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Quick impressions on post-war development Jaffna revisited

March 28, 2023March 28, 2023 admin

Quick impressions on post-war development Jaffna revisited The recent visit to Jaffna, after several years of forbidden travel due to the pandemic, provided an opportunity to revisit areas of interest and observe the changes, including positive and negative developments, in both the economic and social fronts. It was a quick visit and unexpectedly the timing of the visit coincided with the visit of the President who declared open the Jaffna Cultural Centre on 11 February 2023. The festive atmosphere that prevailed on that day was combined with a subdued celebration…

Indo-Sri Lanka fisheries conflict: Restorative solutions the panacea

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023 admin

Indo-Sri Lanka fisheries conflict: Restorative solutions the panacea CEA Environmental Impact Assessor recommends coral/mangrove restoration, fish population restoration via implantation of artificial reefs/structures, establishing mutually acceptable ‘no catch zone’ along the IMBL or maritime protected area, permitting licensed Indian fishermen with a levy, declaring cap values, only banning fishing during breeding, educating/sensitising fishermen on cross border issues through awareness creation In the context of the conflict over the overexploitation of fisheries resources beyond the Indo-Sri Lankan coastal borders, restorative solutions such as coral and mangrove restoration, the restoration of the…

Sri Lanka’s local elections are a major threat to the ruling class

February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 admin

Sri Lanka’s local elections are a major threat to the ruling class (JAYADEVA UYANGODA | Feb 13, 2023) Sri Lankans entered 2023 with an unwelcome gift from the government – a new income tax policy. This was meant to bolster empty public coffers as the government tries to navigate the country’s economic crisis, but for ordinary people already facing difficulty on every front it was one more blow from the same ruling class that created the mess in the first place. Already, triggered by the new tax policy, protests against the government…

Issues in fully implementing 13A: Land powers

February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 admin

Issues in fully implementing 13A: Land powers The Island 15–2-2023) By C. A. Chandraprema Many of those who call for the ‘full implementation of the 13th Amendment’ believe that all State land should be completely under the control of the provincial councils. The actual extent of the devolution of land powers would depend on the language used in the text of the 13th Amendment, and the interpretation given to that text by the Supreme Court which has exclusive jurisdiction in respect of Constitutional matters. Provisions with regard to land are to be…

‘CBSL Chief disregards trade mis-invoicing; collaborates with corporate and political corruption’

February 13, 2023February 13, 2023 admin

‘CBSL Chief disregards trade mis-invoicing; collaborates with corporate and political corruption’ Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union and United Federation of Labour make fresh charges Claims CBSL seems to function on the personal ‘belief’ of Governor CBSL continues to bury its head in the sand while the country is robbed by business elites in the export and import sector, saying corporate corruption is ‘their business’ CBSL ignores crucial findings and recommendations of IMF, World Bank, ADB, UNCTAD and OHCHR on illicit financial outflows affecting countries like Sri Lanka Trade unions demand…

ssues in fully implementing the 13th Amendment – Police Powers

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 admin

Issues in fully implementing the 13th Amendment – Police Powers By C. A. Chandraprema (The Island 6th Feb 2023) While most provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution have been implemented, sticking points have persisted with regard to two matters – the devolution of police and land powers. Appendix I of the Provincial Councils List in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the devolution of police powers. The implementation of these provisions will entail the division of the Sri Lanka Police Force into a National Police Division…

Independence 75: Many unhappy returns?

February 3, 2023February 3, 2023 admin

Independence 75: Many unhappy returns? (By Tisaranee Gunasekara – Daily FT) Call it a no brainer. Whatever Queen Viharamahadevi, the legendary mother of King Dutugemunu, wore, it wouldn’t have been a Kandyan sari (osariya). So why dress up her statue in that garb, jewellery included? Not just any statue, but the one by the Ruwanweli Seya, her son’s most famous construct, and the place Gotabaya Rajapaksa chose to take his presidential oaths in 2019. When the story broke over the social media, the director general of the Archaeology Department took…

Implementing 13A: Some thoughts

January 30, 2023January 31, 2023 admin

Implementing 13A: Some thoughts The 13A requires the Government to establish a National Land Commission, which would be responsible for the formulation of a national policy, concerning the use of State land. This Commission will include representatives of all Provincial Councils. The Commission will have a Technical Secretariat, representing all the relevant disciplines required to evaluate the physical as well as the socio-economic factors that are relevant to natural resources management. National policy, on land, use will be based on technical aspects, but not political or communal aspects. by Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne,…

Shameless coalitions ahead of LG polls

January 27, 2023January 28, 2023 admin

Shameless coalitions ahead of LG polls The economic crisis and the resultant political upheaval that brought down the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime have created ridiculous political alignments. In fact, the major part of the “credit” for the creation of those alignments should go to Gotabaya’s younger brother and his Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The alignments have now grown into political alliances with the approach of the local government elections that have now been scheduled to be held on March 9. Of these coalitions, the one between President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s party, the United…

Time to overcome ethnic divide is now

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023 admin

By Jehan Perera (The Island 24th Jan 2023) Time to overcome ethnic divide is now After much procrastination, the Election Commission has finally decided that local government elections will be held on March 9. The elections to these bodies had already been postponed by a year, as permitted by law. Postponing elections, beyond a year, would take the country into the murky realms of extralegal governance, which would pose a threat to democracy, by eroding the rule of law. The country is being propelled in the direction of elections. It…