OPINION: 2010 General Election – Living with Change
Posted: April 16, 2010 | Leave a CommentBy Malinda Seneviratne
Sri Lanka’s first parliamentary election since the end of the war was one where no prizes could be offered for predicting a winner. Even the margin of victory (the difference between the number of seats of the winning party and the sum of what the others secure) could be predicted with an error margin of plus or minus five.
This was an issue-less election and one robbed of energy and excitement by the exhausting battle for the presidency that took place in January during which all ideological, policy issues were debated, discussed and voted on. Chapters were closed. Read more
OPINION: The Issue-Less Election: The “General” an Afterthought of the “Presidential”
Posted: March 4, 2010 | 1 CommentBy Malinda Seneviratne
It is like the calm after the storm, isn’t it? I am referring to the forthcoming general election to be held just 10 weeks after an emotion-packed presidential affair, which seemed at one point to be so intensely fought that the outcome was written by some as “too close to call.” The “Presidential” then was THE election and the “General,” largely expected to go the winner’s way on account of momentum as well as demoralization of the losing camp, just the icing on the victory cake. The “Presidential” was the biggie, the “General” in comparison a footnote. Read more
OPINION: Where Have We Gone Wrong?
Posted: December 16, 2009 | Leave a CommentDaily Mirror Editorial
Elections are upon us again, and the presidential election on January 26 is being described as the mother of all elections. It is said the best source of legitimacy for a democratic political system is a ballot vote. A government or person chosen by the people in a free and fair election is deemed legitimate and democratic. In countries such as ours, all elections presidential, parliamentary or provincial should result in political representation of all ethnic and socio-cultural groups, and more importantly help bridge the crevices politically. Read more
OPINION: Consensus Needed Now as President Places Development on War Footing
Posted: November 18, 2009 | 5 CommentsBy Ranjit J. Perera
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking at the annual Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) convention, vowed to accelerate Sri Lanka’s development by placing it on a war footing and promised to make the country a center of knowledge.
“We will surprise the world with our development,” he said, addressing a massive gathering of ruling party supporters Sunday at the Khettarama Stadium in Colombo. Read more