Features

More vignettes of prominent parliamentarians

Published

9 months ago

2025/03/23

Born April 29, 1935, Mr. Muttetuwegama served as a MP for over 12 years representing the Kalawana seat from the Communist Party from 1970 to 1981. Sarath began his Parliamentary career in 1970.

A bright young Attorney- at- Law representing the Communist Party, he spoke so eloquently on many subjects and contributed very much to debates on Law and Justice. He was known for his eloquence in debate, being equally proficient in English and Sinhalese.

He married Manouri who was Dr. Colvin R. de Silva’s elder daughter. I recall him being a thorough gentleman, politely knocking on my office door and asking me if he could enter. I became very close to him and told him he need not do all that and to just walk in as 1 so enjoyed chatting with him on personal and political matters.

He hailed from an aristocratic family in Kuruwita and his father was very well respected Rate Mahattaya in that area. The story goes that one of Sarath’s constituents had come to his father’s ancestral waluwwa and asked his father “Can I meet Sarath sahodaraya (comrade)?”. The annoyed father had retorted, “Umbata kohomada yako magey putha sahodaraya wenne? (“How the hell can you be my son’s brother?”).

He had set such a high benchmark with his sheer eloquence in speech I had the privilege of choosing him to be a speaker along with President J.R. Jayewardene when the latter opened the new Parliamentary complex building at Kotte. As usual he made a brilliant speech and was complimented by the President himself, before being invited to join him for lunch after the event.

Very sadly he met an untimely death crashing against a tree while driving his vehicle near Ratnapura. I attended the funeral of a dear friend and eminent Parliamentarian and continued to be in close touch with his wife Manouri, who passed away some years later. His daughter Ramani has been recognized as a human rights activist, being appointed a member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, an astute lawyer. She is also a close friend of my daughter from her days at Ladies College.

Anura Dias Bandaranaike

Born February 15, 1949, Mr. Bandaranaike served Parliament for nearly 30 years from August 1977 to 2007 in the Second National State Assembly, First and Second Parliaments. He served as Leader of the Opposition, Minister of Higher Education and National Reconciliation. He also served as Speaker of Parliament for two years.

Since he entered Parliament, I was privileged to form a close association with him. Above all I respected and admired him for his sheer brilliance as a very eloquent and witty speaker. This was evident in all the contributions he made in Parliament. His oratory skills were best displayed when I called on him to speak on behalf of the Opposition when Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of UK, paid a ceremonial visit to Parliament to address the House after her historic visit to the Victoria Dam in Digana, Teldeniya. Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa who was out of the country had given the text of his speech to Minister Montague Jayawickrema who was the Leader of the House. But sadly, Minister Jayawickrema abandoned that speech and spoke on his own which did not go too well with the members.

It was then the turn for Anura, then Leader of the Opposition, to speak. He made a brilliant speech referring to the days he was a student at London University and how closely he followed Mrs. Thatcher’s speeches in the House of Commons and her great contribution to British politics earning for her the title of ‘Iron lady’. It was a speech delivered with warmth and affection; applauded by the entire House. I recall most members of the Government crossing over to Opposition benches to congratulate him and for saving the day for Parliament.

Many years later our paths crossed again after Anura was elected Speaker of Parliament. Soon after, then in retirement, I received a messages through his close friend Lajpat Wickramasinha that he wanted me to work for him as advisor, but I politely refused. Thereafter Anura himself rang me on four or five occasions insisting that I work with him as advisor saying he had even asked his mother, Mrs. Bandaranaike, who had readily agreed and that a cabinet paper was being presented to make provision for that post. Since I was fond of him and admired him as an eloquent speaker, I found it impossible to refuse his request and acceded to it. I had the great pleasure of working with him as long as he held the post of Speaker, but sadly only for a few years.

His medical advisor was a close friend of mine, Dr H.H.R. Samarasinghe who told me that as his liver was in a poor state and I should advise him to refrain from any form of alcohol. This I did talking very confidentially with him and he promised faithfully that he would abide by my request. I am so glad to say during that crucial period, he did so drinking a soda while I sipped a ginger beer.

