The Mahanayake Theras of the Three Chapters addressed a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recommending that Dharmapala Gammanpila receive the appointment for the position of Auditor General.
In their formal communication, the prelates emphasised that Gammanpila possesses extensive experience as a senior officer within the Auditor General’s Department, making him the most suitable candidate for the role.
The chief prelates explicitly advised against appointing an officer from outside the department to this critical oversight position, noting that the vacancy has persisted since the retirement of W.P.C. Wickramaratne on April 8, 2024.
Dharmapala Gammanpila previously served in an acting capacity from April 9 until December 5, but a permanent appointment has yet to be finalised. The prelates noted that the absence of a permanent head for several months had allowed various parties to raise concerns about the transparency of state financial management, fueling negative perceptions of the government’s economic programmes.
While the President previously suggested names to the Constitutional Council, those nominations reportedly faced rejection due to concerns over the candidates’ professional capacity for such a significant responsibility.
The Mahanayake Theras stressed that state financial discipline and transparency remain best served by a senior internal official with deep institutional knowledge.
They warned that continued delays in making a permanent appointment could further undermine public trust in state fiscal oversight.
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Bandula Kendaragama Independent Dam and public safety Consultant Melbourne, Australia
20260126 – Questions Raised by the Independent Dam Safety Consultant Bandula Kendaragama at the QA session of the inaugural meeting of the Water Forum of the Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) held on 26 January 2026
Last night, I participated online inaugural meeting of the IESL Water Forum. During the very limited Q&A session, I raised several critical issues concerning the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) of the Kotmale Dam. I also shared approximately 20 slides in the feedback section highlighting these concerns. My key points were as follows: 1. Non-availability of the EAP Despite being formally assigned by the Presidential Secretariat to deliver a series of three-hour training presentations on dam-related matters—and despite the Director General of the Mahaweli Authority being tasked with organising these training programmes—the Mahaweli Authority has, even after nearly two months, failed to provide me with a scanned copy of the Kotmale Dam EAP. 2. Outdated contact information The contact numbers listed in the EAP should be mobile numbers, not landline numbers, to ensure reliable communication during emergencies. 3. Lack of updates since 2011 I personally saw and photographed four pages of the EAP, including the cover page, on 27 October 2016. The document was originally issued in August 2011 and was a white colour bound document—not a red loose-leaf folder. This indicates that the EAP has not been updated for at least five years, and likely much longer, possibly till to-date. 4. Insufficient dissemination among key stakeholders If the EAP has not been shared with or internalised by the following officials and institutions, then it must be considered outdated and ineffective: o Governor of the Central Province; o Disaster Management Centre officials; o District Secretaries of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya; o Divisional Secretaries in potential inundation areas;
Police officials (DIGs, ASPs, IPs); o Dam Safety Officials of the Mahaweli Authority; and o Grama Niladharis in potential inundation areas. 5. Absence of inundation maps at grassroots level A large-scale inundation map showing Grama Niladhari Divisions should be prominently displayed in every relevant Grama Niladhari office. 6. Critical service providers not covered adequately The EAP should also clearly involve and inform: o Directors of hospitals in potential inundation and adjacent areas; o Depot Managers of CTB depots in affected and nearby areas; o Tuition class operators; and o School principals in potential inundation and adjacent areas. Given these gaps, it is evident that the current version of the Kotmale Dam EAP is outdated and inadequate for effective emergency preparedness and management. Dear President and Members of the Executive Committee, Water Forum – Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL), Unfortunately, insufficient time was allocated during the inaugural meeting of the Water Forum to elaborate on several critical issues raised during the Q&A session concerning the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) of the Kotmale Dam. At the conclusion of the session, the organisers indicated that they would contact me subsequently regarding these matters. Given the seriousness of recent and past incidents—particularly the opening of spillway gates at the Kotmale Dam without providing sufficient advance warning to residents and visitors living in the potential inundation areas—I respectfully request the President and the Executive Committee of the Water Forum to allocate three hours or more, at the earliest practical opportunity, for a dedicated online workshop.
This proposed session would focus specifically on: • The current status of the Kotmale Dam EAP; • Identified shortcomings and gaps; and • The urgent need for reviewing, updating, and strengthening the EAP in line with present-day realities and stakeholder responsibilities. I strongly believe that such a focused technical session will contribute meaningfully to dam and public safety, professional discourse, and institutional preparedness in dam safety and emergency management. Thank you to the Water Forum of the IESL for your kind cooperation and continued commitment to addressing critical national issues. Yours sincerely, Bandula Kendaragama Independent Dam and public safety Consultant Melbourne, Australia WhatsApp +61403204066 26 January 2026
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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake should listen at least to the views of the Mothers’ Front on proposed educational reforms.
I was listening to the apolitical views expressed by the mothers’ front criticising the proposed educational reforms of the government and I found that their views were addressing some of the core questionable issues relevant to the schoolchildren, and their parents, too.
They were critical of the way the educational reforms were formulated. The absence of any consultation with the stakeholders or any accredited professional organisation about the terms and the scope of education was one of the key criticisms of the Mothers’ Front and it is critically important to comprehend the validity of their opposition to the proposed reforms. Further, the proposals do include ideas and designs borrowed from some of the foreign countries which they are now re-evaluating in view of the various shortcomings which they themselves have encountered. On the subject, History, it is indeed unfortunate that it has been included as an optional, whereas in many developed countries it is a compulsory subject; further, in the module the subject is practically limited to pre-historic periods whereas Sri Lanka can proudly claim a longer recorded history which is important to be studied for the students to understand what happened in the past and comprehend the present.
Another important criticism of the Mothers’ Front was the attempted promotion of sexuality in place of sex education. Further there is a visible effort to promote trans-gender concepts as an example when considering the module on family unit which is drawn with two males and a child and two females and a child which are nor representative of Sri Lankan family unit.
Ranjith Soysa
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Contrary to narratives women were never thought inferior” – these are narratives that seek to demean women. Ancient cultures, civilizations and religions defined women as giving life, moral order, continuity and balance – all traits that are being diluted in the name of liberalism” and independence”.
Let us first look at what religions had to say about the role of women
BUDDHISM
A woman was considered equal in spiritual potential. Women could attain Nibbana.
Women were the bearers of moral discipline and wisdom, compassion, though the biological difference was acknowledged the spiritual capacity was equal.
Mahaprajapathi Gotami was the first woman to request & establish the Bhikkhuni Sangha. This changed the spiritual destiny of women. She was not a rebel but a disciplined reformer within Dhamma.She proved women could uphold the highest monastic discipline and attain liberation.
HINDUISM
Woman was regarded as shakti” creator of power – feminine energy. Goddess Saraswati (wisdom), Goddess Lakshmi (prosperity), Goddess Durga/Kali (protection) were symbols of such power.
A woman was considered the creator & moral anchor, as wife she was the keeper of household order, ancient texts show women as teachers, philosophers, poets (Gargi, Maitrevi)
Women’s role was distorted only later.
CHRISTIANITY
Woman was considered moral partner & nurturer, Eve was never shown as servant”.
Early Christianity showcased women as leaders and patrons, it was later as a result of church structures that their role was restricted.
ISLAM
Considered women as protected trustee. Role in motherhood was highly honored & women was considered the central key to family stability. Restrictions came with cultural changes
JUDAISM
Women was the foundation of the household, lineage passes through the mother, they were the spiritual backbone of a family.
Let’s now look at what the ancient cultures said about women
Indigenous & Tribal cultures:
Women were healers, midwives, seed keepers and oral historians. They kept the balance between masculine & feminine roles.
Ancient Asian Cultures:
China (Confucian era): women upheld family harmony, they were respected for motherhood & virtues
Japan: Early Shinto revered female deities – empresses ruled before later patriarchy.
African Traditional Cultures: Women were the clan stabilisers, agricultural leaders and ritual guardians, matriarchs in African cultures held decisive authority.
Now let us proceed to what the ancient civilizations said about women
Mesopotamia: women owned businesses, inherited property, served as priestesses – law recognized women as legal persons
Ancient Egypt: women owned land, could divorce freely, ruled as Pharaohs (Cleopatra) Goddess Isis – ideal of womanhood
Ancient Greece: Saw a significant split – in Athens women were secluded while in Sparta women were educated, athletic and property owners.
Ancient Rome: In early Rome, women were strong maternal figures, later when Rome became a Republic – women’s roles were restricted to behind the scenes.
What can we deduce from the role of women as across time from religions, ancient cultures & civilizations?
How did women regarded as life-givers, moral educators, cultural carriers, stabilizers of society, spiritually advanced change over time?
There was never a crisis that required women to compete with men for identity”, to replace men or even be regarded as inferior.
So, we must wonder what changed.
· Industrialisation
· Centralised states
· Property accumulation
· Colonial legal systems
· Modern ideological reframing
These reduced women’s traditional authority, then later tried to restore” it — often without understanding the original balance or restoring it with the former ancient roles that revered women.
Ancient systems valued women for what only women could uniquely give — not for copying men.
This is what women of today must take serious note of.
Compare ancient vs modern feminism
Map women’s roles by function (mother, leader, spiritual guide)
Focus specifically on Sri Lankan, South Asian, or Buddhist history
Just tell me where you want to zoom in.
great women (not per western narrative but women who have religiously & culturally & civilizationally played crucial roles
Love this framing — because greatness didn’t always look like breaking glass ceilings”. In most civilizations, great women shaped conscience, continuity, survival, and sacred order. Below is a non-Western, civilizational lens on great women — rooted in religion, culture, and long-term impact, not modern ideology.
I’ll group them by civilizational function, which is how ancient societies themselves understood greatness.
From Mahaprajapathi Gotami who commenced to Bhikhuni Order to Gargi Vacaknavi respected for her wisdom not gender, to Virgin Mary who was a symbol of moral courage, to Khadija bint Khuwaylid who combined economic strength and moral clarity & family loyalty, to Deborah of Ancient Israel who was a prophetess and judge, military & spiritual leader, to Queen Hatshepsut of ancient Egypt who expanded trade, architecture, to Queen Esther who used soft power to prevent genocide, to Empress Wu Zetian the only female emperor who was a patron of Buddhism who ruled within the Confucian order, to Sita the symbol of integrity and moral strength, to Sangamitta Their the daughter of Emperor Ashoka who is regarded the civilizational mother of Sri Lankan Buddhism, to the indigenous materiarchs of Africa, Asia & Americas who controlled seeds, medicine, rituals, decided clan succession, held oral history – civilizations survived through memory not monuments, to the women of ancient Sri Lanka who were the Temple patrons, donors of caves and viharas, custodians of household Dhamma – it was they who sustained Buddhism between kings & wars.
All these women have essential features that should inspire women.
