The legacy of Sam Wijesinha on his 100th birth anniversary
One of the best influences in my life was my father, Sam Wijesinha. He was among the most perceptive, intelligent, humane and non-judgemental human beings I have ever known. Throughout his life, Sam used the gifts he was endowed with to help others. He passed away in 2014, at the age of 93, his mind [...]
Close to home – Appreciation
My Father, Brendon Gooneratne, passed away last Monday. He had had a fall, on June 12th, and was recovering in a hospital close to home, with excellent care and medical attention. We have been upcountry for 18 months, due to the ongoing pandemic situation. Unvaccinated as yet, we felt my parents would be safest out [...]
He was just; temperate; brave; and morally excellent
It was a hundred years ago – on June 27th 1921 – that Sam Wijesinha was born in the little village of Getamanne in the Hambantota district. His childhood was spent in his family’s ancestral home Wattahena Walauwwa in the picturesque Rilagala hills and in the little village school (now grown – and known as [...]
Birthday celebration in a different way
SriLankan Air Lines Captain Dinesh Gunasekara celebrated his birthday at St. Joshep’s Church in Payagala by conducting a free medical and eye camp for less-privileged elderly citizens in partnership with Helpage Sri Lanka. Dinesh and his wife Tharani had previously organised three similar medical and eye camps to coincide with their wedding anniversary. More than [...]
UN’s double standard on human rights abusers aimed at protecting big powers
UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) – When Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ annual report on Children and Armed Conflict was released last week, it was expected to “name and shame” some of the world’s worst human rights violators – particularly the abusers of children. But these violators were protected — and never stigmatized — for the scores of children [...]
The G7 vaccine charade
AUSTIN – In a recent essay on Samantha Power, President Joe Biden’s new administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, Michelle Goldberg of The New York Times writes – correctly – that Power’s “first big test … lies in what America does to help vaccinate the rest of the world against COVID-19.” And [...]
Democrazy runs wild around the globe
Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, before the president began his trip to the G-7 Summit declared that the purpose of his trip was to ‘rally the world’s democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time’. Biden reiterated this challenge on arriving in Britain. While Biden was rallying down democratic forces in Europe, [...]
Lessons from vicissitudes in the Police Service
Vicissitudes inherent in the Police Service are of a more challenging nature than in any other Public Service. This is because police officers are empowered by law to curtail rights and liberties of persons. This is a sacred trust reposed on the Police. For the same reason it makes the police job far more grave, [...]