The highlight of my association with him was the historic ruling given by him on June 20, 2001. A Supreme Court bench of three Judges had issued a Stay Order restraining the Speaker from appointing a select committee to inquire into the conduct of Chief Justice relating to a Motion of Impeachment.

I was abroad with my family when I got a message through our High Commission in Malaysia asking me to return to Colombo immediately, which I did.

With Anura we sought the advice of senior distinguished lawyer H.L. de Silva. We both visited him at his residence and spoke at length giving us his thoughts. On his advice, I drafted the Ruling. I got this historic ruling printed at his request and I still have a copy in which he wrote that if not for my help, this ruling would not have been possible. I was happy to be associated with him in this ruling which was printed as a booklet with his photo on the front cover and I had it sent to all Speakers of the Commonwealth parliaments as a historic decision of a Commonwealth Speaker reaffirming and upholding the supremacy of Parliament and that the Supreme Court had no power to interfere with the proceedings of Parliament. This decision is quoted even today in Parliament proceedings and I was privileged to have had a hand in it.

Anura was a gentle and kind host. All too often he invited me to his Geoffrey Bawa designed house in Rosmead Place. The house was full of memorabilia with books, pictures of his favourite film actors and directors. He was a great conversationalist and spoke of films, film stars, literature, and biographies. I enjoyed all these very much.

I was extremely sad over his untimely passing away. His body was brought to Parliament premises for all to pay their last respects .I was among the many who joined to mourn his passing and sympathized with his sisters Sunethra and Chandrika adding that I had lost the company of a great friend and gentleman.

Anandatissa de Alwis

Mr. De Alwis served Parliament from 1977 to December 1988 for over 11 years in the Second National Assembly and First Parliament. During his tenure he served as Minister of State and Minister of Information as well as being Speaker of the National State Assembly and Speaker of Parliament, and finally as a member of the Western Provincial Council.

When Anandatissa de Alwis entered Parliament, I recall him being appointed Speaker in August 1977. We found him to be a friendly and warm person. I and the staff took instantly to him. I recall telling him that he played a very special role in that it was the very first instance that a private sector business executive was chosen by Mr. JR Jayewardene to become the Permanent Secretary to JRJ’s Ministry of State, normally held by a senior public servant, when JR was miniser.

We welcomed him very warmly to our midst and he recounted stories of his family and how his dear wife was not too well. He soon endeared himself to the entire staff with his warm and friendly approach. It was great to work with him as Speaker and Head of Parliament.

It was at this time that President Jayewardene had decided that Parliament should be relocated elsewhere as the British period building housing the State Council could accommodate only 101 members. This had now increased to 157. So, there was not enough space. President Jayewardene had asked members of his party and Geoffrey Bawa to find a new location. When he did , Anandatissa de Alwis asked me to accompany him to see the site , popularly referred to as Duwa in Kotte.

A photograph of that model is still available in our Parliamentary records and was reproduced in a publication of the new administrative capital Sri Jayewardenepura done by the Urban Development Authority (UDA). It was quipped then that President Jayewardene had chosen this spot to perpetuate his own name.

As Parliament was about to shift from Galle Face to Kotte, I was overpowered by the size of the edifice of over 48,000 square feet. I told Anandatissa that I was not competent to handle the housekeeping of this huge building. He was very close to the Oberoi Hotel authorities. Thanks to him the entire house keeping staff had to work with a specially assigned Indian lady who supervised the work of our staff and did an excellent job being firm with them.

On April 26, 1982 at the auspicious time of 10.18 am President Jayewardene opened the new Parliamentary Complex. He and four others spoke on that historic occasion.

I was abroad when Anandatissa de Alwis passed away. The former De Alwis Advertising Agency he founded; I believe is still functioning today. He is remembered very fondly by the entire staff of Parliament.