They continue to be celebrated because they
· Acted in moments of crisis
· Upheld moral order
· Sacrificed personal comfort
· Preserved life, lineage, faith, or truth
· Knew when to lead — and when to withdraw
Ancient societies did not ask, Can women be like men?” They asked, Who will hold the world together in times of need?”
And very often, the answer was women.
This is the high moral ground that women held in the past as against the westernized liberal slogans attached to women today, expecting women to conform to these slogans. We see a clash in civilizational meaning for women and the ideological slogans and narratives women are being fed today.
Ancient systems did not define women by what they demanded.
They defined women by what they were entrusted with and what they fulfilled.
In ancient times women were the moral authority, the continuer of values, the keeper of family cohesion, the transmitter of morals & ethics, the life-giver and conscience keeper.
These women held responsibility – had authority & given respect.
Women were powerful because others depended on them.
In the Western liberal context of slogans and campaigns – women are being defined as autonomous” competing with men inside a system built by men.
The in vogue slogans are
· My body, my choice”
· Equal to men in all things”
· Breaking patriarchy”
· Independence above all”
· Empowerment = visibility + income + sexual freedom”
Women’s worth is being measured by:
· Economic output
· Sexual autonomy
· Career visibility
· Personal gratification
So we see a marked conflict in the definition and role of women in the past & women being drawn to new slogans in the present.
In the past women’s role was rooted in what must I protect” – todays women are told to ask What am I entitled to”.
The former – purpose preceded self
The later – self precedes purpose
In the past women held power through indispensability – unfortunately todays women are asked to demand power through comparison to men.
The former – balance
The later – competition
Civilizations never asked women to be men
Where is the continuity if women become men?
In the past women mastered self, showed strength in restraint and dignity in boundaries.
Today women think freedom is removing all limits, strength is simply expression and dignity is exposure.
In ancient times sexuality was regarded as sacred to be guarded, modesty was power
Today’s women are making sexuality a commodity, body to be owned and modesty is outdated.
How did this shift in thinking & behavior happen?
First, it was not organic it was designed for profit.
The feminist slogan was turned into a market strategy. It connected with the ideology of consumer capitalism.
Empowerment” was identified as a sales concept.
This built up the notion that women to be empowered or feel empowered has to dress” the part – this entailed profits for cosmetic industry, apparel industry, accessories industry. Thus capitalism & feminism are entertwined.
1. Industrial capitalism replaced family with labor markets
2. Colonial law dismantled indigenous gender systems
3. Sexual revolution severed sex from consequence
4. Consumerism monetized desire
5. NGO activism reframed social roles as oppression
Eventually, women became economic units, not civilizational anchors.
As a result the consequences are clear
· Decline of motherhood status – falling birth rate
· Weakened family – child instability
· Loss of moral authority – Mental health issues
· Sexual commodification – exploitation framed as freedom”
· Identity confusion – social fragmentation & self-destruction of individuals
These outcomes are not accidental.
What religions & civilizations protected western liberal slogans are now destroying & dismantling
· Intergenerational duty
· Children’s psychological security
· Social trust
· Male responsibility
· Female dignity beyond market value
Religion and civilization asked: How do women hold the world together?” Modern slogans ask: How do women escape responsibility?”
The response is not to claim this is anti-women, anti-education, anti-work … but to realize that women historically led, owned property, educated others (not necessarily by getting university degrees), shaped law & faith – they did so without compromising or sacrificing civilizational continuity. This is what makes the status & actions of women of the past of a higher moral order than the liberal slogans held by so-called independent women” today.
The importance of this message for Sri Lanka is to understand that the current slogans arrived via funding, western policy, pressure & media – they ignore Asian religious frameworks, treat culture as barriers” not foundation, produce social dislocation without social safety nets. Exactly what are these liberal
Civilizational womanhood was locally evolved, religiously grounded, and socially stabilizing.
When women were honored for what they uniquely sustained – societies endured. When women were told they were free” by abandoning that role – societies fractured.
Women of today must reconcile to the fact that she is not a project to be liberated”.
Power of women has come down through history – there is nothing for women to assert or reassert.
That power has been abandoned – it now needs to be re-anchored.
Ancient wisdom didn’t ask women:
What do you want?”
It asked:
What depends on you?”
That question still matters today.
Therefore, todays women must think in terms of meaning not choice.
You are told if you can choose it, it must be good”.
Ancient wisdom told women If your choice strengthens life, family, truth and future – it is good”
Choice without consequence and awareness is not freedom.
Women of today must think long-term not just personal temporary benefit
Women must realize their decisions ripple:
· Into children
· Into men’s behavior
· Into social stability
· Into moral climate
Ancient women always thought (never had to be told to think):
Will this still be good 20 years from now?”
That mindset is rare — and desperately needed today.
Women must think in terms of stewardship.
· Body
· Fertility
· Intelligence
· Emotional power
· Moral influence
…are entrusted, not disposable.
Stewardship means care before use, discernment before exposure, purpose before personal pleasure.
Women must think beyond simply wanting to imitate men.
Equality does not mean sameness.
Women should ask what can I uniquely protect, nurture, civilize, stabilize”
Not how do I outperform men at being men”.
Civilizations thrived on complementarity not competition & rivalry.
There are now a campaign encouraging men to think or identify as women & it is being political pushed to legal acceptance. How can a man identify as a woman?
Women of today should be rooted:
· Family
· Faith or moral code
· Culture
· Place
· Reality (not online narratives)
Such a rooted women cannot be easily manipulated by trends or ideologies.
Women of today should be Selective (this is power):
· Emotionally
· Sexually
· Socially
· Spiritually
Selectivity:
· Creates value
· Commands respect
· Shapes male responsibility
· Protects self-worth
Women of today should be Life-affirming (doesn’t mean only childbirth)
It means:
· Supporting growth
· Protecting the young
· Healing rather than exploiting
· Building rather than consuming
A woman who affirms life becomes indispensable.
Women of today should be intellectually serious:
Great women of the past were:
· Philosophers
· Teachers
· Moral reasoners
· Advisors
Today’s woman should cultivate:
· Critical thinking
· Moral reasoning
· Discernment of propaganda
· Historical memory
Not simply protest with banners, sit on panels or promote individuality”.
Women of today should be strong without becoming hard:
Strength is not aggression.
True feminine strength is:
· Calm under pressure
· Firm without cruelty
· Compassionate without weakness
· Clear without chaos
This strength steadies families and societies.
Women of today should be conscience of slogans luring them along the wrong path:
Being told:
· Motherhood is a trap”
· Dependence is weakness”
· Modesty is oppression”
· Tradition is your enemy”
· Freedom has no cost”
These ideas may sound empowering but leave women:
· Exhausted
· Alone
· Replaceable
· Unsupported in crisis
Women need to balance – Women need a balance.
Women must be educated, must have a career, must not accept abuse, must speak and be heard, must not surrender their intelligence.
But today’s women forget that ancient women too worked, too led, too owned property, too influenced policy, too guided rules but they always did so with civilizational consciousness not individual obsession.
Women of today must learn to ask themselves:
Do my choices make me more anchored, more respected, and more capable of sustaining others — or more isolated and disposable?”
Civilizations didn’t survive because women were free from responsibility. They survived because women were wise enough to carry it.
What type of woman would you aspire to be?
Shenali D Waduge
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1.Effects of and Responses to a Rising Sea Level: A National Assessment for Sri Lanka: International Sea-level Rise Studies Project, Division of Coastal and Environmental Studies, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers- The State University of New Jersey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1991)- Part 1
2. Quantification of Risk to Sri Lanka From an Accelerated Sea-Level Rise: International Sea-level Rise Studies Project (1994) – Part 2
Survey of Coastal Zone. 11. (1) As soon as practicable after the appointed date, the Director shall cause a survey to be made of the Coastal Zone and shall prepare a report based on the results of such survey. The report shall include” (a) an inventory of ail structures, roads, excavations, harbours, outfalls, dumping sites and other works located in the Coastal Zone ; (b) an inventory of all coral reefs found within the Coastal Zone ; (c) an inventory of all commercially exploitable mineral deposits, both proven and suspected, located within the Coastal Zone ; (d) an inventory of all areas within the Coastal Zone or religious significance or of unique scenic value or of value for recreational purposes, including those areas most suitable for recreational bathing ; (e) an inventory of all estuarine or wetland areas within the Coastal Zone with an indication of their significance as fisheries or wildlife habitat ; (f) an inventory of all areas within the Coastal Zone of special value for research regarding coastal phenomena, including fisheries and shell fisheries, sea erosion, littoral movements and related subjects ; (g) an inventory of all areas within the Coastal Zone from which coral, sand, sea shells or other substances are regularly removed for commercial or industrial purposes ; (h) an assessment of the impact of sea erosion on the Coastal Zone including a quantified indication, by geographical location, of the amount of land lost thereby, an estimate of the economic cost of such loss and the extent to which human activity has contributed to such loss; (i) an estimate of the quantities of sand, coral, sea shells and other substances being removed from the Coastal Zone, together with an estimate of the extent to which such quantities can be supplied from other sources or other materials and an analysis of the economic practicability of doing so : and (j) a census, classified by geographical areas, and by activity, of all workers currently engaged on a regular basis in the removal of coral, sand, sea shells or other substances from the Coastal Zone and a census of the dependants of such workers and estimate of the per capita income obtained from these activities. (2) In preparing the report under subsection (i), the Director shall have regard to relevant data and information collected or compiled by Government departments, institutions and other agencies, and it shall be the duty of the heads of such departments, institutions and agencies to furnish any such data or information as may be reasonably required by the Director for the purpose of preparing such report. Coastal Zone Management. 12. (1) The Director shall, not later than three years after the appointment date.
2011 අංක 49 පණතින් 11 වගන්තියට කලදේ (සංශෝධනය)
8. Section 11 of the principal enactment is hereby repealed and the following section substituted therefor:— Survey of resources within the Coastal Zone. Amendment of section 12 of the principal enactment. 11. (1) The Director-General shall as soon as practicable cause a survey of all the resources and activities within the Coastal Zone to be conducted and thereafter prepare a report based on the results of such survey. (2) In preparing the report required under subsection (1), the Director-General shall have regard to the relevant data and information collected or compiled by government departments, institutions and agencies. It shall be the duty of the Heads of such Departments, institutions and agencies to furnish any such data or information as may be reasonably required by the Director-General for the purpose of preparing such report.”.
