Old Dutch Hospital in Colombo: Now open to the public
Image from by C.G. Uragoda and K.D. Paranavitana Being Poya with nothing much else to do, we strolled over to the newly restored and opened Old Dutch Hospital, which Colombo’s oldest building…
Development
The Prime Minister’s call will exacerbate Horizontal Inequality in Sri Lanka
The statement by the Prime Minister that wheat flour imports should be banned is an irresponsible statement and must be retracted. While it may be his choice to consume only rice, or…
Restoring Shelter
The World Meteorological Organization, part of the United Nations, have just stated that the warmest 13 years of average global temperatures have all occurred in the 15 years since 1997. That has…
E01: The spectacular beauty & life-threatening dangers of Sri Lanka’s Southern Expressway
We drove down to Galle today on the newly opened E01 road, more commonly known as the Southern Highway / Expressway. Setting off at 6.33am, we were in Galle at 7.45am, and…
Sri Lanka For Sale: Wealth Creation by Dispossession
No one knows how far the government is planning to go to gain control over nation’s wealth and sell it to those who patronize its economic and political agenda. The controversial expropriation…
A Supreme Court & Government that erode investor confidence in Sri Lanka?
### One can understand President Obama’s urgency. His legislative programme has been delayed by a divided Congress, his approval ratings have fallen and next year is election year. Hence his new slogan…
Ari of Sarvodaya: Conscience of a Bruised Nation
When Dr A T Ariyaratne, founder and president of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka, turned 80 years on 5 November 2011, felicitations poured in from all over the world. This…
The State Defense and City Development Ministry: From Utopia to Dystopia
Photo from RNW Security and development are primarily responsibilities of the state. Our cities need visionary leaders and disciplined citizens. We should also appreciate the efforts of our leaders who are trying…
State Capitalism: Revitalising under performing businesses the Mussolini way
The factory of Sevanagala Sugar Industries Limited. Government supporters have stormed and occupied the factory earmarked for nationalisation under a controversial law. PHOTO/ THE ISLAND via Haveeru Online The media these few…
Desire, Violence and Leadership
Image courtesy Canadian Lawyers Abroad’s Blog It is the human being that should be the primary concern of any development programme. After all, it is for the benefit of humanity that all development…
Facades of Development: Of Commonwealth Games and Drag Racing at Green Path
We woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of screeching tires, booming exhausts and the smell of burning rubber recently. My cousin’s children had nightmares and could not…
Peace, Military and People: Are non-military engagements of the military valid?
War or internal armed conflict in the North and East was over; Emergency is no more; but still the military is everywhere. The military is now engaged in peacetime police-work, whale watching,…
A Prima Facie Critique of The New Bill to Vest in the State Under performing Enterprises and Under Utilized Assets
Editors note: Hotel Developers (Lanka) Plc, a CSE listed company that owns the Colombo Hilton hotel was named in a controversial new bill, rushed through Parliament in secret, not unlike the outrageous…
Development or maldevelopment?
Image from Wikipedia In the current hype on ‘Development’ have any of us questioned its intent? Does it just mean ‘progress’ in the manner referred to by Anada Coomaraswamy when he published…
UNP victory in Colombo Municipal Council: A Political Economy of the Numerics
UNP’s victory is elusive and unimpressive. We are left with several interesting questions: why did UPFA lose despite its claim that Colombo is on the fast track to becoming a cleaner, greener,…