Category Archives: welfare & philanthophy

February 3, 2023 · 11:47 pm

The Charming Cricket Setting in Galle

Rex Clementine, in The Island, 2 February 2023, with this title “Galle’s splendour charms everyone in cricket” 

A mouth-watering contest began this week at the Galle International Stadium between Sri Lanka ‘A’ and England Lions and the future stars will have a feel of a venue where many a great like Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Babar Azam have had their moments, gave local fans brief pains but ended up stealing our hearts. How can you not fall in love with Chris Gayle smashing sixes to Galle bus stand and then upon reaching his triple hundred lying down on floor soaking it all in.

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February 3, 2023 · 1:08 pm

“Alfred House”– Its Majestic Nineteenth Century Opulence

Hugh Karunanayake, whose choice of title reads as “Nineteenth Century Opulence: The Story of Alfred House” … presented here with highligting emphasis imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

Nineteenth Century Ceylon boasted of many stately homes such as Queens House, Horagolla Walauwwa, and Alfred House.  Alfred House achieved considerable fame as the venue for a much-remembered dinner in 1870 to the visiting Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred then titled the Duke of Edinburgh.

Alfred House –-by Slimm & Co

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February 1, 2023 · 6:58 pm

Australia’s Response to the Refugee Problems generated by Sri Lanka’s Civil War in the 2000s and 2010s

Betts & Higgins address the “Migration Policy” pursued by Australia in the context of the refugee problems arising in the context of Sri Lanka’s “Civil War.” [i.e. what most refer to as the “Eelam Wars.”]. The full title is noted below and their “Abstract” is presented.

The infamous Alex Kuhendarajah on the Sumatran(?) coast witha boatlad of Tamil refugees  …. and other pictorial illustrations of refugees and their boats

 

For the benefit of those not familiar with the scenario, the refugees were mostly SL Tamils, but there was a ‘supply chain’ of agents and smuggler boats from Sri Lanka, India and the Indonesian islands that also catered to Sinhala and Muslim personnel seeking “eldorado” in the West via Australia. See some bibliographical items listed at the end which will lead one to even more literature…. Michael Roberts with thanks to Johnny De Silva in Melbourne for converting the file containing the Betts & Higgins article.

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January 10, 2023 · 11:19 am

Experts Urge Debt Cancellation as Essential Road for Sri Lanka’s Survival

Item in Newsfirst: “Experts say only debt cancellation offers Sri Lanka a chance of recovery”

DEBT JUSTICE speaks out …….

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fXyBHNj_xWU&feature=youtu.be

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January 10, 2023 · 10:00 am

China Donates Diesel to Sri Lankan Farmers

News Item in Sri Lanka Mirror,  early January 2023: 

Arrangements have been made to distribute 6.98 million liters of diesel donated by the Chinese Government for agricultural activities in Sri Lanka to paddy farmers from today (09).

 

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January 8, 2023 · 2:54 pm

While Lanka Sinks … Two Ministers at Loggerheads

Sanjeewa Jayaweera, in The Island, 8 January 2023, with this title “IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA A HERO OR VILLAIN?”

Currently there is an ongoing tussle between the Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera (KW) in one corner and Janaka Ratnayake (JR), the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), in the other. As a result, the Minister is on his own, whilst JR is supported by the CEB Engineers Union, CEB Trade Union Alliance, Electricity Consumers Association and pretty much the rest of the country!

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December 12, 2022 · 12:04 am

The Power of Privilege: Illegitimate Progeny in the Plantations of Ceylon and Beyond

An EMAIL MEMO from RICHARD HERMON to His Good Friend ERROL FERNANDO, Circa 9 December 2022*++*

Dear Errol,

As a Eurasian myself on both sides, since both my Grandfathers were Brits and both my Grandmothers were Sinhalese: one Kandyan from Welimada, and one Low-Country from Baddegama to whom both my grandfathers were married.

 

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December 2, 2022 · 12:47 am

Life. Love. Career: Learning the Hard Way … with Pramuk Manchanyake

Nandasiri Jasentuliyana,**  reviewing Lessons Learnt The Hard Way: A Conversation About Life Love And Career, by Pramuk Manchanayake

Love, heartache, and euphoria wrapped in a treasure trove of the author’s life experiences narrated within these pages depict the lonely abyss and the dizzy heights of glory that people experience.

In Lessons Learnt, Pramuk Manchanayaka has brought forth a brilliant publication interweaving the rich and varied experiences of his life and times. It is a well written, captivating publication that affirms the depth of humanity’s relationships.

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November 29, 2022 · 12:34 am

Medicoes in Society: For Sri Lanka

Dr. Sarath Gamini De Silva: Plenary lecture delivered at the Colombo Medical Congress. 24th Nov 2022, where his chosen title was  “The Doctor in the Society: A Sri Lankan Perspective”

I thank the organizers for inviting me  to talk on a very relevant  topic at a time when the role of the educated  in society is becoming the focus of the people as well as the members of our own profession. I am known to be somewhat blunt calling a spade a spade in expressing my opinion as I strongly believe that diplomacy often fails to achieve desired results. As such  I can only hope that, at the end of my presentation, the organisers of the Colombo Medical Congress 22 will not regret ever asking me to speak.

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November 26, 2022 · 7:52 pm

Sri Lanka’s Debt Dependency Deepens with Changing Food Combinations

Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake, whose favoured title runs thus: “Lanka’s Vanishing Fish:  Corporate Capture and Import Dependency Deepen the Debt Trap” .… and has been presented at

A great transformation in food culture and nutrition is taking place in Sri Lanka following various exogenous economic shocks: The traditional, nutritious ‘rice and fish’ diet, common throughout coastal Asia is increasingly substituted with imported maize or corn-fed chicken, white wheat flour breads, instant noodles and processed food.

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