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‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’
e-Con e-News 18-24 January 2026
A leading ‘international school’ in Colombo had refused to pay a Sri Lankan ‘science’ teacher the same salary as the previous, white, ‘science’ teacher from England. The Sri Lankan is a PhD from the USA’s MIT, while the white teacher hardly had university qualifications. The Sri Lankan owner of the school insisted that it was parents of the students that wanted white teachers for their children; parents would not pay the high rates the school demanded if there were only Sri Lankan teachers. It appears that the parents, mainly import merchants & private professionals, want their children to study ‘Whiteness’ (perhaps creating a new academic discipline: WSL – Whiteness as a Second Lifestyle’). It should be noted that ‘International Schools’ are illegal under the Education Act but legalized under the Companies Act. This too is ‘reform’ – and no doubt a fine example for children to learn about how the rule of law and private-public partnership (PPP) models work. Students could even calculate how the RoI (Return on Investment) is greater! Further note: They hired a white woman to replace the Sri Lankan, and yes, paid her more, including ‘benefits’ the Sri Lankan teacher had not received: health insurance, rent for accommodation, paid vacation plus air tickets to return home. Such is the nature of this ruling merchant class…
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‘At the University of Hanoi the janitor
was a Frenchman – & he was paid more
than a Vietnamese with a PhD from Paris’
– SBD de Silva (PEU)
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There were (and are) ‘various devices whereby white supremacy [was /is] maintained in the colonies… The most economically depressed whites had a status higher than that of the highest natives’,records SBD de Silva, as eeFocus continues Chapter 6 of his classic The Political Economy of Underdevelopment (PEU). Here de Silva describes the careful fine-tuning of the image of the white man, and the role the media had to play (& still plays).
SBD also examines the forging of a new ‘nationality’ among settlers, essential to create a sense of permanent belonging to their stolen occupied territory. This also required a commitment to long-term investment in modern industrial skills. He also compares the different white attitudes towards Indian migrants in Uganda & Kenya based on their economic roles in those African societies. White settler communities tended to be ‘more race conscious than expatriates’. ‘The lowest-ranking settlers were the most virulent in their racism’ due to facing greater competition from the natives. ‘Political rather than economic forces’ were thus ‘allowed to determine the structure of production’, and white migration was officially subsidized.
Meanwhile in non-settler colonies like Sri Lanka ‘where there was a ready basis of revenue’ (Cinnamon, etc), ‘the active sponsoring of European investors was not critically important’. ‘Official intervention was limited merely to facilitating labour migration’ (indeed, we do not need to ponder too deeply why Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha was accorded Chief Guest status at the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon/EFC’s National Best Employer Awards 2025 – see ee Who’s Who).
In Sri Lanka, de Silva asserts, importantly, ‘the creation of a proletariat, through the eviction of peasants from extensive areas or the undermining of the traditional economy, was not called for’. SBD has also elsewhere noted that the English bestowed on us the most impoverished peasantry in Asia, at Soulbury independence in 1948. He also points out that ‘taxation had revenue considerations’ generally through indirect taxes (often an export duty)’, whereas in the settler colonies, direct taxes were imposed ‘to divert labour to settler enterprises’. (Why the English – and their colonized successors – have been keen on preventing the formation of a proletariat in Sri Lanka is another tale to be told!).
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• The English, to maintain Sri Lanka’s loyalty during their World War 2, had to enable a type of ‘free education’ in the country, while providing other social services, rice rations, etc. This ee Focus also examines the ongoing sabotage of Sri Lanka’s ‘free’ healthcare service. This month’s Cabinet proposal sets out to allow private importers to rent vital equipment (scanners, angiographs, etc) to government hospitals, which the government would still have to pay for. These private importers will also rent out dialysis units. Sri Lanka is compared & contrasted to the dramatic post-Thatcherite deterioration of England’s national health service midst the soaring of health costs. Responding to the cabinet claim that private financing is necessary because the government lacks needed funds, the author crucially highlights: in 2025, about ‘80% of the funds allocated to the Ministry of Health went unutilized and were returned to the Treasury’! These deadly actions need to be examined midst the IMF’s escalated whinging for the privatization of national institutions. (The failure to enable an industrialized economy that can ensure such social services could be sustained and are not to be bartered away for balancing budgets is another tale to be told).
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‘Billionaires & super-rich increasingly dominate media & AI.
Over half of the world’s largest media companies have billionaire
owners & 9 of the top 10 social media companies in the world are
run by just 6 billionaires. 8 of the top 10 AI companies – which
overlap with media companies – are billionaire-run, with just 3
commanding nearly 90% of thegenerative AI chatbot market.’
– Oxfam (see ee Economists, 1 in 4 Face Hunger as Billionaire
Wealth Grows Higher Than Any Time in History)
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‘To what extent is Gross Domestic Product
a sufficient indicator of social & economic
wellbeing? We know, from the moment the
notion was ‘invented’ that even its ‘founder’
Simon Kuznets warned of its limitations.
He warned the US Congress, ‘The welfare
of a nation can scarcely be inferred from
a measure of national income’.’
– Warwick Powell (ee Economists, Rising
Use Value in an Age of Slowing Growth)
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‘2 rapid assessments of Cyclone Ditwah’s economic impact in
Sri Lanka were carried out independently by the World Bank &
the International Labour Organization (ILO)… The apparent gap
between WB’s 4% of GDP estimate & ILO’s 16% of GDP
figure can be confusing if not carefully understood. These
numbers do not measure the same thing, & they do not contradict
each other… Put simply, WB measures the ‘bricks & mortar’
while ILO measures the ‘bread&butter’. This distinction is vital
for policymakers because recovery must address both the reconstruction
of infrastructure & the stabilisation of livelihoods.’ – Sirimal Abeyratne
(ee Economists, Growth that Lasts, not just rebuilds)
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‘IMF ‘tunnel vision’ obscures the reality of a 13% spike
in poverty, the 2nd-highest increase recorded in any
country undergoing a debt crisis in the last decade. There’s
a growing disconnect between the narrative of macroeconomic
stability & the ground reality faced by Sri Lankans. The Central
Bank missed inflation targets for 6 consecutive quarters.’
– US Verité Research Chief (see ee Economists, SL
must focus on addressing real economy…)
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• This week, as every year, the World Economic Forum has met in Davos,Switzerland, expansively advertised as assembling ‘over 3,000 global leaders, including heads of state, government leaders, chief executive officers of leading multinational corporations, policymakers, & technology innovators’. At the same time, as usual, England’s well-fed beggars, the English ‘charity’ Oxfam, releases their annual report, a high-pitched caterwauling, spiced with superlative hyperbole about greedy superrich & billionaires, dictators & capitalist oligarchs, etc, and then asks for more donations.
It therefore becomes most important for us to first get the names & words right. ee has come to regard all these labels – such as ‘working people’, ‘big business’, notions such as ‘neoliberalism’ (see Random Notes), and measures such as ‘GDP’, repeated hourly & annually by the real enemy, the capitalist ruling classes – as inadequate & diversionary. The economists that their media promote, whether it be Joseph Schumpeter or Max Weber, or their more modern avatars, the Hayeks et al, merely attempt to counter the living science that alone defeated capitalism in the 20th century – Marxism-Leninism – which provides concrete words that enable concrete practices. Oxfam’s solution is to call for ‘a worldwide people’s movement for a more equal world by bringing together civil society organisations, trade unions, marginalised & other groups & networks’. The mountain labors and brings forth a mouse.
The former Bank of England & Bank of Canada governor and present Canadian PM Mark Carney’s speech at Davos, is being hailed by the imperialist media machine as cocking a snook at the US President, yet Carney’s squeak also scoffs at Marx & Engel’s Communist Manifesto’s last call: Workers of All Countries, Unite! Carney’s Oxford thesis was on the advantages of competition! Since we live in the age of monopoly capitalism, he no doubt feels only workers must compete! Carney, the former 13-year Goldman Sachs employee, would rather prefer the rallying cry ‘Bankers of the World Unite’. Even so, the spectre of Communism haunts the superannuating banker. And why not! Carney, while heading the Bank of England, stole Venezuela’s gold reserves, preparing the path for the US kidnapping of Venezuela’s leaders. Carney cannot admit that Don Trump is no lone hyena but is a creature of the US ruling class. INGOs like Oxfam, too, can never bring themselves to recommend the hitherto record of ‘actually-existing’ defeats of capitalism and attempts to build a better world, midst constant besiegement.
This ee Focus also looks at the US capitalist forces behind the present US President Don Trump’s rise to power. Our excerpt from Melinda Cooper’s Counterrevolution: Extravagance & Austerity in Public Finance (2024) signals how big business ‘masquerades’ as small business for tax purposes.
Indeed, a superficial scan of the English media in Sri Lanka would note the media’s incessant, overweening and gnawing, yet highly dubious, solicitude for so-called MSMEs (micro, small & medium-scale enterprises). They claim MSMEs ‘contribute about 52% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and provide employment to nearly 4.5 million people’. Yet this media rarely provides an actual breakdown of exactly who these MSMEs actually are. Check out any sillara kaday and see what exactly is sold there. ee believes that many of these small ‘enterprises’ are fronts for the multinational corporations (MNCs, eg, Unilever, CIC, CTC, Exxon etc) set up for legally avoiding both labour and tax laws. As for Trump’s named backers, eg, the demonized Koch & Mercer families etc, they themselves are fronts for even larger cartels like Exxon, GE, etc – a matter that Cooper does not explore, even as she exposes the vacuity behind the claims that Trump represents the white working class.
The function of these Anglo-American & EU-funded intellectuals, including so-called Marxists & Socialists, so-called Independents (tho it is never intimated but is always implied, they mean ‘independent’ of Marxism-Leninism) is to not just downplay the concrete contribution of actual socialist & communist parties, but to aid in their liquidation. While Cooper refers to the‘commanding heights’of US capitalism, a coinage by Russian revolutionary leader VI Lenin, there’s no reference to Lenin’s classic pamphlet Imperialism, the Latest Stage of Capitalism. Written during the North Atlantic’s World War 1, as ‘a popular outline’: Lenin provides ‘the briefest possible definition[that] imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism’. As many commentators have pointed out, much of the latest capital pools & ‘family offices’ & private equity (PE) have gone ‘dark’, hiding their linkages to the monopolies.
Cooper says Trump’s business coalition, is made up of ‘the private, unincorporated & family-based versus the corporate, publicly traded, & shareholder-owned’. While a 2025 oil investment market analysis (see ee Industry) concludes: ‘Capital is shifting from traditional institutional investors tomore flexible & opportunistic players, driven by attractive valuations, tax incentives, and infrastructure opportunities.’
