Opinion
Need for dollars

‘Bankrupt Lanka calls upon diaspora to send cash’ is a boxed news item in the Sunday Island -17.04.2022. The news item, with a photograph of the Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe (NW), sets out to lay their case for the title of the news item with the assurances that the money will not be mismanaged. The final paragraph reads ‘Weerasinghe’ s appeal has so far been greeted with scepticism from Sri Lankans abroad. “We don’t mind helping, but we can’t trust the government with our cash,” a Sri Lankan doctor in Australia said, asking for anonymity.’
Can you imagine what would have happened if Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressed the nation on this matter soon after he came into presidency? At a time when there was an unprecedented enthusiasm for him. People were organising ‘shramadanas’ to clean beaches, parks, etc., villagers and town folk were cultivating their gardens, walls were filled with art work. We were itching to help this nation in whatever way we could. We were so certain that we will be the pivotal point for the world. People would have emptied their savings. Families would have brought their gold and jewellery to the Treasury. A river of foreign currency would have flooded our banks.
And if that had happened, what would have been our situation today? Unfortunately, it would have been the same! For all those dollars and gold would have vanished. Disappeared. Unaccounted for. No one would have known what had happened. No one would have been held accountable/responsible. So, thank the lord for small mercies.
Hence the concerns of our expats to send dollars is quite legitimate and despite the reassurances of NW, it is doubtful whether our expats would be willing to risk their hard-earned money on what might be a fool’s errand. However, we do need the dollars and Sri Lankan expatriates are in an excellent position to help their/our country if we could come up with a scheme where they feel that the money they send will be safe and the public will benefit from it.
One of the suggestions that has been floating around on the social media network is to ask expats to send dollars to their loved ones and relatives in Sri Lanka. At least with this method those in the country are guaranteed of getting a rupee value for the money that is being sent and the expats know what is happening to their dollars.
This certainly is a doable proposition. So, those overseas could send say a thousand dollars –which is less than the cost of a return air ticket from most countries. It is also likely that most of the relatives here are comparatively well off, being looked after by those overseas, so it is unlikely that they will have a dire need to convert these dollars into cash immediately. So as a further step, the banks could offer to deposit the equivalent of the dollar sum and an extra say 5000 or 10,000 rupees as an added bonus for every thousand dollars or so as a fixed deposit with a special premium interest rate. Or, a similar scheme.
In this way we will be able to get the dollars we need and also keep the money in the bank – out of circulation, which I have been given to understand is what needs to happen now, in this present economy.
Dr. Sumedha S. Amarasekara
Opinion
In Loving memory of our Seeya – Late Mr W P Upasena

Its been a year since you left us, and while the pain of your absence remains, so too does the warmth of your memory. There is not a day that goes by where we don’t think of you.
We are deeply grateful for the love, wisdom, and kindness you shared with us all. Your unwavering support, gentle guidance, selflessness, and extensive knowledge left an incredible mark on everyone who knew you. You were not only the cornerstone of our family but also a source of inspiration for all who crossed your path.
As we gather to honor your life, we extend our heartfelt thanks to friends, family, and well-wishers who have supported us over the past year. Your love, and kind words have been a source of strength and comfort during this journey.
Though you are no longer with us in person, Seeya you continue to live on in our hearts and through the values you instilled in us. We will continue to honor your life by cherishing each other and carrying forward your legacy of love, compassion, and integrity.
May you attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana, Seeya.
Fondly remembered by:
Achchi, Loving Children & Grandchildren
Opinion
Major eyesore on Beira banks

In the last decade or so the government, the private sector and even private citizens have made a concerted effort to beautify Colombo. And it has worked!
Yet, eyesores like the Jinarathana Vocational Center at 142 Sir James Peiris Mawatha exist. The building belongs to one of the most influential and revered temples in Colombo. Gangaramaya is also a major tourist attraction.
Not only is the building in disrepair, it is also a health hazard with garbage, rats and other infestations. Nefarious activities go on in the night, as it would in any “abandoned” building. It seems the building is used as a car park for the temple vehicles! Not only does this go against every Buddhist principle, but is this building on the banks of the Beira even legal?
Why does government after government keep donating public land to this temple, when it refuses to use or maintain the buildings it already has?!!
Podi Hamuduruwo – Venerable Galboda Gnanissara – as Chief Incumbent, transformed the temple into “a dynamic center of spiritual growth, education and community empowerment”. But he is no more. And if the temple is no longer able to use or maintain this structure according to the vision of the revered Podi Hamuduruwo, it is surely up to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing and/or Colombo Municipal Council to take immediate action.
M. S. De Silva
Colombo 02.
Opinion
A tribute to a quintessential friend and colleague

A talented son of Sri Lanka, Dr. Mahinda Kurukulasuriya (1942-2025) passed away peacefully in Vientiane, Laos on 29 January 2025 – with his daughter Liza by his side. According to his wishes, a three-day memorial service was held in a Buddhist temple in Vientiane, Laos.
Among close friends, he was fondly referred to as ‘Kuru” and as “Dr. Kuru” among his professional colleagues.
He was born in 1942 to a wealthy family in Nakulugamuwa. His father owned the Ruhunu Transit Bus Company that was nationalized in 1957.
Kuru had his Education at Mahinda College, Galle, where he excelled in studies, sports, and athletics. In 1961, as a Cadet and a Queen’s Scout, he had the rare opportunity to greet Queen Elizabeth II at the Republic Day Celebrations in New Delhi.
After a 13-year hiatus of losing cricket matches to Richmond College, in 1962, Mahinda College under Kuru’s captaincy won a memorable victory against Richmond.
In 1962, he won a Scholarship to pursue engineering studies at the Moscow State University. That same year, I met Kuru in Moscow, and we forged a friendship that lasted 65 years.
Kuru married his University batch-mate Elena – an amiable person who also completed her Ph.D. and the rare Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degrees along with Kuru. She predeceased him in 2015 leaving two equally brilliant daughters who live in Europe.
Kuru’s education abroad opened up the world for him to explore. Upon his graduation in 1968, he returned to Sri Lanka and worked for the River Valleys Development Board (RVDB). From 1971-1976, he and his wife Elena were appointed as water engineers in Zambia. They returned to Moscow and completed their Ph.D.’s. Kuru returned to Sri Lanka in 1979 and worked for the Mahaweli River Development.
Later, he worked on United Nations assignments as a senior engineer and Program Manager in Zaire, Congo, Maldives, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. He was fluent in English, Russian, French, Burmese, Khmer and Thai, and he excelled in his UN assignments.
In 2006, he garnered another Ph.D. from the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture of the Peradeniya University. Over the years, he wrote several books, including his memoirs “One Drop of my Sweet Sweat”.
Upon his mandatory UN retirement, the Government of Laos – aware of Kuru’s technical expertise, commitment and integrity – persuaded Kuru to lead several key development projects in Laos. It allowed Kuru to continue working with the perks of a UN official, and the Government took good care of him as he was away from his native Sri Lanka, and his beloved family. He had many Laotian friends.
Above all, he was kind and friendly to everyone he knew. Despite many achievements, Kuru was the most virtuous and unassuming person I came across in my life.
Kuru is survived by his sisters Indra and Lalita, daughters Angelika and Liza, and his wife Seuth and his son Souminta.
His family and friends will miss him dearly. Yet, we shall cherish his memory forever.
May he attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana.
Somar Wijayadasa
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