Dr. NM Perera

Dr.N.M.Perera’s service to the Legislature commenced from the Second State Council in 1936 and continued for over 34 years in Parliament. It stretched from the Second State Council and continued from the First to the Seventh Parliament to the first National State Assembly in 1972. During his tenure, Dr.Perera was the Finance Minister and presented seven budgets in all to Parliament. These were the budgets starting from October 1970, and continuing in November 1971, 1972,1973, 1974, 1975 and the last one in November in 1976.

Dr. Perera will be remembered most for his competent performance as a Member of Parliament and most of all for his role as Minister of Finance during which he presented seven budgets in all. As a Parliamentarian he will be remembered for his absolute mastery of parliamentary procedure and eloquent speech. He had his undergraduate studies at the prestigious London School of Economics.

A few months after the 1978 Constitution (under JRJ) was promulgated, Dr.N.M.Perera wrote a short essay titled “A Critical Analysis of the 1978 Constitution.” In it he forecast some of the problems that would arise once the Constitution came into operation. It is so prescient and erudite of him to have forecast the problems that we are seeing today. That essay is often quoted when discussing the merits and demerits of the 1978 Constitution even at present.

I had the opportunity of accompanying Dr.N.M.Perera with a parliamentary delegation to West Germany with a few other MPs. I recall the reception given to him by the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Germany at the time. H.E. Glannie Pieris, I recall how Dr. N.M. asked for a particular brand of white wine which he had obviously enjoyed in his student days. At the reception accorded to us by the Sri Lanka Ambassador, I recall how many young ladies greeted him warmly and it was obvious some among them had known him for some years.

Dr. Perera was a student of the prestigious London School of Economics and received his doctorate from that University. That is how he came to be recognized as almost an authority on parliamentary procedure. Whenever he spoke on these issues, many listened to him with admiration and respect knowing these were the words of a person who was knowledgeable on the subject.

With his passing in 1979 , the country lost a dynamic leader but his predictions about the danger the country could face under the 1978 Constitution continue to be spoken of today all too often and quoted in Parliamentary debates and other discussions.

(Excerpted from Memories of 33 years in Parliament by Nihal Seneviratne)
Sarath Muttetuwegama

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Features

Race hate and the need to re-visit the ‘Clash of Civilizations’

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/25

Sahan Weerasooriya

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: ‘No to race hate’

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done very well to speak-up against and outlaw race hate in the immediate aftermath of the recent cold-blooded gunning down of several civilians on Australia’s Bondi Beach. The perpetrators of the violence are believed to be ardent practitioners of religious and race hate and it is commendable that the Australian authorities have lost no time in clearly and unambiguously stating their opposition to the dastardly crimes in question.

The Australian Prime Minister is on record as stating in this connection: ‘ New laws will target those who spread hate, division and radicalization. The Home Affairs Minister will also be given new powers to cancel or refuse visas for those who spread hate and a new taskforce will be set up to ensure the education system prevents, tackles and properly responds to antisemitism.’

It is this promptness and single-mindedness to defeat race hate and other forms identity-based animosities that are expected of democratic governments in particular world wide. For example, is Sri Lanka’s NPP government willing to follow the Australian example? To put the record straight, no past governments of Sri Lanka initiated concrete measures to stamp out the evil of race hate as well but the present Sri Lankan government which has pledged to end ethnic animosities needs to think and act vastly differently. Democratic and progressive opinion in Sri Lanka is waiting expectantly for the NPP government’ s positive response; ideally based on the Australian precedent to end race hate.

Meanwhile, it is apt to remember that inasmuch as those forces of terrorism that target white communities world wide need to be put down their counterpart forces among extremist whites need to be defeated as well. There could be no double standards on this divisive question of quashing race and religious hate, among democratic governments.

The question is invariably bound up with the matter of expeditiously and swiftly advancing democratic development in divided societies. To the extent to which a body politic is genuinely democratized, to the same degree would identity based animosities be effectively managed and even resolved once and for all. To the extent to which a society is deprived of democratic governance, correctly understood, to the same extent would it experience unmanageable identity-bred violence.