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• A reader’s comment this week (see ee Security, Big Serge blog) noted that Europe (including England) is already a US colony. The largest army in Europe & East Asia (outside of China & DPR Korea) at present is actually the US (occupation) armies. ‘The USA controls Europe’s internet architecture. Then there is the software dependency (Microsoft, Cloud Services, Enterprise Resource Planning/ERP software, etc), financial rails (SWIFT), & platforms. Europe relies on US-controlled infrastructure at every level: Domain Name Systems (DNS), Root Authorities, Content Delivery Network (CDNs), Cloudflare, Relay Servers, Security Services, Certificates, and De-Facto Standards. Even when servers are physically located in Europe, control remains in the USA – legally, contractually, and operationally. The US does not need sanctions or military force; it already holds the switches. It is increasingly difficult to identify what, in the actual functioning of European societies – administrations, companies, local governments, associations – is not under US control. Any geopolitical scenario that ignores this material reality is reasoning about a world that no longer exists…’
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• ee asked the US’ google search to give an exact number of search references to ‘postcolonial’. They answered: ‘Based on a search, there is no single, static ‘exact’ number, as search engine results fluctuate continuously. However, a search for the term ‘postcolonial’ (using quotes for an exact match) on google typically yields roughly 5 to 8 million results, while the broader term postcolonialism often generates over 10 million results. Google Scholar results for ‘postcolonial’ in titles, as of early 2026, often total over 300,000 scholarly articles & books.’ Then ee asked, ‘How many of these scholars would join the frontlines in Gaza, Venezuela or Greenland to make post-colonialty an off-paper reality?’ US google replied: ‘The number of these scholars transitioning from academic critique to ‘off-paper’ frontline action is historically & statistically low…’
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‘It is then in making hope practical,
rather than despair convincing,
that we must resume & change
& extend our campaigns.’
– Raymond Williams, 1980
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‘Business must continue to be profit-oriented, but at the same time
we must keep in close contact with men who are not essentially
profit-oriented – that troublesome but creative minority of
intellectuals who can help us to identify emerging social problems
before they reach crisis proportions.’ – David Rockefeller, 1969
(quoted by William Worthy, Reporting the News
in the Heartland of Empire, 1970, see ee Media)
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VI Lenin passed away 102 years ago (January 21, 1924). Lenin wrote that it’s the responsibility of the working class in the imperialist countries to protect the right of colonized nations to self-determination, and to fight for their freedom. A Communist commentator has noted that Sri Lanka, as an English colony, first received England’s version of Marxism; later, Communist Party members got to know about the Soviet version of Marxism, and only then learned of Lenin’s contribution to Marxism. He says: ‘Lenin called China, Persia, Turkey & all other colonies as a 3rd type of countries, where billions of people lived. This included countries like our Sri Lanka. There was no industrial revolution in these countries, and there was no way for an industrial capitalist class to arise. Without factories & an industrial capitalist class, how could a working class arise? … Workers had to come together & live together as a large community. Working class consciousness is a collective consciousness. Why do our university students gather together and make a lot of noise during their studies? They do so because they are bound together by a collective consciousness. But when they graduate and go home, they disperse. Their collective consciousness disappears. When new students join together in universities, they too take up the baton of student struggle.
For the group consciousness of a working class to arise, workers must gather together as a group. Workers leave home in the morning, work for 8 hours and return home in the evening (that is, rejoin the larger society) but do not develop such a collective worker consciousness. But as Lenin said, they can develop a trade union consciousness. They struggle for wages, promotions, and other rights. However, scattered, loosely organized labor movements also arise in such countries. Lenin says, the workers’ movements that arise in this way should be organized for the liberation of their nation (for the right of self-determination of their nation). For that (national liberation), the most revolutionary sections of the capitalist-democratic movements should be supported by the working ‘class’. The Left-Nationalist mergers in our country (eg, the merger of our Left party with the SLFP) happened based on this guidance of Lenin. Imperialist agents branded this merger as ‘hanging on to hem of sari’ only to weaken the national liberation force against them and for no other reason…’
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• Media literacy is vital in this age of so-called intelligence that is artificial, where algorithms are manipulated to control what data is permitted to cross our eyeballs. Readers have asked ee to offer better sources of news: How does ee forensically dissect the onslaught of & bisect the authentic from the fraudulent? Most public news items are fake. The more ‘honest’ information often has to be paid for. Many items parading as news are indeed written by bots, and extremely sloppy if not blatantly callous, not giving a damn about their readership. It is clear that many sites parading as media outlets have gotten rid of editors & subeditors. The universe is said to have issued out of the brow of Brahma, and then Zeus, but now a fake version issues out of the digital orifices of a wannabe marketing ‘executive’! Another ‘drone’, buzzing on & on…
Not wishing to be misled especially at vital moments is important, so as to be clear-eyed about what lies before us. Literacy is crucial, but this must include a numerate literacy, a literate numeracy, a human literacy, as well as a media literacy in this age of diverse bombardments. Any real literacy includes: questioning whyyou are seeing a particular news item or trope or meme (over & over again, especially), and who has taken the trouble & money to make it occupy your attention.
We (Sinhalas?) should have acquired great expertise through our incessant sagas of historical betrayal. The English East India Company (EIC) clerk John D’Oyly’s 1801-15 techniques to sabotage the highland kingdom of Sinhalé should have been taught in the College of Journalism (still funded by foreigners). The techniques employed during the last decades, and particularly during the so-called Aragalaya should also be learned. Goebbels ‘big lie’ technique requires mixing small truths with big lies, to make them even bigger. The Nazi Goebbels learned from such imperialist older brothers in England (as England’s Foreign Office’s Information Research Department (IRD) and its leading employee, Robert Conquest), and from such settler-USA luminaries as Sigmund Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays, the so-called founding father of propaganda (publicly called: Public Relations) and an employee of banker JP Morgan in the USA.
We can point to seminal literature of almost 50 years ago, such as Edward Herman & Noam Chomsky’s Washington Connection & Third World Fascism, detailing the role that the New York Times & Washington Post has played in promoting wars, and the US teaching of techniques of torture throughout the world.
A careful examination of ee’s many non-NATO sources would uncover a reliance on such sites as Radio Havana Cuba, CGTN, Black Agenda Report, Tricontinental, Moon of Alabama (MoA), Dancing with Bears, New Atlas, etc. But most important of all, we have to learn from the struggle to carve out our own point of view of our own history & future, with a plan & program to liberate the country & build a modern industrial society.
Pliny( GaiusPlinius Secundus), an Army Commander of the Roman Army who battled for Rome in Germany in his records speak of living in Taprobane for some six months and also mentions of an ambassador to Rome from the island of Taprobane. He speaks of landing in Kudiramalai in Taprobane, hosted by the king . speaks of four envoys sent to Rome from Taprobane. Taprobane is said to comprise five hundred towns. The details given speak of a Taprobane a country of milk and honey
What are we now.
Time to rethink of the days of Dudley Senanayake when we were self sufficient in rice, while giving a ration of rice free to everyone. I served then as the Additional GA at Kegalla and accompanied him every Saturday and Sunday for two years accompanying him to meetings in his electorate. He was everywhere in his electorate and never found any poverty. On the other days I went to Dr N.M.s Electorate at Yatiyantota. If we had poverty there he would have not hesitated to raise it in Parliament.We had definitely eradicated poverty then.
It is time to for deep thinking
It is hoped that our Government will have the Development Programmes that were wiped out to accommodate IMF blessings” in 1977 which led to our demise. I did not know JR. I knew Ronnie closely. I am sad that Ronnie was hoodwinked by the iMF.
The Speaker of House, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne interdicting the Deputy Secretary General of Parliament and Chief of Staff, Chaminda Kularatne from his post, allegedly without even giving a hearing sets a dangerous precedent, the Leader of Opposition, Sajith Premadasa has stated.
Opposition Leader Premadasa noted that in any democracy, officials are given a hearing before they are punished.
The incident related to the removal of Deputy Secretary General of Parliament from his post is very concerning and makes it feel very personal in nature, he added.
In a post on X (formally Twitter), Opposition Leader Premadasa said he will strongly register his protest in Parliament pertaining to the incident.
Deputy Secretary General Chaminda Kularatne was suspended with effect from Friday (23).
The decision to suspend Kularatne, was taken by the Parliament Staff Advisory Committee (SAC), chaired by Speaker of House Jagath Wickramaratne.
The decision is reportedly linked to certain alleged irregularities concerning his appointment to the position.
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This is not a debate about technology.It is a record of decisions taken without consent. Sri Lanka’s digital education reforms are being presented to parents as inevitable, progressive, and already approved. They are not. This document traces — in strict chronological order — what was approved, what was not approved, what was implemented anyway, and what parents were never told. It separates policy from practice, planning from permission, and authority from accountability. What emerges is not reform — but a governance failure, where silence replaced consent and planning was misrepresented as mandate.
Chronological Record of Decisions, Approvals — and what has not been disclosed to Parents & the Public
I. BEFORE FORMAL CABINET APPROVAL
(Policy Direction Without Public Mandate)
Pre-2024 – Early 2025: Internal Curriculum & Digital Shifts
· Curriculum content changes (history, religion, new CSE)
· No Exams (reforms)
· Vocational tracking or subject reduction
What parents were not told:
That only a task force was approved — not the reforms themselves
That implementation activities would begin before Cabinet approval of policy
Collective responsibility question:
Why did implementation begin when Cabinet had approved planning, not execution?
III. MID-2025 — PARLIAMENT INFORMED, NOT CONSULTED
July 2025: Parliament Briefed
Parliament was informed of:
· Appointment of a 30-member task force
· Digital transformation objectives
What Parliament did NOT approve:
· No vote on curriculum changes
· No debate on textbook removal
· No discussion on CSE inclusion
· No scrutiny of child-impact assessments
What parents were not told:
· That Parliament did not approve the substance of reforms
· That MPs were not given content drafts or impact studies
IV. THE 30-MEMBER DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TASK FORCE — AUTHORITY WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY
Who comprises this 30 Member-Digital Transformation Committee
Leadership & Core Government Representatives
1. Chairperson: Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri — appointed as the head of the Task Force overseeing education digital transformation.
2. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education- Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwawa — member.
3. Ministry of Digital Economy – Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy, Mr. Varuna Dhanapala — member.
Political / Ministerial Members Present at Appointment
(Engaged in task force discussions, indicating involvement in oversight and potential participation)
4. Prime Minister & Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education — Dr. Harini Amarasuriya (Chair of Education Ministry and publicly leading the initiative)
5. Deputy Minister of Vocational Education — Nalin Hewage
6.Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education — Dr. Madhura Seneviratne
Sector & Stakeholder Representation (According to government reporting):
7. Other senior officials from relevant ministries and government bodies — representatives of multi-sector stakeholders were included alongside the above secretaries.
8. Education sector stakeholders, including:
· Officials from the National Institute of Education (NIE)
· Officials from the National Education Commission
· Officials from the Department of Examinations
· Officials from the Department of Educational Publications
· Provincial education authorities
These sectors are described in implementation arrangements for education reforms and task force structure documents, but individual names have not been publicly released.
9.Private sector and civil society representatives
The task force mandate explicitly includes engagement with development partners, private sector, and civil society, indicating that some members come from outside direct government service, though names and organizational affiliations are not yet published.
