Features

Supreme court nudges govt., to democracy

Published

3 years ago

2023/03/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Supreme court

By Jehan Perera

The economy is beginning to give indications of macro stability which President Ranil Wickremesinghe has made his primary objective. The most visible of these is the appreciation of the rupee against the dollar and other international currencies which signals a shift from the previous trend of depreciation. Over the past year the cost of the dollar rose by as much as 80 percent in the official exchange rate and even more on the black market. The current appreciation of the rupee is attributed to the rise in foreign exchange earnings including the upswing in tourism. But it is still contingent upon import controls and also non-repayment of foreign debt due to the declaration of bankruptcy.

The confirmation by government authorities that the much-delayed IMF loan facility of USD 2.9 billion will be finally coming through would be a confidence booster. This is in addition to the forthcoming USD 400 million currency swap with the World Bank. These are all indicators of a positive outlook for the economy. It suggests that the government’s economic strategy to regain macro stability is working to the country’s benefit. However, the government needs to bear in mind that the recovery of the macro economy needs to benefit the population at large and not be monopolised by the high-income segment within it. There is a need to initiate a sustainable system of economic recovery based on indigenous inputs and outputs. The plan is yet to be revealed.

A good society and economic plan to attain it would be one that protects the least in it. This weekend I attended a funeral. The person who had died looked more than 80-years -old. But the real age was 63. The cause of death was cancer. The tragedy was that when the cancer was first detected there was no chemotherapy drugs in the government cancer hospital which primarily serves those who are economically less resourced. According to the dead person’s family, the patient was strong and could have coped with the chemotherapy at the outset of the disease. When the chemotherapy drugs became available several months later the patient had been weakened by the cancer which had also spread. The patient’s weakened body could no longer cope with the strong medicine. The family has to bear the loss.

LANDMARK JUDGEMENT

The reluctance of the government to conduct local government elections at this time becomes clear. It is aware that there are countless stories like the one recounted above. The government would rather go to the polls after showing the people more substantial signs of economic recovery which will benefit them. Most of the voters are poorer rather than richer, and are likely to want to vote against a government that has an economic policy in which the costs are borne by the poorer rather than the richer. The government has therefore preferred to offer the people free rice for Rs 10 billion rather than spend that amount on financing the local government elections. There is a need to get away from the culture of dependence on government patronage to empower people to earn their own living. The date fixed by the Election Commission, March 9, was too soon and so the government ensured that the elections would be postponed.

Last week, the Supreme Court issued an interim order in which the Finance Secretary and the Attorney General were directed not to withhold the funds allocated for election purposes under the 2023 budget. This court ruling would provide the government with a face saving way in which to back off from its stance that the local government elections would not be held at this time or anytime soon. The Finance Ministry has immediately issued a statement that the government would release the necessary financial allocations to enable the elections to be held. The course is now clear for the government to heed the decision of the Election Commission with regard to the new date for elections. The Elections Commission has stated that it would consult with a number of stakeholders before fixing the new date.

In making this landmark judgement, the Supreme Court has had the benefit of a similar decision being taken by the Supreme Court of Pakistan where a similar issue has to be addressed. In Pakistan the government claimed that the provincial elections could not be held due to the lack of financial resources. The Supreme Court in Pakistan set a deadline of 90 days from the date of dissolution of the provincial assemblies for the elections to take place. There was the concern in Pakistan, as there is in Sri Lanka, that permitting a government to postpone elections citing lack of funds will set a dangerous precedent. As developing countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka constantly face a shortage of financial resources, this justification could be used at any time to postpone an election that the government feels it might lose.

It is interesting that in both countries the elections to be held are not parliamentary elections but elections at the sub-national level. Although permitted to slip out of public consciousness, provincial elections have been postponed in Sri Lanka for more than four years. In both countries there is the concern that a heavy electoral loss by the government would lead to a demand for early parliamentary elections even if they are not legally due. Unlike the local government elections which are legally due to be held at the present time, the parliamentary elections are not due for more than two years. This would account for President Ranil Wickremesinghe being quick to assert that the government cannot be changed by an unfavorable verdict at a local government election, but only by a parliamentary election.

PRESIDENT’S OPTIONS

Due to the economic hardships that the people have been facing over the past year, there is the likelihood of the government facing a severe election defeat at the present time. Although the legal position is that parliamentary elections are only due in another two and a half years, a government defeat at the local government elections is likely to lead to a demand from the opposition political parties for it to step down and this could lead to protests on the streets. This concern has prompted the president to say that “It is important to note that any changes to the government must be made through the proper channels, such as a parliamentary election. The streets are not an option for the parliament, and any attempt to subvert the established process would be a violation of Sri Lanka’s constitution and the rule of law.”

The President’s statement that only parliamentary elections can change the government is an early warning that he will not call for early parliamentary elections even if the ruling party performs poorly at the local government elections. There are examples from the past when governments that have lost local government elections badly have not collapsed but have continued in power until the next parliamentary election falls legally due. In February 2018, the government lost the local government elections badly. However, the government continued in power for the full duration of the parliamentary term and elections were held only in August 2020. At those elections the government experienced a severe drubbing as was expected. On this occasion too, the government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe appears determined to stay on in power till the very end of their respective terms.

The challenge to the government would be to avoid the fate of the government that lost the February 2018 elections. The present situation is one in which President Wickremesinghe wields a maximum of power unlike in 2018 when he was only prime minister. As the parliamentary term has now passed the halfway mark at two and a half years, the president has become empowered to dissolve parliament at his will. The ruling party members of parliament are likely to be subservient to the president as they would not wish him to dissolve parliament and subject them to an election at this time which they are likely to lose. Therefore, the president has the opportunity to impose his authority on the two areas he has set his mind—the recovery of the Sri Lankan economy (being mindful of those neglected like the cancer patient) and the resolution of the country’s ethnic conflict and obtain the support of the parliamentary majority.

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Features

Proactive peacemaking becomes a paramount need

Published

14 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wasting wars: Some war-displaced people in Lebanon. BBC

It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.

As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.

However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.

The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.

However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.

A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.

There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.

At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.

When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.

Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.

As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.

However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.

However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.

The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.

Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.

Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.

Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.

It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.

In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.

The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.

This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.

Features

Dialog Brings Sri Lanka’s Largest Digital Vesak Experience to Matara

Published

14 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left to right: Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, and Lasantha Theverapperuma experience the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered VR tours.

Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.

One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.

Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.

Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.

Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.

Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”

Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”

Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.

Features

Beauty, elegance and talent…for women

Published

14 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.

According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.

Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.

With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.

The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026

A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.

Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.

The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.

Launching the first round of auditions

The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.