Minister wants to “revamp the Police Department”
Many an eyebrow has been raised by a recent news item which states that “Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera discussed ways and means of revamping the Police Department with IGP C. D. Wickramaratne and senior police officials.” Carried along with the news items was a photograph of the Minister with the IGP, senior police officers, [...]
Attempting a Happy New Year
Ruminating in these lonely Covid days on those merry days of our youth, the lines of a favourite rhyme came to mind: Kisses blown are kisses wasted Kisses are not kisses, unless tasted Kisses spread germs and diseases But kiss me honey I am VACCINATED. A knee-jerk reaction caused by this last line made us [...]
Prof. Karunadasa presents new book to PM
Prof. W.M. Karunadasa, a well-known International Relations scholar and Attorney-at-Law presented his latest academic publication “Mahinda Rajapaksa: Panas wasaraka Deshapalanaye Punarawalokanayak (Mahinda Rajapaksa — A Review of 50 Years in Politics) to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at his office in the Temple Trees.
A wake-up call in lyrics on contemporary socio-political issues
Reviewed by W.I. Siriweera Lynn Ockersz has had an illustrious career as chief editor and associate editor of several national newspapers, Director of Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies and as Press Fellow of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. But, the back cover of this book of poems does not refer to the profile of the [...]
Checking ‘de-democratisation of the state’ through vibrant civic activism
This publication, though it is small in size, makes an important contribution to understand some vital aspects of the political status quo in Sri Lanka. The broader context of this book, a direct outcome of a symposium on the same topic, is marked by fundamental changes occurring in the political landscape in Sri Lanka. Central [...]
Whose post-pandemic century?
LONDON – In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was common to divide countries and their responses according to their political systems, with many attributing China’s success in controlling the virus to its authoritarianism. As of late 2020, however, it is clear that the real dividing line is not political but geographical. Regardless [...]
Lankan names on Queen’s 2021 honours list
Several British-Sri Lankans are on the Queen’s 2021 New Year honours list which recognises the outstanding achievements of people across the United Kingdom. The awards are as follows: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) Professor Ravi Silva, Director, Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey receives a CBE for his outstanding services to [...]