What Is Not Publicly Available
Despite the official count of 30 members, there is no publicly released list of all names and institutions represented, including:
· The identities of private sector representatives
· The academic, civil society, or industry members
Whether specific curriculum, child development, or safeguarding experts are included
Whether subject content specialists (e.g., history, religion, ethics, child protection, sexuality education) are officially on the task force
This information has not been published or disclosed in Parliament or in government press releases as of early 2026 — meaning parents, educators, and the public currently cannot see the full roster or expertise mix of the Task Force that is shaping major education reforms.
What is also not made publicly available is if the members of the Committee liaise or are partners of any UN-agencies and have been strategically selected to quietly introduce CSE once reforms are accepted without giving full content of the global CSE curriculum.
V. LATE 2025 — IMPLEMENTATION SIGNALS WITHOUT POLICY APPROVAL
Grades 1 & 6 Rollout Announced
What the Ministry/NIE stated:
· Modules and guidebooks prepared
· Digital platforms (Channel NIE) to support learning
· Printed textbooks not issued for Grades 1 & 6
What was NOT clarified:
· Whether this is a pilot or permanent shift
· Whether textbooks for all grades will be removed
· How national exams will function without textbooks
What parents were not told:
· That removal of textbooks for Grades 1 & 6 signals possible removal across all grades
· That children may be required to learn digitally without guaranteed access
V. DIGITAL ACCESS & EQUITY — NEVER DISCLOSED
Infrastructure Claims vs Reality
What the Ministry says:
· All schools to be connected by end-2025
What is not disclosed:
· School-wise readiness data
· Household access statistics
· Electricity stability
· Device availability
What parents are not told:
· What happens if a child cannot access digital learning
· Whether printed alternatives are guaranteed by right
VI. SUBJECT CONTROVERSIES & CONTENT SILENCE
History, Religion & Global Citizen” Framing
What the Ministry claims:
· Subjects not removed, only restructured
What is not disclosed:
· Who defines narratives
· How national history is safeguarded
· Whether global citizenship” overrides constitutional and cultural priorities
VII. CSE — DECISION WITHOUT DISCLOSURE
CSE Inclusion
Health Sector & UN-Linked Policy Pathway)
A. What Is NOT Disclosed to Parents
· CSE content appearing in education modules does not originate solely from the Ministry of Education or NIE.
· It is linked to a long-standing policy and program stream led by the Health sector, in collaboration with UN agencies, particularly UNFPA.
B. The Health Bureau-UNFPA Track
What is known from public records and prior government programmes:
The Family Health Bureau (FHB) under the Ministry of Health has for years implemented:
· Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) programmes
· Life skills and sexuality-related awareness initiatives
· These programmes have been financially and technically supported by UNFPA
· Content frameworks used by UNFPA align with Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) standards promoted internationally
What parents were not told:
That education-sector CSE content mirrors health-sector UNFPA-supported frameworks
· That education content may be cross-fed from health policy documents, not approved education policy
· That international agency-linked content pathways exist outside Cabinet-approved education reform
C. The Cross-Ministry Accountability Gap
What has NOT been disclosed:
· Whether the Ministry of Education formally adopted Health Ministry / FHB / UNFPA-developed content
· Whether NIE curriculum committees relied on UNFPA-linked materials or guidance
· Whether Cabinet approved any cross-sector transfer of CSE frameworks into school curricula
· Whether Parliament was informed that internationally promoted CSE standards were being introduced via education reform
D. The Consent Problem
Parents were never informed:
· That CSE content may originate from health-sector programmes designed for adolescents, not school curricula
· That international agencies involved in health policy may influence classroom content
· That no formal parental consultation or consent process exists for such content transfer
E. Legal & Policy Implications
This raises serious questions:
· Can health-sector programmes, supported by UN agencies, be embedded into school curricula without Cabinet and Parliamentary approval?
· Does the Task Force or NIE have authority to import externally developed CSE frameworks into education modules?
Who bears responsibility if content contradicts:
· National education policy
· Cultural and religious safeguards
· Child protection principles
· Parental rights
Critical Accountability Question
· Which authority decided CSE should be taught –
· the Ministry of Education, the Health Bureau, the Digital Task Force, or an external UN-linked policy framework – and on whose mandate?
What is NOT disclosed:
· Who requested CSE inclusion
· Whether Cabinet approved it
· Whether Parliament debated it
· Whether parents consented
Critical accountability question:
Which authority decided CSE should be taught — and on whose mandate?
VIII. DISCIPLINARY ACTION & COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
Who Is Accountable?
Despite public concern:
· No disciplinary inquiry
· No independent review
· No named decision-makers
Yet decisions involve:
1.Minister of Education
2.Ministry Secretaries
3.NIE leadership
4.Curriculum committees
5.Digital Task Force
Unanswered questions:
If harm arises, who is responsible?
Does collective responsibility mean no one is accountable?
Why has the Minister not clarified who approved what?
IX. DROP-OUT RISK & TEACHER IMPACT — IGNORED
Not disclosed:
· Studies on dropout risk
· Impact on children with slower learning ability
· Whether digital education reduces need for schools/teachers
X. PRESENT STATUS (EARLY 2026)
What is factually true
· Task force approved (June 2025)
· Policy framework still pending Cabinet approval
· Implementation signals already active
What parents are not being told
· This reform is proceeding without full Cabinet-approved policy
· No guarantees exist for access, equity, or accountability
CORE POLICY ISSUE
Parents were never given the truth in sequence.
Planning approval was presented as policy approval.
Pilots were presented as inevitabilities.
Silence replaced consent.
Key Transparency Questions Parents & Public Should Ask
To ensure accountability and rightful authority, the following questions remain unanswered:
· Who are the remaining members of the Task Force by name, qualification, and representing institution?
· Which members are subject-matter experts in child development, curriculum design, assessment, and education equity?
· Who on the Task Force recommended the inclusion of CSE & reviewed or contributed to decisions about controversial content areas in CSE (Comprehensive Sexuality Education)?
· Are any members external consultants or international advisers — and if so, who appointed them and on what terms?
· What mechanisms exist to hold Task Force members individually accountable for outputs used in policy decisions?
This reform was never approved in full. Textbooks were never abolished by Cabinet. CSE was never approved by Parliament. Parents were never consulted.
Yet implementation has begun.
When planning is presented as policy, when pilots are treated as inevitabilities, and when responsibility is spread so thin that no one is accountable — governance collapses.
This is not opposition to reform. This is a demand for truth, authority, and consent —in the right order.
Until that happens, this reform lacks legitimacy.
And parents cannot be ignored.
Silence is not approval. Silencing is definitely not approval. Funded protests hide the truth that eventually hits the segments of society that current lack & need proper reforms before digital learning.
Shenali D Waduge
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In today’s age of the internet, the concept of modesty can seem like a relic of the past. Yet, for Ahmadi Muslim women, it is a core value that is as relevant as ever. In an era where anything and everything can be shared online, how can women maintain modesty and dignity in the digital age?
We live in an age where the internet shapes most of our daily interactions and influences societal norms, which is why maintaining modesty can be a challenge, especially for Muslim women. The digital landscape presents a myriad of opportunities and temptations, often testing one’s commitment to Islamic values. However, for many Ahmadi Muslim women, embracing modesty in the virtual realm is not only possible but essential for upholding their faith and identity.
Is it not sad that the current Government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has not come up with a new Programme for development, to allay poverty. It is true that we have been assailed by Mother Nature- the Ditwah that devastated our country recently. However any problem has to be surmounted.
My words are clear,
Dear sir, Please get going with a new programme to tackle poverty, bring incomes to the people, creating entrepreneurs. Such an innovative programme will be a feather in your cap, some day.
I served as the Government Agent at Matara some fifty years ago. The then Government of Prime Minister Sirimavo ordered the foremost economist of the day, Professor HAdeS Gunasekera to establish a new Programme to create employment. A new Ministry was created in days and Professor Gunasekera was appointed the Permanent Secretary, He was even provided a helicopter for his travel. I yet can remember ducking to meet him at his helicopter as a soldier had been once decapitated by the helicopter blades.
I was only a Government Agent in charge of the Matara District, but yet me tell you what I did with my men, Vetus Fernando a raw chemistry graduate posted as the Planning Officer, some twenty Development Assistants- graduates who did not have a day’s experience and all the workers at the Matara Katcheri, who of course had work to do, work they had done for long.
We got going with establishing Divisional Councils and got ideas from them and they talked more nonsense.
Matara had a sea coast and a boatyard making sea going 40 foot boats with an inboard motor was planned and some lack of rupees was allocated, a boatyard was established, the machinery purchased and Ran Ariyadasa my Divisional Secretary went chopping all the trees he could find converting them to boats and selling them to Fishing Cooperatives- a job well done. The Ministry also funded a few sewing and small craft industries and the big wigs were very happy, commending me and that was all.
I and my men provided other suggestions but the Ministry was fully satisfied with the work done and would not fund any more.
My men, battle hardened officers District Land Officers, Assistant Government Agents were full of ideas but the Ministry turned a deaf ear. They were highly satisfied with the Boatyard, some small craft industries and small farms established here and there. We suggested a Creamery and we said we will rear milking cattle and Deniyaya was an ideal climate, but the Ministry would not approve.
We oft clashed, our suggestions creating problems.
The craze in me wanted to do something phenomenal and commandeered the science lab of Rahula College in the evening from six to midnight, when we officers used the science equipment to do experiments at making something we imported. That was the criteria.
The Planning officer Vetus Fernando a grad in chemistry ,the science teachers at Rahula and the rest all unqualified nonentities who knew nothing in industries were all burning the mid night oil for endless experiments from six to midnight every day, after a gruelling days work at office.
We tried everything we could think of and finally came in two months of experiments to make crayons which were not of suitable texture for sale.
Then my Planning Officer the chemistry grad got the bright idea of obtaining expertise from his professors- those that taught him chemistry at the portals of the University. I authorized him funds for travel and he took off fully enthusiastic. In three days he emerged a broken down man. He had gone behind all his lecturers and the professor of chemistry and he was turned away- they were too busy with teaching.
We were not to take it lying down and recommenced our experiments from six to midnight. In another month of experiments we came across the reciepie to make a good crayon. We fine tuned it to be equal to Reeves the best of the day.
Then the major question of how to produce crayons came up. One officer suggested of giving the recipe to Harischandra and we shouted at him.
I decided that it should be a Cooperative and decided on the Morawaka Korale Cooperativs, as it was led by Sumanapala Dahanayake, the MP for Deniyaya, a man who could be trusted. Sunamanpala was summoned and told to produce crayons. He readily agreed.
Then the problem was to find funds. The Coop Unions rolled money but I had no authority to use that money to create an industry. The GA was gazetted a Deputy Commissioner for Cooperatives for the purpose of directing the paddy cultivation programme. I usurped authority from that gazette notification and authorized him to use cooperative funds and establish a crayon factory.