This has been Sri Lanka’s situation and generally it could be stated that it is to the degree to which Sri Lankan citizens are genuinely constitutionally empowered that the issue of race hate in their midst would prove manageable. Accordingly, democratic development is the pressing need.

While the dramatic blood-letting on Bondi Beach ought to have driven home to observers and commentators of world politics that the international community is yet to make any concrete progress in the direction of laying the basis for an end to identity-based extremism, the event should also impress on all concerned quarters that continued failure to address the matters at hand could prove fatal. The fact of the matter is that identity-based extremism is very much alive and well and that it could strike devastatingly at a time and place of its choosing.

It is yet premature for the commentator to agree with US political scientist Samuel P. Huntingdon that a ‘Clash of Civilizations’ is upon the world but events such as the Bondi Beach terror and the continuing abduction of scores of school girls by IS-related outfits, for instance, in Northern Africa are concrete evidence of the continuing pervasive presence of identity-based extremism in the global South.

As a matter of great interest it needs mentioning that the crumbling of the Cold War in the West in the early nineties of the last century and the explosive emergence of identity-based violence world wide around that time essentially impelled Huntingdon to propound the hypothesis that the world was seeing the emergence of a ‘Clash of Civilizations’. Basically, the latter phrase implied that the Cold War was replaced by a West versus militant religious fundamentalism division or polarity world wide. Instead of the USSR and its satellites, the West, led by the US, had to now do battle with religion and race-based militant extremism, particularly ‘Islamic fundamentalist violence’ .

Things, of course, came to a head in this regard when the 9/11 calamity centred in New York occurred. The event seemed to be startling proof that the world was indeed faced with a ‘Clash of Civilizations’ that was not easily resolvable. It was a case of ‘Islamic militant fundamentalism’ facing the great bulwark, so to speak, of ‘ Western Civilization’ epitomized by the US and leaving it almost helpless.

However, it was too early to write off the US’ capability to respond, although it did not do so by the best means. Instead, it replied with military interventions, for example, in Iraq and Afghanistan, which moves have only earned for the religious fundamentalists more and more recruits.

Yet, it is too early to speak in terms of a ‘Clash of Civilizations’. Such a phenomenon could be spoken of if only the entirety of the Islamic world took up arms against the West. Clearly, this is not so because the majority of the adherents of Islam are peaceably inclined and want to coexist harmoniously with the rest of the world.

However, it is not too late for the US to stop religious fundamentalism in its tracks. It, for instance, could implement concrete measures to end the blood-letting in the Middle East. Of the first importance is to end the suffering of the Palestinians by keeping a tight leash on the Israeli Right and by making good its boast of rebuilding the Gaza swiftly.

Besides, the US needs to make it a priority aim to foster democratic development worldwide in collaboration with the rest of the West. Military expenditure and the arms race should be considered of secondary importance and the process of distributing development assistance in the South brought to the forefront of its global development agenda, if there is one.

If the fire-breathing religious demagogue’s influence is to be blunted worldwide, then, it is development, understood to mean equitable growth, that needs to be fostered and consolidated by the democratic world. In other words, the priority ought to be the empowerment of individuals and communities. Nothing short of the latter measures would help in ushering a more peaceful world.

Features

The perennial challenge of peace-keeping and reconciliation

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/25

Sahan Weerasooriya

Christmas

Peace on Earth to all people of good-will is the perennial and the pristine song of Joy and hope aired in every nook and corner during every Christmas season commemorating the Birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. In his own day, Jesus of Nazareth was himself a wonderful instrument of peace and reconciliation in his own homeland of Palestine. He was open to all classes of people, whatever their ethnicity, race, language or social class with preference particularly to the sectors of the poor among these social strata. He would freely crisscross the various regions of Palestine which at that time was tri-partite: Galilee in the north with its fishing villages, lakes graced with wonderful beaches and imposing ranges of hills and valleys; Samaria in the middle and Judea in the deep south which located the religious centers of Judaism with its magnificent temple and also housed the State buildings of the Roman prefectures.

