling and straining to implement a Cabinet reshuffle, the President eventually delivered on his promise. Whether the answer lies in changing pillows for a continuing headache, i.e. the economy, however, is left to be seen. For some time now, it had been known that the President’s main intention was to change his [...]
Laws based on the Buddha Dharma
Buddha Jayanthi 2561 is just concluded and so too today, in the historic city of Kandy will the 11th UN Vesak Day — the first to be held in Sri Lanka since its Christian-born then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar spearheaded Resolution 54/15 at the General Assembly of the world body — have its grand finale. [...]
Let the Buddha’s message radiate from Lanka!
More than two millennia ago, India gave to Sri Lanka its greatest gift – the gift of the Dhamma. The ‘Doctrine of the Middle Path’ pronounced first by India’s greatest son, Gautama the Buddha at a Deer Park in Saranath and brought to this island by the son of the great Emperor Asoka. It changed [...]
May Day politics and worker issues
With May Day – the day marking solidarity with the workers of the world approaching, one might think the most important issues would be the cost of living; the wages and safety of workers; or their trade union rights. Wrong. The main issue at the highest political levels in the country is – can the [...]