The Assistant Commissioner for Cooperatives in Matara District was summoned and told of this decision and also told to keep the decision to use coop funds to establish a crayon factory a secret and not to tell head office. I knew the Commissioner for Cooperatives well but also thought that he will never agree to allow me to use coop funds.
Sumanapala was authorized to use coop funds and purchase the ingredients burners and pots and pans and find space at Morawaka Coop Union for that night and the key personnel from Matara- the Upadisapathy Ranjith, Planning Officer Vetus, DLO Chandra Silva, and a few others moved with bag and baggage to Morawaka in the evening. We started operations, gas burners burning the dyes mixed with water and other measured ingredients-non stop day and night, training some twenty youths to make crayons. It was a twenty four hour operation. Sumanapale went somewhere and got packets printed and two rooms were filled with packets of crayons.
Next we were worried as to how to sell what we made in an unauthorized manner. Sumanapala and I decided to take the crayons we made, show them to some Ministers. We showed the crayons to the Minister for Industries Mr Subasinghe who was highly taken up and he agreed to, open sales. We hurried back and staged a public meeting where he made the first sale. We then sold the crayons far and wide in Sri Lanka.
We approached Small Industries for a foreign exchange allocation to import dyes. We were refused. We were buying dyes in the open market at high prices.
Two years earlier I was a Deputy Director of Small Industry and would have cherished the idea of a cooperative making anything imported. That problem was surmounted in a peculiar manner.
We showed the crayons to Minister Illangaratne who was so highly taken up that he ordered the Controller of Imports to stop the import of crayons. He even wanted me to set up a crayon factory in his electorate Kolonnawa to which I had to agree.
Coop crayon won the day and was sold in the entire Sri Lanka till 1977, when President Jayawardena ordered all industries established by the earlier government to be stopped. That was actually an order by the IMF which had to be obeyed if we were to get loans from the IMF .
Later on in 1981, when I was working in Bangladesh as a Consultant I met A T, Ariyatne who had once worked as the Commissioner of Cooperatives in Sri Lanka and when I told him that I had been the GA at Matara told me that he was summoned by President JR Jayawardena and told to proceed to Morawaka and somehow find some reason to take action against Sumanapala Dahanayake who was the President of the Morawaka Coop union that made coop crayon. He said that he spent three full days auditing Coop Crayon books and found them in proper order and had to report that Coop Crayon was well run and every book was maintained perfect.
However the open market being introduced in 1977 saw to it that Coop Crayon was closed down
To our Hon President.
Sir, This is one of the industries that I established in Sri Lanka using the powers of a G.A. Sir, you are today the President of Sri Lanka. Please very kindly consider ordering a programme to make items that we import and thereby create employment for our youth and also save our foreign exchange. It will be ideal to have a successful employment creation industry in every District. .
Sir, please consider to approve such an industry creation programme to make things we import though I am in my Nineties, I will be there to assure you that such industries will be successful. This will also bring you a name for establishing industries, creating employment and saving valuable foreign exchange. The creation of a Viable industry in each District, will stand you in good stead. I can assure you of success.
I will ensure that it will be a great success and this will bring you great credit
Please kindly consider this request.
Garvin Karunaratne, Ph D. Michigan State University
G.A. Matara 1971-1973
garvin_karunaratne @hotmail.com
21/1/2026
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It is utmost important that Sti Lanka develops vocational training educational revolution to train our youngsters Proposed curriculum will help them students to get into a highly paid employment
IDMNC ADVANCED WELDING
ACADEMY GALLE
Proposed Refresher Training Program for Overseas Employment
7-Day Intensive Refresher Course in MMAW & FCAW
1. Program Title
Intensive Refresher Training Program in Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW) and Flux
Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
2. Program Objective
This short-term refresher program is designed to upgrade and standardize the practical welding
skills of experienced welders prior to screening and trade testing by foreign employers.
The program focuses on:
• Improving quality and consistency
• Enhancing positional welding skills
• Familiarizing candidates with international trade-test conditions
• Reducing common causes of rejection during overseas screening
The syllabus is benchmarked against internationally accepted welding training references,
including the AWS Welding Handbook (Volumes 1 & 2) and Welding Principles and
Applications.
3. Target Group
• Experienced welders (local or returnee)
• NVQ Level 3 / 4 welders or equivalent industry experience
• Candidates nominated by foreign employment agencies4. Course Duration
07 Days (Intensive)
Daily training duration: 6–7 hours per day
Mode: Theory + Hands-on Practical Training
5. Welding Processes Covered
• Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW / SMAW)
• Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
6. Detailed Course Syllabus
DAY 1 – Welding Safety, Fundamentals & Trade-Test Orientation
Theory
• Welding safety and health hazards (electrical, arc radiation, fumes, fire)
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements for overseas worksites
• Welding symbols and basic fabrication drawing interpretation
• Overview of overseas welder trade tests:
o Plate vs pipe tests
o Welding positions (PA, PB, PC, PF / 1G–3G–5G)
o Typical acceptance and rejection criteria
Practical
• Familiarization with MMAW and FCAW equipment
• Machine setting verification
• Arc striking techniques and bead appearance standards
DAY 2 – MMAW Fundamentals & Fillet Welding
Theory
• Principles of MMAW
• Welding current, polarity, and heat input control
• Electrode classification and applications:
o Rutile electrodes (E6013)
o Basic electrodes (E7018)
• Electrode storage, handling, and moisture control
Practical
• Fillet welds in:
o PA (Flat) positiono PB (Horizontal-Vertical) position
• Slag removal and bead profile improvement
DAY 3 – MMAW Groove Welds & Positional Welding
Theory
• Joint preparation and root gap control
• Causes of common MMAW welding defects
Practical
• Butt welds in:
o PC (Horizontal) position
o PF (Vertical Up) position
• Multi-pass welding techniques
• Identification and correction of defects:
o Lack of fusion
o Undercut
o Slag inclusion
DAY 4 – FCAW Fundamentals & Fillet Welding
Theory
• Principles of Flux Cored Arc Welding
• Differences between FCAW and GMAW
• Flux-cored wire classifications
• Gas-shielded vs self-shielded FCAW
• Parameter selection:
o Voltage
o Wire feed speed
o Travel speed
Practical
• FCAW fillet welds in:
o PA (Flat) position
o PB (Horizontal-Vertical) position
• Spatter control and bead shape optimisation
DAY 5 – FCAW Groove Welds & Vertical Welding
Practical
• FCAW butt welds in:o PC (Horizontal) position
o PF (Vertical Up) position
• Heat input and inter-pass temperature control
• Inter-pass cleaning discipline
• Productivity vs quality balance for trade tests
DAY 6 – Weld Quality, Inspection & Repair
Theory
• Visual inspection criteria for weld acceptance
• Common causes of overseas trade-test rejection
• Introduction to Non-Destructive Testing (NDT):
o Radiographic Testing (RT) – awareness
o Ultrasonic Testing (UT) – awareness
o Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) – awareness
Practical
• Weld defect repair techniques
• Time-controlled welding practice under inspection conditions
DAY 7 – Mock Trade Test & Performance Assessment
Assessment
• Simulated foreign employer trade test:
o One MMAW test coupon
o One FCAW test coupon
• Welding performed under strict time limits
• Visual inspection and quality evaluation
Feedback
• Individual performance feedback
• Assessment of readiness for overseas screening
7. Training Methodology
• Short classroom lectures
• Demonstrations by instructors
• Intensive hands-on practical welding
• Continuous supervision and feedback
• Mock trade testing under realistic conditions
8. OutcomeUpon completion of the program, participants will:
• Demonstrate improved weld quality and positional welding skills
• Be familiar with overseas trade-test expectations
• Be better prepared for foreign employer screening
A training completion letter may be issued upon request (this is not a certification or
IN the Fifth Century we built Yodha Ela at a gradient of five inches in a mile. Today,we are begging for dollars from the IMF. Our leaders were fooled by the IMF and we that were never in Debt, got weaned to live on loans. Our leaders are urged to put an end to this nonsense.
The Rajatarangani, an Indian Chronicle tells us that we sent irrigation engineers to Kashmir. The Yodha Ela the marvel irrigation channel that brings water from Kalaweva to Anuradhapura on a delicately marked meandering route, collecting water from 66 mini catchments while it feeds water to 120 small wevas, following topographical contours”. meanders along with a single bund, using the natural lay out of the land as its second bund, thereby also providing water seepage and prosperity to the entirety of the Eppawala Area- a marvel in irrigation engineering, a precison in irrigation construction which defies the irrigation engineers of today.,
Once way back in 1963 as the Assistant Commissioner of Agrarian Services in the Anuradhapura District, I presided over the Kanna Meeting of all proprietors and farmers,in the Talawa Eppawela Area. Easily over 200 of them were belligerent, clamouring that the water from the Yodha Ela never flowed in time. The farmers were even about to manhandle the irrigation engineers. I was with them as I had repeatedly inspected and found that the water never flowed in time. With little knowledge of irrigation- a bright idea struck me. I told the gathering of a posse of irrigation engineers led by a Senior Divisional Engineer; I will provide funds, put a concrete base for the entire Yodha Ela so that the water will go to every tank in time.”. There was a deafeaning silence. The engineers did not reply, but were mumbling amongst themeselves for a while. Finally the Divisional Irrigation Engineer spoke. We cannot provide a concrete base as the gradient is as low as six inches in a mile- a gradient of six inches in over fifty thousand inches.” It was an unexpected answer. How do you do repairs on the Yodha Ela now”, I quipped. Out came the answer: We take a very small section of the Yodha Ela at a time. Never any long length. ”. In short the most precision instruments of today cannot make a channel at the gradient our irrigation engineers built Elas in the Fifth Century.
Recently I came to know another marvel feature- The Yodha Ela has only one bund. The distance from KalaWeva to Anuradhapura as a crow flies is only thirty seven kilometers. but the Yodha Ela meanders along the topographical contours a distance of 87 kilometers. The Yodha Ela uses the natural terrain as the second bund and enriches the terrain with water that has resulted in the luxurious growth in the entirety of the Eppawela basin, while taking water to the tanks to Tissa Weva in the City of Anuradhapura. Though I had built irrigation channels over short distances in my minor irrigation repair works , and due to interest have seen and carefully looked at canals taking masses of water of water all over California, converting a desert into a luxurious land I could not believe of an Ela that has only one bund. My curiosity made me proceed to see this wonder of a single bund Ela(canal)
On 23 th January 2024 I travelled in a small car a Nano from Colombo to Kekirawa and took the Mahailluppalama – Eppawela Road, purposely to see for myself this single bund marvel. I came across the Yodha Ela crossing the main road at Kunci Kulama Junction and as the bund of the canal looked good- a firm jeep track, I got our driver Siri to turn our car onto the bund. The bund was , very narrow with the deep water rushing on a side and a second thought flashed that we were in severe danger if the car falters. We proceeded forward as reversing would be more difficult. Siri drove with great care, but it could turn into a calamity if the bund was severely eroded. Generally I took over the wheel when escorting the Prime Minister Dudley when I was in Kegalla. But Siri was a good driver. I observed that there was never a bund on the other side. It was normal land, with trees and shrubs. We drove on this bund- eroded at places for over three to four miles upto a place where we came across the road to Tirappane crossing the Canal. The Yodha Ela crossed the road and continued, with its single bund. We drove on the road and in around 400 yards came to Ipalogama Village . Going towards Anuradhapura we came across the Yodha Ela again crossing the main road and observed again that the Ela had only a single bund. Driving along the narrow bund was extremely dangerous as the Yodha Ela water was rushing on a side and had there been a tyre burst, there was the chance of our car and all of us being drowned in the deep raging waters. However we dared to tell the tale of Yodha Ela, the single bund marvel that feeds the mouth of many a farmer in Anuradhapura.