Liberation from Oppression

Entire Palestine was colonized with Caesar sitting in Rome his capital and having his legates governing the local provinces. People too were living in the expectation of a Messiah who would fight the colonial power and thus bring liberation to their oppressed motherland. There was a strongly prevalent messianic current of hope circulating and the longing for the day and the appearance of the Messiah, the liberator. Though inundated by Roman paganism and constantly under the threat of foreign invasion, the people kept to their traditional religious beliefs with their festivals, pilgrimages, rituals and rites and laws.

Unfortunately, there was a historic breach with the breakaway of the Samaritans from the Jews, both claiming to be authentic descendants of their earliest patriarchs. They had different holy centers of worship. Jews considered the Samaritans a hybrid race enabled by the inter-marriages encouraged by the invading Assyrian foreigners (721 BC) with the local population that were not deported by the invaders. It was a historic schism that had very sad socio-cultural, religious and political repercussions. As time went by, this enmity had created many tensions and had percolated into many other serious issues that caused estrangement within the country. The story of the Good Samaritan who came to the rescue of the Jew fallen among the robbers along the road to Jericho and the sole leper who returned to thank Jesus following his healing and who happened to be a Samaritan are gospel incidents that strived to heal this division and bring reconciliation among the two dissenting groups. Creating confusion among the general public was also the fact of the misunderstanding of the mission of the Messiah wholly thought of as a purely political liberation which was only a partial truth.

The homeland of Jesus was desperately in need of a profound spiritual and religious revolution. There had to be a more humane understanding of the Law of Moses, the great code of the national ethic and putting relationships in their correct perspective despite the fact that the land was surrounded on all sides with kingdoms and ruling monarchs who were pagan and the worship of idols was rampant. People treasured their religious and cultural traditions and were in great fear of them being lost when invading foreigners threatened their sovereignty and even territorial integrity. Their very land was sacred for it was the land of their God and therefore defended against any foreign pagan aggression. In fact, there had been often and on many insurrectionist movements rebelling against the Roman colonial rule that were summarily crushed.

Religion at the service of Freedom & Liberation

Jesus Christ saw the need of introducing a new spirituality based on a new ethic to restore the religious sensibilities of Israel. From the mountain he taught the classical sermon on the Beatitudes which declared the poor as blessed and those who suffered persecution for the sake of justice and righteousness as blessed too. It would be the meek who will inherit the earth and those who are merciful would be the true children of God. Pharisaical spirit of religion that is subservient to the letter of the Law that kills and false religiosity limited purely to rites and rituals were to be empty of meaning. Love of God to be total had to be matched with the love for the neighbor. Even enemies were to be loved without conditions. Self-righteousness had no place in the spirituality he propounded. People have to be fed both with spiritual food of truth as well as material nourishment to feed their hunger as he multiplied fish and loaves in the Galilean mountains to cater to the thousands who had flocked to hear him and sought blessings of healing and solace. Many were stunned wondering how the son of a carpenter could have such wisdom and powers even over demons who rattled at his presence. Simple jealousy, unfounded fear and a great amount of misunderstanding and suspicion finally caved in from his enemies, the religious authorities of Jerusalem and the Roman governor that led to that shamefully blatant and unjust condemnation ever recorded in legal history: the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

In some ways the celebration of Christmas, which is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ is being caricatured with commercialism and mere external fanfare with décor and illuminations. The deeper truth is that we are celebrating a spiritual event that was decisive in history: God entering the world in the real physical and bodily appearance of a human being. He made humanity make its peace with God and brought enlightenment about the mystery of life and death declaring the importance of love and respect of others in neighborly love and forgiveness. Like an industrious fisherman he cast his net into the deep and distant waters for an abundance of harvest that would bring civilization itself a mighty haul of blessings. Christianity is very much alive in its two millennia history cutting across cultures and civilizations witnessing to the belief in God and the dignity of man who has an eternal destiny. This religion is pro-life in all dimensions: safety of the unborn, the sacredness and inviolability of every life, the sanctity of marriage, life-beyond death, no violence of any kind, no wars, no nuclear weapons, no arms race or unwarranted ethnic or racial superiority, no danger to sovereignty of nations and their territorial integrity and safe haven for refugees and migrants of every hue.

