Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

Inquiry into the evolution of the executive presidency in Sri Lanka

Admin March 16, 2021

Sunimal Hettiarachchi Discussions are taking place again about the executive presidency at the time of the 24th death anniversary and 114th birth anniversary of Mr. J. R. Jayawardena who was the founder of the executive presidential system, the second republican constitution of 1978, and Sri

Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

Whither Sri Lanka? Where are we in the corruption indices?

Admin February 24, 2021

The legal definition of corruption in Sri Lanka as per article 70 of Bribery Act of 1954 No. 11 amended by Act No. 20 of 1994 is as follows:   Any public servant who, with intent, to cause wrongful or unlawful loss to the Government, or to confer a wrongful or unlawful benefit, favour or […]

Transparency and corruption in public service

Crisis of traditional political parties and the future of state-building discourse

Admin December 27, 2020

Sampath Deshapriya The two major political parties that ruled Sri Lanka from time to time, United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) are reduuced to name boards and party headquarters. The main reasons for their plight are the decay of internal democracy, deviating from the party’s original aim and issues of the […]

Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

Name Boards: The Fate of the Tamil Language!

Admin December 27, 2020

Keerthika Mahalingam The usage of language is at the forefront of escalating racist issues in Sri Lankan society. In 1956, the ‘Sinhala Only’ Act was introduced by the late Mr S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, who laid the foundation for the Sinhala-Tamil ethnic issue and later evolved into a three-decade long war. Today, despite the end of the […]

Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

The Future of Sri Lankan Cinema in the COVID-19 Era

Admin December 25, 2020

Keerthika Mahalingam “Cinema is the dream that thousands of people gazing at once” – Bertolucci, Italian film director and screenwriter If there is one medium that is more powerful than social media today, it is the cinematic medium. Even the daily lives of people in Asian countries can be seen through cinema today. Against this […]

Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

The Deplorable Situation in Sri Lanka’s Vegetable Trade

Admin December 23, 2020

Keerthika Mahalingam “It is unfortunate that no matter how many attempts are made to bring vegetables to the market and sell them, the public is not inclined to buy them. We can’t see the vegetables rot. So we offer a lower price in bulk”, said Sagarika. Sagarika runs a small vegetable business in the Wellampitiya […]

Transparency and corruption in public service

Social Media Testing of Rapid Antigen Test Kits

Admin December 22, 2020

Written by – I. K. Prabha Except to the currently launched PCR tests used to diagnose Covid-19 virus, the Rapid Antigen Test Kit also can be used to quickly detect the virus. Despite the WHO agreeing to provide 500,000 test kits to Sri Lanka, the news which reports importing of test kits by a private […]

Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

Covid-19: Will the decisions of the Ministry of Education be successful?

Admin December 22, 2020

Keerthika Mahalingam The spread of the Covid-19 virus has made the education sector one of the most affected in the world. The inability of any student to engage from pre-school to higher education has posed a great threat. Countries across the world are implementing various troubleshooting mechanisms to protect society from this sudden disaster. Following […]

Freedom of expression and fundamental rights Transparency and corruption in public service

A Case for New Media Literacy to be Taught in School

Admin December 21, 2020

Vihanga Perera A little over fifteen years ago, as a young student of Journalism, I was taught the a-b-cs of good news reporting: the familiar formula of the 5Ws, the H and the B (What, Where, When, Who, Why + How + Background) which, we were told, made the basics of good reporting. Conducted by […]

Transparency and corruption in public service

Culture of Independent Commissions in Sri Lanka

Admin December 21, 2020

Dhanushka Silva The role of any person serving as the president of the Republic is to act as an agent of state power under the second republican Constitution of Sri Lanka. Why do we then have presidents who like to act like as the kingpins of power? In fact, the executive president is constitutionally empowered […]