Under the Mahaweli Development Programme a small section of this Yodha Ela was taken and a straight canal with two bunds was built. Replaced a section of the Yodha Ela with rapid and high discharge straight channel,” but it was a total disaster as revealed:
It is clear that the ancient YE has been constructed with detailed technical information controlling natural slopes, drainage divides, sedimentation, flow properties and sustainability. The method is properly drafted with unknown technical maneuverability. The modern engineering practices completely obliterated the natural flow mechanism embanking the flow both on the surface and within the subsurface. Considering other areas consist of similar YE remnants may be indicative of serving the same purpose so that YE is a technical mechanism established in the ancient hydraulic regime to supply sustainable water satisfying geoenvironmental conditions in the dry flat areas of Sri Lanka.” ( From:Does the ancient Yoda Ela in Sri Lanka represent a technical innovation of hydraulic engineers? A geoenvironmental appraisal R. D. D. P. Rathnayake, H. A. H. Jayasena )
All this tells me that our irrigation engineers did wonders. I have seen, passed by many canals in Sri Lanka. In India and the United States but every canal I saw had two bunds.
The function of the Yodha Ela was not to take water only, but to saturate the entire area with water and therein lies the secret for the luscious growth in the entire terrain from Kalaweva to Anuradhapura.
If the new YodhaEla diversion built by the Mahaweli Engineers in the Seventies, on a section of the Yodha Ela , which must be an eyesore and also a serious blot on the knowledge of the irrigation engineers, has not been totally removed and the original Yodha Ela restored fully, action may please be taken to remove it totally to enable the Original single bund Yodha Ela to serve the farmers. This seems held in secrecy. I would request any of my readers who live in that messed up area or anyone knowing anything about the Mahaweli misadventure on the Yodha Ela to please e mail me details.
Zhou Enlai was one of the most iconic figures of the Chinese Communist revolution — diplomat, premier, strategist, and the man who kept Mao Zedong’s state functioning for decades. But behind the polished image was a darker truth: Zhou spent his entire political life trapped between loyalty to a dictator and knowledge that could get him killed. As Mao’s purges, paranoia, and political storms intensified, Zhou became both indispensable and endangered. Drawing from historians such as Ezra Vogel, Rana Mitter, Jonathan Spence, Roderick MacFarquhar, and Frank Dikötter, this documentary exposes the internal struggle of the man who managed foreign policy, protected victims in secret, and watched China burn under Mao’s campaigns. From the early revolution and the founding of the PRC to the Cultural Revolution and Zhou’s final illness, this episode reveals how the loyal premier” became a prisoner of the very system he helped build. This is the story of Mao’s most loyal servant — a man who knew everything, saved millions, and still could not save himself.
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I beg every Republican official to take a moment and ask themselves:
Am I truly living up to my oath of office to defend and protect the Constitution?
Am I upholding America’s democracy and freedoms for which millions have perished to protect?
Am I fighting for what’s right, opposing what’s wrong, and embracing what’s morally virtuous?
Am I elevating my homeland’s well-being above my own aspirations and my treasured dreams?
Are there 10 honest Republican members of Congress who can say, yes, I have lived up to these ideals and values?
I dare say no.
There aren’t even 10 courageous Republicans who have risen to sound the perilous alarm. They continue to support a lawless, delusional president who is cynically and absurdly tearing this country apart under the guise of Making America Great Again.”
I ask every Republican official: How on earth are Trump’s horrifically misguided executive orders and policy initiatives making America great again, or putting America first? We are witnessing in real time the unravelling of America’s ideals, values, and moral principles, but Republican leaders remained numb, busy protecting their careers, while Trump is ravaging the domestic and international scene by:
Domestically
Dispatching ICE with no restraint, waging a brutal onslaught on immigrants, with no due process, terrorizing communities, and instilling a deep sense of fear and insecurity.
Cutting Medicaid coverage by $900 million, which will greatly impact recipients, nearly 50 percent of whom are children. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 10 million more people will be uninsured by 2034 due to the cuts.
Launching chaotic trade wars, raising consumer prices, squeezing farmers and manufacturers, while failing to revive industrial heartlands.
Deploying prosecutors against political enemies,” chilling dissent, corroding equal justice, normalizing retaliatory investigations, and edging the justice system toward authoritarian loyalty over law.
Smearing independent media, spreading disinformation, encouraging harassment of journalists, shrinking trusted news space, and conditioning reporters to reject inconvenient facts.
Stripping anti-discrimination safeguards, green-lighting harassment, and pushing LGBTQ people back into vulnerability and stigma.
Gutting civil rights enforcement in schools, abandoning marginalized students to unchecked discrimination, and deepening educational inequality nationwide.
Locking in regressive tax breaks, swelling federal debt, supercharging inequality, constraining future social investment, and anchoring policy around the wealthy and large corporations.
Sowing lies about voter fraud, inciting efforts to overturn election results, encouraging intimidation of officials, and degrading public faith in democratic elections and transfer of power.
Internationally
Slapping punitive tariffs on key allies, weaponizing trade, fracturing Western unity, and driving partners to hedge trade toward rival powers, especially China, and destabilizing global supply chains.
Slashing foreign aid, including USAID and development programs, weakening global health systems, fueling instability and migration, ceding influence to rivals, and eroding US soft power and moral authority.
Threatening NATO cohesion, bullying allies, and dangling abandonment of NATO’s Article 5, playing into the hands of America’s foremost adversaries, Russia—precisely the outcome Putin was hoping and waiting for—weakening NATO’s unity, and shaking confidence in US security guarantees.
Tying NATO and Arctic security to a coercive takeover of Greenland, justifying it by the fact that he was not given the Nobel Peace Prize, while destabilizing the alliance’s legal and territorial integrity.
Embracing America First” unilateralism, sidelining multilateral institutions, normalizing policy by ultimatum, and signaling that US commitments are transactional and even reversible.
Denigrating democratic allies while praising authoritarian leaders like Putin, supporting right-wing parties in Europe, and delegitimizing liberalism.
Launching a resource-driven intervention, invading Venezuela to control its oil, threatening the sovereignty of other Latin American states, and pursuing regime change over multilateral diplomacy.
Providing unwavering diplomatic cover and military backing to Israel, ignoring its genocide, enabling siege tactics and famine, and undermining international law.
Are there 10 Republican Lawmakers with a Spine?
When I landed in the US more than 50 years ago, I said to myself, with joyful tears, “This is the promised land, here is where I will realize the American dream.” For me, this glorious nation was the true light unto all others, the most noble experiment in democracy and freedom in human history.
With all its mistakes and misadventures, America was unrivaled, compassionate and caring, with millions upon millions the world over, yearning to experience the American dream.
Now, as I witness the calamitous upheaval that Trump is wreaking on this magnificent country, my heart sinks, murmuring no, this can’t be; are we at the precipice of the fall of the American empire?
Trump would have never been able to violate the Constitution and sow domestic and foreign chaos to the detriment of this nation without the muted acquiescence of the majority of Republicans. Like blind sheep, they followed a hallucinating shepherd who had long since lost his way.
However, there are clear signs of fissures among Republican lawmakers who are terrified of what may come next from an unhinged President.
Are there 10 Republicans among them who would rise, put their careers on the line, and impede, if not stop, Trump’s cataclysmic destruction of everything this nation stands for, to save America?
____________
Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations, most recently at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.
Colombo, January 2026 — The Sri Lankan land market maintained solid growth in 2025, with Colombo suburbs and Western Province districts emerging as key drivers, according to the latest Land Price Index (LPI) 2025 (updated), published by LankaPropertyWeb (LPW). The 2025 index shows that Colombo 1–15 recorded a 4% year-on-year increase in average land prices per perch, reaching LKR 12 Mn, while Colombo suburban areas saw stronger growth of 8%, averaging LKR 2.3 Mn per perch. In the broader Western Province, the Gampaha District average land price per perch rose 15% to LKR 769,097, whereas the Kalutara District gained 10%, reaching LKR 486,396.
Suburban and Emerging Areas Lead Price Growth
The report highlights a clear shift in investor interest toward suburbs and emerging towns offering strong development potential and affordability. The recent rise in land prices has been largely fueled by new residential projects, ongoing land sales projects, and improvements in local infrastructure over the past few years.Yakkala in Gampaha emerged as a standout performer with prices rising 35% to LKR 831,015 per perch, closely followed by Homagama in Colombo suburbs at LKR 916,912 per perch reflecting a similar 35% increase, attracting investors looking for residential land for sale in these suburbs. Negombo in Gampaha recorded a 35% rise to LKR 1,561,925, while Bandaragama in Kalutara grew 34% to LKR 545,533. In Colombo’s suburban belt, Piliyandala posted a 30% growth to LKR 1,222,181 per perch, and Kaduwela, Pannipitiya, Moratuwa, and Nugegoda all experienced gains above 25%, reflecting sustained investor demand.
The 2025 LPI data indicates that price appreciation has been strongest in areas connected to urban infrastructure improvements and new development projects. Central Colombo areas showed more restrained growth, with Colombo 10 rising 25% to LKR 14,589,277 per perch and Colombo 4 increasing 17% to LKR 18,870,504, while areas such as Colombo 6 and Colombo 13 experienced minimal gains.
(Insert 2024/25 Year Asking Price Change Map here)
Long-Term Growth Trends Highlight High Returns in Suburbs
Looking at longer-term trends from 2020 to 2025, several locations outside main cities have seen remarkable appreciation. Ingiriya in Kalutara topped the five-year growth chart, with the average land price per perch rising 322% to LKR 344,850. Padukka in Colombo suburbs followed with a 221% increase to LKR 387,628, while Ragama in Gampaha grew 183% to LKR 1,121,599. Dompe, also in Gampaha, recorded a 143% rise to LKR 289,250 per perch, and Bandaragama in Kalutara appreciated 130% to LKR 545,533. Other high-performing suburban areas include Moratuwa, Kaduwela, Piliyandala, and Hokandara, all demonstrating strong cumulative gains over the past five years, highlighting the growing attractiveness of affordable land for sale in the suburbs.
