Steering Sri Lanka Away from Kakistocracy
By January 2022 Sri Lanka was well on its way to becoming a failed state. Bankrupt, riddled with corruption from top to bottom and at the mercy of evil leaders, the country…
Corruption
Policies and Plans for Preserving the Environment
As Sri Lanka gears up for the parliamentary election on November 14, the topics for debate are depressingly familiar – bringing criminal politicians to justice, ascertaining the responsibility for the Easter Sunday…
The VFS Controversy: Making Sense of What Happened
On May 1, 2024 video footage shared on social media showed a Sri Lankan lawyer berating officials for outsourcing the issuance of visas to VFS Global at a congested Bandaranaike airport with…
Paying Lip Service to Environmental Protection and Mitigating Climate Change
In February this year Sri Lanka received an UN award in recognition of its efforts to rebuild and restore its mangrove ecosystems, highlighting best practices and methodologies that could serve as a…
Despite Stringent Laws, Destruction of Forests Continues with Impunity
Politicians, government officers, temple officials and business people are illegally acquiring hundreds of acres of forest land belonging to the Department of Forest Conservation in the Kataragama area and distributing them to…
If the Economy Has Stabilised, Why Do So Many Feel Poor?
Economists tell us that Sri Lanka’s economy has stabilised but what does this mean if so many are struggling? To economists stability means that the imbalances in the economy have been resolved….
Combating Corruption: Role of Civil Society
There are actors, arrangements, acts, laws, regulations and institutions responsible for combating corruption. There are circulars issued on matters starting from admission to Grade 1 of a school to buying a ship…
Still, the Mirage
The Supreme Court judgement about the Rajapaksa culpability for Sri Lanka’s economic ruin couldn’t have come at a better time. The sense of hope generated by the ending of chronic shortages and…
Anti Corruption Bill Nets Small Fish While Sharks Swim Free
The much awaited Anti Corruption Bill is out and passed by parliament subject to introducing amendments according to the determination of the Supreme Court. It is “An Act to give effect to…
Religion as a Business and the Heart of Corruption
There is a roaring Hajj business in Sri Lanka. As a friend of mine commented, no business is as good as the religious business. The Hajj committee, whose members are appointed on…
Fighting for Rights in a Repressive State
Piyath Nikeshala, a prominent social media activist, was attacked with machetes in broad daylight by former deputy mayor of Kaduwela Municipal Council, SLPP member Chandika Abeyrathne and his supporters. And then Piyath,…
South Asia’s Transgression of Dynastic Politics
Ever since the years of de-colonization, South Asian politics has been tainted by dynastic politics or, simply, nepotism. Has it become embedded in the culture of the region or is it simply…
In a Bankrupt Sri Lanka, Corruption is the Root of All Evil
When I joined the public service 50 years ago, we spoke of governance. When I left the service, the talk was of good governance. That was what Sri Lanka achieved during the…
Mahindagamanaya 3
“We have not abandoned our people, neither will we do so.” Mahinda Rajapaksa (Budget 2023, second reading debate) The seminal event of the 2023 Budget cycle was not Budget 2023. The Budget…
Bridging Infrastructure Gaps
Sri Lanka is going through a crisis of a magnitude that has never been witnessed in its economic history. The country is in disarray as people wait in lines to purchase essentials….
