News
Sarvajana Balaya strategic plan launched: Need for SL to leverage its civilisational achievements stressed
Sri Lanka should benefit from the rekindled interest in civilisational achievements and diversity of civilizations, MP Gevindu Cumaratunga has said.
The dissident SLPPer and key member of newly formed Sarvajana Balaya said so while underscoring the pivotal importance of unanimous adoption of a resolution proposed by China recently to establish an International Day for Dialogue among Civilisations, at the UN General Assembly (UNGA)
Declaring that Sri Lanka was in a crossroads and need to reexamine the country’s rich past, MP Cumaratunga said that far reaching changes were taking place at global level. The first-time entrant to parliament discussed the challenges faced by Sri Lanka, taking into consideration the Chinese proposal made at the 78th session of the UNGA.
Addressing a gathering Monarch Imperial at Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, recently, at the launch of the first draft of Sarvajana Balaya’s strategic plan for public discourse meant to promote a happy nation and an entrepreneurial state, MP Cumaratunga pointed out how the breaking up of the Soviet Union in late 1991 influenced a dialogue on civilization.
MP Cumaratunga dealt with Sri Lanka’s civilisation and entrepreneurship in the current context while comparing the Chinese and Western approach to the issue at hand.
The lawmaker compared American political scientist Francis Yoshihiro Fukuyama’s assessment of the breaking up of the Soviet Union in his widely read ‘The end of history and the Last Man’ and the subsequent warning issued by American strategist Samuel P Huntington in ‘The clash of the Civilizations and The Remaking of World Order’ disputed Fukuyama’s declaration of triumph of liberal movement.
Huntington quite rightly stressed that the US shouldn’t give up military preparations at a global level as new challenges were in the making in spite of the breaking up of the Soviet Unio, MP Cumaratunga said.
MP Cumaratunga reminded the role played by Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, the late Prof. Nalin de Silva as well as Dr. Ranga Wickramasinghe, the youngest son of pioneering Sinhala writer Martin Wickramasinghe and several others including researchers at the Colombo University and Divaina in influencing a dialogue with the focus on civilisation/Jathika Chinthanaya.
Referring to the intervention made by Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera by launching ‘Sabhyathwa Rajyak Kara’ (Towards a civilizational State) in 2016, MP Cumaratunga discussed how post-Aragalaya Sri Lanka could benefit from formation of a genuine entrepreneurial state
MP Cumaratunga examined the issue-genuine entrepreneurial state- while referring to crucial role of the state and public in fostering long-run innovation-led economic growth as discussed by author Mariana Mazzucato in ‘The entrepreneurial state: Debunking Public vs Private Sector Myths’ published in near two dozen countries.
The MP emphasized that those who want to achieve American success they should do what the US did not follow their advice how they did it. MP Cumaratunga gave several examples of how in ancient times Sinhala kings utilized everything available for the betterment of the country. The MP said that the country should be re-built on the basis that a not a raindrop should be wasted and the government should have made the required intervention to boost the economic revival.
(SF)
Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.
Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).
Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).
In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable
Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.
The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay
by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.
The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.
The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.
Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.
Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.
Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.
by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake
Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.
The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.
Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.
Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.
Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.
by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva
Showers expected in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Western, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Central provinces
Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest
Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow
Two arrested for aiding and abetting murder
CID summons former First Lady again
Remembering Upali Wijewardene, founder of Upali Group of Companies
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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