It is in some of these very difficult issues that peace-keeping and work of reconciliation are becoming global priorities. Science and technology alone are no saviors of humanity embattled as it is in problems that appear to be very dramatic and far extensive. In no way should human beings become victims of their own creations however impressive they may be. Humanity must be the center of our global concerns and innovations with everything serving it towards a better quality of life. A Human being must never be instrumentalized in dehumanizing experiments. On the contrary, he must be served in all things so that his unique place in creation may not be displaced and continue to be the final point of reference in all world’s undertakings and ventures. To this must all regional and international bodies commit themselves in earnest. Christianity considers Jesus Christ the Lord to be the goal of human history, the focal point of the longings of history and of civilization, the center of the human race, the joy of every heart and the answer to all its yearnings as the great Vatican II Council document put it (Gaudium et Spes 45) while the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts (Gaud. et Spes 1).

Christianity & Secularity

It is this spirit of Jesus Christ that impels Christianity to be closely involved in the world society’s journey which registers the triumphs and failures of history. Wherever it has gone, it has opened hospitals for healing the sick, schools for education and other charitable institutions thus playing the role of the Good Samaritan in keeping the fires of charity and compassion alive in a society always prone to various kinds of natural disasters and human conflicts that bring misery and suffering. Christianity favors an economic system that is neither radically socialist nor downright capitalistic and holds primacy of labor over capital, thus taking a clear anti-Marxist stand in this ever important socio-political issue. The dignity and working conditions of the worker with the issue of a living wage, pension benefits, sharing of profits, private enterprise are considered important human issues to be dealt with within the parameters of social justice and labour rights. Democratic principles are preeminently Christian in outlook empowering people to make the needed political options in constructing a system of governance and rule that benefits the common and the greater good. Christianity wishes its voice to be heard in international fora and in contexts in which important decisions affecting people globally are made.

If the spirit of Christmas is to endure beyond its usual annual celebration, the challenges of the Christmas event must be faced and due response to its newer questions met with courage and hope. In the concrete, they are the peace among nations, inter-religious harmony, war against terror and fundamentalisms, economies without disparities and respect for human rights as well as basic freedoms. These are all elements for reconciliation and building-blocks for peace-keeping. Military superiority and economic imperialism are the most satanic forms of modern paganism that plague our world creating so much suspicion, instability and tensions. More spirit of listening, dialogue and understanding are in demand for a stable world and a new form of warm humanism. In emulation of Jesus Christ the eminent peace-maker and reconciler, it behoves that all those who claim to be peace-makers and agents of reconciliation pursue the same mission. Thus, the spirit of Christmas is preserved ever alive.

by Rev. Fr. Leopold Ratnasekera OMI
Ph.D., Th.D.

Features

So this is Christmas …

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/25

Sahan Weerasooriya

The world over, Christmas is being celebrated today. However, in our part of the world, Christmas, and the lead up to the New Year, will be observed on a sombre note.

With this in mind, I wish my readers a Blessed Christmas and let’s hope 2026 will be a good one … without any fear.

Several known personalities also send their greetings and best wishes to The Island readers:

* Noshin De Silva (Actress):

Happy Holidays to everyone across our beautiful island! As we move toward the end of the year, my heart goes out to all communities affected by the recent floods and severe weather. In these challenging weeks, we have also witnessed the true spirit of Sri Lanka through the humility, compassion, and unity of people coming together to support one another. May this season bring comfort to those rebuilding, gratitude to those giving, and hope to us all. Wishing everyone Peace, Healing, Great Health, and a very Happy New Year!