According to LPW, this upward trend reflects a shift in buyer preference toward well-connected, affordable suburbs with strong development prospects. Investors are focusing on areas that combine accessibility with value, driving robust growth in Gampaha, Kalutara, and Colombo’s suburban belt,” the report noted.
(Insert 5-Year Asking Price Change Map here)
About the LPI
This index captures annual changes in land prices across Western Province. Publicly available average asking prices for bare land published on LPW and other online media were used in the analysis. The Land Price Index considers 2017 as the base year (indexed at 100), and the 2025 update reflects comparisons with 2024 averages. The Price Index has been updated in 2025 with average prices taken for a calendar year, rather than Q1 to Q1 as done previously. Investors can also explore opportunities in various areas, including listings for land for sale in Western Province. Prices within specific areas may vary depending on proximity to main roads, junctions, and other locational factors. For accurate prices in your neighborhood, users are encouraged to check property listings on LPW or consult a registered valuer.
Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated she is prepared to step down from the position of Prime Minister once the people of the country decide that a change is necessary.
The Prime Minister, who attended the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, returned to the island this morning (23).
She made these remarks after arriving at Parliament this afternoon to participate in the parliamentary debate.
Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister Harini said:
They failed to remove the President. Then they tried to at least attempt to remove the Prime Minister. Where is it? I came running this morning prepared to face the no-confidence motion. I am still waiting for it. Won’t it be brought? We were ready.”
She further said that there is no need to bring a no-confidence motion. When the people of this country decide that the Prime Minister must change, we are ready to go home. We are accountable to the people of this country, and we will continue to work accordingly.”
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Before continuing, please let me correct a serious error (a senior moment, a senile memory slip) that occurred in Part I, while updating an earlier piece of writing; in paragraph five their of, I went on the presumption that KD’s predictions were meant to apply to the (still hypothetical) 2029 presidential election, whereas he was actually writing at the beginning of June 2024 about the presidential polls already scheduled for September the same year. I humbly beg the readers’ forgiveness over this lapse. The following paragraph, I hope, will clear away the confusion caused by my wrong presumption (pun intended):
In the old Sunday Island feature, Kumar David predicted that, at the upcoming presidential polls (slated to be held in September 2024), the battle would be between Ranil and Anura with ‘Sajith wailing in the wilderness’, while ‘the utterly hopeless SLFP and SLPP will find refuge with Ranil Wickremasinghe’ (as he put it), which meant that Kumar David left Namal (Rajapaksa) out of the scenario that he foresaw, because he probably thought that Namal wouldn’t be fielded at all for fear of sure defeat. But, as it turned out, Namal had to enter the fray to avoid total parliamentary obliteration of the SLPP. As for KD, prophesying at the beginning of June 2024, he was trying wishfully to discern emerging signs of such a pre-poll division of political loyalties that would be advantageous to Ranil Wickremasinghe (the alleged kingpin of the 2015 regime change operation to which Kumar David made available his strategic intellectual contribution).
Part I concluded with:
It is only KD’s ingrained anti-Sinhalese Buddhist prejudice that has instilled such ideas into his hate filled mind. KD adds that the ‘import of his (Lalkantha’s) words is that ‘the JVP-NPP is going to be identified at the polls as a Sinhala party and this will have consequences. Will it draw the already radicalised Sinhala-Buddhist youth in larger numbers into the JVP camp or will it damage the JVP’s image? Time will show.’ What balderdash is this? If the JVP cannot attract anti-extremist peaceful Sinhalese Buddhist youth (those that the prejudiced call ‘radicalised’) and their counterparts in other communities into its fold, will it survive in politics, let alone save its image?
Part II starts here:
So, it is clear that Kumar David called Lalkantha a buffalo because the latter did not seem to agree with the Tamil separatists’ false claim that the Sri Lankan government forces were fighting against Tamil civilians, and that the separatists were their saviours. Some sympathisers of the separatist ideology among the Tamil diaspora have propagated the same conscious lie abroad, especially in the powerful Western countries, where unprincipled local politicians exploit it for winning support among immigrant Tamil voters. Traditionally communalistic minority politicians of the older generation in Sri Lanka also resort to vote-bank politics; of course, there are honourable exceptions, but they fail to get into parliament in spite of their honesty and patriotism. In the case of politicians from the majority community, vote-bank politics comes in the form of political correctness (in the use of language and formulation of policies) towards minority voters. In the end, it is the truly patriotic nationalist politicians (irrespective of their individual racial or religious identity) who are accused of playing vote-bank politics by allegedly succumbing to the whims of the majority community when such politicians make an attempt to address their genuine grievances such as the problem of resettling the war-displaced Sinhalese in the north and east provinces, preservation of the Buddhist archaeological sites scattered throughout those areas, and the restoration of the basic human rights of the war-orphaned original Sinhalese inhabitants in isolated villages in the Batticaloa district.
In my reply to ‘Quo vadis?’ I asked the rhetorical question to KD: ‘Where are these ‘radicalised Sinhala-Buddhist youth?’ and went on to drive home the point: ‘There are none, as you know in your heart of hearts. Why don’t you dare even hint at the confirmed existence of internationally known radicalised youth belonging to certain fundamentalist sects, who have actually caused unspeakable unprovoked terrorist violence within Sri Lanka? Why do you level false allegations of violent extremism against innocent Sinhalese Buddhist youth? Actually, the false ‘radicalised’ label was stuck on some young peaceful Sinhalese Buddhist activists who warned against early signs of the emergence of some extremist Islamist groups whose activities eventually culminated in the April 21, 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.
In my reply I pointed out that ‘the JVP-NPP is not a Sinhalese only party or alliance, but like any major pan-Sri Lankan national party, it has a majority of ethnic Sinhalese in its ranks as they form the majority of the total Sri Lankan population. But its leaders have already alienated the Sinhalese Buddhist voters by making inane utterances smacking of anti-nationalist prejudice in the hope of winning the approval of foreign interventionist forces and the minorities that they offer to look after as alleged victims of ‘Sinhalese Buddhist majoritarianism’ which is a malicious false fabrication against a hapless global minority. Only race- or religion-based parties have members who exclusively belong to a specific religious or racial group. It was not necessary to mention examples as these were well known to KD and our readers.
KD had made another interesting revelation: ‘The monks went on an expedition to Europe and the US, sought out Tamil links such as the Global Tamil Forum and others and initiated a dialogue. The initiative is now in motion and grass-roots activities are in full swing. Important figures like Karu Jayasuriya (former Speaker), Austin Fernando, Sarvodaya, Jehan Perera’s National Peace Council and Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu’s CPA are involved. Branches have been established in many localities and an active movement is in full swing.’ So, is that why the Justin Trudeau government declared an utterly baseless Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week in 2024 and Canada has been issuing statements bullying Sri Lanka with egregious lies about human rights violations, communal attacks on innocent Tamils, etc., without any credible, transparent investigations. Was this ‘initiative’ also KD’s like his ‘single issue candidate’ stratagem of late 2014, which has brought the country to this sorry pass today? Former Sri Lankan foreign affairs minister Ali Sabry correctly characterised such treacherous anti-Sri lanka gimmicks as being prompted by sought-after domestic vote bank benefits in that country.
Who were these monks who went on an expedition to Europe and the US, seeking to establish links with the GTF and other Tamil organisations? They were probably from the Jatika Bhikshu Peramuna allied to the JVP (Janatha Vimukti Peramuna). The young monk who talked in support of demolishing Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya in Kankesanturai must be from this group.?
They are not very different from the fraternity of yellow-robed Buddhist monk impersonators to which sixty-four year old Saman Ratnayake (a wanted crime suspect according to social media reports) who has found asylum in Norway posing as Cleppe Ariyamagga Thero or the eighty-two year old retired Dept of Agriculture statistical officer Sirisena Hapuarachchi with an embezzling history who has assumed robes in old age as Meewanapalane Siridhammalankara belong to? The first of these is propagating a fictitious history of Buddhism according to which Gautama Buddha was born, attained Buddhahood, preached and died in Sri Lanka; the second has declared himself to be a Buddha and misleads gullible Buddhists with a wrong interpretation of the Tripitaka which is in the Pali language, himself having no knowledge of that language. (I gathered this information from social media sources, which may or may not be available now) Their activities seem to be lavishly funded by foreign donors. Eighty-four year old Karu Jayasuriya (former Speaker mentioned above) seems to be his main backer, who protects him from protests and challenges by concerned Buddhists, though he knows that he has already been expelled from the nikaya he had joined at some obscure Buddhist monastery. The activities of these two imposters and several monks who became their followers have already caused divisions within the Sangha community and the Buddhist laity, which are very harmful to the Buddha Sasana.
I have no comment to make on KD’s proposals about identifying and advancing national economic goals (as I know little about political economics), except that his ideas might be expected to give a boost to the president’s authoritarian national assets selling economic policies, which are meeting strong opposition from nationalist patriots of all communities.
KD added a maliciously false, hateful NOTE at the end, which needed a comment:
“The absolute core Sinhala vote in the country is the infamous 69 lakhs”; maybe 70 now by natural increase. I reckon that the minorities – Ceylon Tamils, Upcountry Tamils, Muslims and Catholics – are about one third of the core Sinhala vote. That is (1/3) x70 about 23 lakhs. This is why I reckon that RW is making a play for a clear majority of this 23-lakhs in the presidential poll’. This could be a deliberate ploy that KD slily suggests for the UNP and the non-Sinhalese communalist parties led by racists and religious opportunists to use, persuading them to form into a common alliance against the majority community at the polls (as it mostly happened even in 2019 and 2020 elections, despite the urgent and genuine appeals of the nationalist leaders to the contrary; their eventual betrayal of the victory achieved is a different story).
KD described what he called ‘the absolute Sinhala vote’ as “the infamous 69 lakhs”, and that this figure might be 70 then ‘by natural increase’! Could all the new voters of any specific ethnic community be expected to exactly follow their elders’ politics without any deviation? This was a shameless exhibition of his inexplicable visceral hatred of the Sinhalese in general. The hatred he inspired in the hearts of the young will poison the minds of generations to come. I ended my response to ‘Quo vadis?’ with: ‘This is not worthy of a venerable old man like you, Kumar David!’
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s despicable remark that the Sinhalese Buddhist pilgrims from the south who travel north passing Anuradhapura go to Tissa Viharaya, not to observe Sil, but to spread hatred against Tamils living there is not surprising. He is Kumar David’s buffalo’s comrade. Both were beneficiaries of KD’s mentoring.
Concluded
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