The UN system in Sri Lanka: The need for transparency
Many in Sri Lanka are aware of the United Nations in New York, Geneva, Rome and Vienna. There is another UN system in Colombo which very few people are aware of. With a changing United Nations and its relations with individual countries, it is essential that there is a greater awareness of the local UN [...]
‘Anything he can do I can do better’
The astounding election promises of Sajith and Gota took us down memory lane for six decades to the lines of that epic Broadway musical, Annie Get Your Gun: Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you, No, you can’t, Yes I can, Yes I can, Yes I can… [...]
Stop police bashing: Arrested police officers should be treated with dignity
Police bashing is an old unsporting game of politicians and sections of the media. I say unsporting because it is known that the Police do not retaliate these bestial attacks. Politicians dare not try it with the Army. But the depravity on the part of the present Government of chucking the post of Inspector General [...]
An architect/ planner recollects
Yesterday, October 26 marked the 100th birth anniversary of a very extraordinary personality, Deshabandu Vidya Jyothi Dr. A.N.S.Kulasinghe. His remarkable career recognised locally and abroad ended with his demise on February 14, 2006. There was at that time an outpouring of appreciations in the news media. The grief of his loss has been conveyed in [...]
Don’t be a victim of stroke
The following is a message issued by the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka to mark World Stroke Day which falls on October 29: Stroke can happen to anyone, at anytime and anywhere. Stroke is a brain attack caused by either a blockage or a burst of a blood vessel supplying the brain. Stroke is [...]
‘Rally Round Rock and Roll’: A mega show of Thomian talent
‘Rally Round Rock and Roll’ will hit the main stage of the BMICH on November 1 at 7 p.m. More than 800 students will take part in this mega show presented by S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia in collaboration with the Parent Teacher Association . The show is a tribute to a much loved Thomian thespian, [...]
Frangipani: Screening of movie and discussion
The feature film ‘Frangipani’ (90 min; in Sinhala with English subtitles) will be screened on November 9 (Saturday) at 5 p.m. at the ICES Auditorium, 2, Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8, followed by a discussion with several cast and crew members including Visakesa Chandrasekaram (Vissa), a human rights lawyer, community law practitioner and independent artist practising [...]
Felicitating veteran journalists
A group of veteran journalists were felicitated at the 64th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Press Association held this week. Picture shows Anandi Balasingham receiving her award from Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.
Lecture on Tiger beetles of Sri Lanka
A Lecture on the ‘Beetles of Sri Lanka’ with special reference to tiger beetles will be delivered by Dr. Chandima Dangalle tomorrow (October 28) at 6.30 p.m. at the Auditorium of the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA), 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha, Colombo 7. The lecture is organised by the Sri Lanka Natural History Society. [...]
An evening of music and song
An ‘Evening of Music & Song’ will be held on November 5 (Tuesday) on the 3rd Floor of the Methodist Church Hall, Colombo 3 from 4-7 p.m. (Lift & parking facilities are available.) The evening, organised by the not-for-profit Sunrise Senior Foundation and the ‘SUNRISE’ magazine will include a short ‘Music & Wellness Programme’ by [...]
Translations of Mohan Madawala’s books to be launched in Toronto
Best selling author Mohan Raj Madawala’s books ‘ Dear Victoria’ and ‘Loveena’ which have been translated into English by Somasiri Munasinghe will be launched in Canada on November 9. The launch will be at the Misisaga Hall in Toronto. The translator is a journalist now living in Canada. The chief guests at the launch will [...]
Lack of funds holds up child’s medical treatment
Chalani Divumini’s parents are struggling to raise funds to take their daughter to Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai, India, for a “blood transfusion as per dialysis system”. The eleven-year-old school girl was diagnosed with a congenital cardiac condition when she was just three months old, and had to be admitted to the Madras Medical Mission [...]
Please help Tharindu to undergo bone marrow transplant
Tharindu Priyadarshana, 19, who lives at 185/88, Wickramasinghe Road, Battaramulla is suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He urgently requires a bone marrow transplant. For this surgery, which is to be done in India, the cost is Rs. 1,30,000,00. The transplant is to be done at Yashoda Hospitals, India under the care of Dr. Ganesh [...]
Walking on an unknown terrain: The State Intelligence Service and the PSC report
The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) report on the Easter Sunday terrorrist attack was made public on Wednesday. This article aims to comment on observations made by the PSC on Intelligence Agencies’ role, especially the role of the State Intelligence Service (SIS). “Intelligence and law enforcement occupy different worlds, but they are parallel worlds that have [...]
Master class
As HSBC’s Mark Prothero put it, “A great Sri Lankan, doing great things in Great Britain, deserves a great party.” If nothing else, your correspondent’s headache at the time of writing suggests that that design was amply fulfilled. Under the aegis of the Council for Business with Britain (CBB) –Sarah Hulton OBE, the British High [...]
Preventing the next pandemic: Governments must be proactive
GENEVA – Imagine the following scenario. In a matter of days, a lethal influenza pandemic spreads around the world, halting trade and travel, triggering social chaos, gutting the global economy, and endangering tens of millions of lives. Such a large-scale disease outbreak is an alarming – but entirely realistic – prospect. To mitigate the risks, [...]