WAS THE THIRD PRIME MINISTER OF CEYLON THE SON OF A MURDERER ? THE TRIAL OF JOHN KOTELAWALA (SENIOR) – By HUGH KARUNANAYAKE John Kotelawala (Senior) was the father of Sir John Kotelawala the third Prime Minister of independent Ceylon, who held office from 1953 to 1956. John Kotelawala (Snr) was born in 1865 in the village of Bandaragama. Having attended the village school where he learnt his English, he attended schools in Colombo and  then started life as a third class constable clerk in the Ceylon Police Force in the 1880s. As a policeman he was good in detective work and his general application to his duties impressive, and was within a few years promoted to the rank of Inspector. It was then that he sought the hand of, and married Alice Attygalle, the daughter of Mudaliyar D.C.G. Attygalle of Colamunne. He resigned from the police soon after his ...

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Nationalisms in Ceylon – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Highlights In Singapore & Australia, the Sri Lankans are proud to call themselves Singaporeans and Aussies, respectively. The same: Sri Lankans land in Katunayake, come home for a holiday, and mind-orient themselves to call themselves “Sinhala Buddhists”, a term referring to the majority ethnic group in Sri Lanka who follow the Buddhist faith. This is my observation. Sri Lankan Australian who came with me on the same plane and spat on the pavement after alighting in I just retorted that you wouldn’t do that in Prompt, the answer came,” This is my ” I suppose that would be the patriotic feeling! Is it feasible to create separate nations for each nationality on our island? The concept of nationhood and its implications for Sri Lanka’s diverse ethnic tapestry, which is currently marked by tensions and conflicts, are the subject of intense debate. In ...

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Good News From Jayam April 15, 2024 Pls Scroll Down 15 items Ceylon Today – Daily Finance Today Rutnam Eyes USD 10M Revival for RanmiNitenna Tele – Cinema Park By Ishara Gamage -April 9, 2024 Renowned film director and Chairman of Asian Film Location Services Ltd. (established in 1980), Chandran Rutnam, plans to lease the now-defunct Ranminitenna Tele-Cinema Park in Hambantota with an initial investment of USD 10 million. Speaking to Finance Today, he said, “We, Asian Film Location Services Ltd are in the final stages of presenting the proposal to the Government. In the first phase alone, we could generate USD 25 million to USD 30 million annually by providing equipment and studio rentals, services, and experienced and talented technicians, significantly boosting the country’s foreign exchange reserves.” He mentioned that despite the ideological issues among the bureaucrats and the lack of vision through ignorance among state officials, he is determined to successfully ...

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It all happened in Colombo – a generation ago – By Upali Salgado The changing face of Colombo, and the lifestyles of her people exposed to Western culture are always fascinating.  Two writers, Herbert Hulugalle, a former Editor of the Ceylon Daily News, and Dr. R.L. Brohier, OBE, have in print recorded many facets of the History of Colombo, which was once a Moor trading centre and later a Portuguese and Dutch cittadel. During British times, it was known as the ‘Garden City’. This story is to rekindle the interest of readers about what life in Colombo once was.  The prominent landmarks that beautify the landscape of Colombo are Slave Island with the picturesque Beira Lake encircling the human settlement, and the Galle Face walk (‘Green’ as it is known today). Moors and Malays have lived in Slave Island for over 800 years, and also ‘Kaffir’ soldiers, brought from Mozambique and the ...

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The Trail of the Ignominious Political Path of Sri Lanka. – By Noor Rahim This article is based purely on my own experiences that I have gone through and that I experienced; since being born in Sri Lanka in the year 1937. My ancestors came to Sri Lanka with the Dutch Army which occupied the low country on the behest of the Sinhala King of Kandy to rid of the Portuguese who were occupied the land prior; in the late 16th century and early 17th century. The King could not bear to see his subjects being mistreated cruelly and heaping them with untold misery. Hence, in the early 17th century invited the Dutch to get rid of the Portuguese invaders. Having done so, they occupied all the territories that were occupied by the Portuguese. Peace prevailed during this period. It was in the late 18th century that the Dutch handed ...

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“OLD HENRY POLE WHO GOT THE WORK IN THE MATARA COURTS IN A MESS ‘ – By HUGH KARUNANAYAKE The words above were expressed by Mr Edward Elliott  Government Agent of the Southern Province in 1860. Henry Pole was  in the Ceylon Civil Service for 26 years.It was an age where Civil Servants (mainly British)were appointed to Judicial positions. He was Police Magistrate Mulaitivu in  1845, then at Galle for a couple of years each in different judicial capacities then as District Judge Matara, and finally District Judge Batticaloa from where he retired in 1971. Henry Pole who served in the Ceylon Civil Service from 1845 to 1871, married the 18 year old daughter of Joseph Price also of the Ceylon Civil Service on 2 February 1853. Pole was himself in his fifties when he married his eighteen year old bride. Henry Pole was Police Magistrate Mulaitivu when he married. ...

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76 years since Sri Lanka gained its independence from the British – by: Upali Obeyesekere – Editor, Times of Sri Lanka Source : TIMES OF SRI LANKA INTERNATIONAL 365 HAPPY 76TH ANNIVERSARY – SRI LANKA! SRI LANKA CELEBRATES ITS 76TH ANNIVERSARY ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH (2024). IT WAS ON FEBRUARY 4, 1948 THAT CEYLON WAS GRANTED ITS INDEPENDENCE AS THE DOMINION OF CEYLON. DOMINION STATUS (WITHIN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH) WAS RETAINED FOR THE NEXT 24 YEARS UNTIL MAY 22, 1972, WHEN IT BECAME A REPUBLIC AND WAS NAMED THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA. On 4 February 1948, Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. Dominion status within the British Commonwealth was retained for the next 24 years until 22 May 1972 when it became a republic and was renamed the Republic of Sri Lanka. Unlike in India, there was no struggle for freedom, no blood shed to ...

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All PRIME MINISRTERS SOUGHT THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN PRINCIPLES – By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Since Independence was sought on 4th February 1948, without shedding a single blood drop, the first Prime Minister was chosen by the Colonials as the as Right Honorable D.S. Senanayake.  He was the Prime Minster from 24 September 1947 till 22 of March 1952 when he had an accident and died immediately (after falling from horse riding in the morning). After his death there was a battle with Sir John Kotelawala to be the Prime Minister of Ceylon. As a result, according to the wishes of Rt.Hon. D.S. Senananayake, his son,   became (Dudley Senananayake ) became the Prime Minister of Ceylon from 02 December to July  in 1947. Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike became the Prime Minister  from 26 September 1959, known by the Sri Lankan people as “The Silver Bell of Asia”, the fourth Prime ...

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