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Move to regularise ayurvedic spas; most of them are now brothels

Move to regularise ayurvedic spas; most of them are now brothels

Indigenous Medicine Industry State Minister Sisira Jayakody said new laws would be introduced to regularise ayurvedic spas. Ayurvedic spas have mushroomed throughout the country and a significant number are fronts for brothels. They only need to register with the local authority and are not subjected to supervision. Many spas do not register with the Tourism [...]

Government gives priority to national unity and reconciliation

Government gives priority to national unity and reconciliation

21-member commission to be set up with wide investigative powers; President to appoint chairperson Anti-Corruption Bill to be presented in parliament this month, President says it’s the toughest in South Asia; State sector and media personnel will need to declare assets Anti-Terrorism Bill delayed amid strong protests from opposition parties and human rights groups   [...]

One year later

One year later

My dear friends who were at the ‘aragalaya’, I thought of writing to you today because most people seem to have forgotten that it was exactly one year ago that you set up camp at Galle Face with the aim of sending Gota maama home. That was also when you christened Galle Face as ‘Gota [...]

Rare bipartisanship on privilege issue as Law College fails to act on Parliament vote

Rare bipartisanship on privilege issue as Law College fails to act on Parliament vote

By Sandun Jayawardana It is not often that both government and opposition MPs find common ground on an issue. Parliament’s final sitting day before the National New Year holidays, however, was an exception as both sides stood united against what they saw as an attempt by Sri Lanka Law College authorities to disregard an order [...]

Aragalaya strengthens case for abolishing Executive Presidency

Aragalaya strengthens case for abolishing Executive Presidency

Last year’s aragalaya (the peoples’ struggle) was unprecedented in more ways than one and achieved for the country a brief respite from hitting rock bottom economically and otherwise. It was unprecedented because the people took matters to hand and brought an end to the most incompetent and inept government in the country’s history. It was [...]

The rebellion on the Green that brought down the Rajapaksas

The rebellion on the Green that brought down the Rajapaksas

One year to the day when people power awoke a nation’s conscience Exactly last year to the day, Lanka was in horrible flux. It wasn’t only the rising prices of food nor the shortage of essentials nor the winding queues for fuel nor the long power cuts that had driven the people out of their [...]

Going after the corrupt, but will they ever be caught

Going after the corrupt, but will they ever be caught

In a few days, the country’s hard-pressed populace will be munching their aluth avurudha KKK (kevun, kokis and kiributh), waiting for the new dawn promised by president Ranil Wickremesinghe celebrating his first traditional avurudha in office. Admittedly, for the vast thousands who have suffered a disastrous few years which they are unlikely to forget in [...]

Prospects of a further improvement in the external finances this year

Prospects of a further improvement in the external finances this year

The external finances of the country have improved and are improving. The improvement in the country’s external finances is expected to be enhanced during the course of the year mainly due to increased remittances from abroad and higher earnings from tourism. In addition, project loans from bilateral and multilateral sources are expected to boost the [...]

An ‘old fox’ constitution and a confused anti-terror bill

An ‘old fox’ constitution and a confused anti-terror bill

If the Executive Presidency was foisted on Sri Lanka by her ‘Old Fox’ President, JR Jayawardene in 1978 tying the country’s constitutional systems up in knots that could not be entangled decades later by far lesser minds, the 2023 Anti-Terrorism Bill under the (parliamentary endorsed) Presidency of Ranil Wickremesinghe promises far greater evils. A Bill [...]

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