* Melloney Dassanayaka (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024):

As we celebrate the blessings of Christmas and step with hope into a brand-new year, I am reminded of the strength, resilience, and spirit that define us as Sri Lankans. This festive season invites us to reflect, to appreciate what we have, and to look ahead with courage.

Be positive and embrace every opportunity that comes your way. Be smart, be brave, and work hard for yourself, because your future is shaped by the determination you carry within.

May this Christmas fill your hearts with peace and joy, and may the New Year bring you endless possibilities, renewed strength, and the confidence to pursue every dream.

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas and a Bright, Prosperous New Year!

With love and warm wishes.

* Raffealla Fernando (Photographer/Designer):

Wishing you a beautiful, light-filled Christmas and a New Year overflowing with inspiration.

As a photographer and designer, I’m constantly searching for the moments, colours, and stories. that make life extraordinary and this season always reminds me how much beauty there is in the simple things: warm laughter, shared memories, and the quiet magic of togetherness.

Thank you for being part of my creative journey this year.

May your holidays be filled with genuine joy, and may 2026 bring you new adventures, brighter light, and endless reasons to smile.

This season, I’m also wishing for something close to my heart: for Sri Lanka to rise up bigger, better, and stronger. Nothing more to ask for than peace in these turbulent hearts, peace of mind for every soul, and the strength to rebuild our country in the coming year.

Merry Christmas, and a Vibrant, Inspiring New Year.

* Andrea Marr (Singer – Australia):

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Joyful New Year. May the message of Christmas remain in your hearts and give you peace.

* AROH (Music group):

We thank you for sharing your year with us, for every lyric sung, every rhythm embraced, and every stage shared. Your incredible support fuels our passion and continues to inspire the music we create.

Although the past few weeks have seen heaps of problems cropping up, may your Christmas be filled with Joy, Peace, and the beautiful harmony of family and friends.

Also, may the New Year bring you prosperity, health, and a score of exciting new possibilities.

We look forward to connecting with you through music in the coming year, as well.

* Melantha Perera (Singer):

Music heals the soul, and sharing its gift this season fills our hearts with joy.

May our melodies spread love to every soul, making our Creator smile as we celebrate His birth.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a New Year in perfect harmony!

* Natasha Rathnayake (Singer):

As we close another year and step into a new one, may this season remind us of what truly matters — kindness, connection, and love for all living beings.

Let’s carry forward the lessons, the healing, and the gratitude we’ve gathered, and step into 2026 with open hearts, courage, and compassion.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Christmas filled with blessings and joy, and a New Year that inspires clarity, creativity, and love in all that you do.

With love, and abundance of blessings!

God bless.

AROH

* Sohan Weerasinghe (Singer):

Yes, Christmas is back and 2026 is around the corner. It’s time once again to convey my good wishes and also to remind myself to be careful of my waistline as I have a weakness for goodies, especially Christmas cake!

Have a fabulous Christmas and New Year and you also must do your utmost to help the needy people around you, especially those affected by the disaster that took us all by surprise; give till it hurts!

* JJ Twins (Duo):

As the magic of Christmas fills the air and a brand-new year approaches, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our wonderful community for your continued support. May this festive season bring you joy, peace, and time spent with those you cherish.

We also take this moment to warmly wish Ivan Alvis a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year filled with success and happiness.

Jesus bless you all, and may you have a Christ-filled Christmas and New Year!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Bright, Successful New Year!

* SEVEN NOTES (Music group – Dubai):

SEVEN NOTES

As we celebrate the joy of Christmas and welcome the dawn of a brand-new year, we extend our heartfelt wishes to the readers and the dedicated team of The Island newspaper.

May this festive season bring peace, love, and harmony into your homes, and may the New Year 2026 be filled with success, good health, and new opportunities.

Thank you for inspiring communities across the globe with trusted journalism and unwavering service.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2026.