Author: nbkodi

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ මැතිවරණ ක්‍රමය ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය කිරීම: ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ පුරවැසියෙකුගේ දැක්ම

​ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට නව මැතිවරණ ක්‍රමයක් හඳුන්වා දීම සඳහා දැන් මාවත විවෘත වී ඇත. ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ පුරවැසියෙකු මෙන්ම වෘත්තිකයෙකු ලෙස මා සතු දැනුම හා අත්දැකීම් පදනම් කර ගනිමින්, සමාජයීය කතිකාවතක් සඳහා මගේ අදහස් මෙලෙස ඉදිරිපත් කරමි.

​නිදහසින් පසු මෙරට බලයට පත් වූ දකුණේ මෙන්ම වමේ දේශපාලන පක්ෂ විවිධ වූ හොඳ සහ නරක දේ සිදු කර ඇත. එහෙත්, අනෙකුත් ආසියාතික රටවල් සමඟ සැසඳීමේදී ශ්‍රී ලංකාව තවමත් සිටින්නේ පසුපසිනි. සමාජයීය, දේශපාලනික, සංස්කෘතික මෙන්ම ආර්ථික සාධක රැසක් මෙම පසුබෑමට බලපා ඇත.

​1971 න් පසු ශ්‍රී ලාංකේය ශබ්ද කෝෂයට “ත්‍රස්තවාදය” යන වචනය එක් විය. 1971 සහ 1989 ජවිපෙ කැරලි මෙන්ම දීර්ඝ කාලීන දෙමළ ඊළාම් යුද්ධය ද අපගේ ආර්ථිකයට සහ දේශපාලන සංස්කෘතියට දැඩි ලෙස හානි කළේය. මීට අමතරව, බොහෝ ඡන්දදායකයින් මැතිවරණ වලදී බුද්ධිමත් තීරණ වෙනුවට හැඟීම්බර තීරණ ගැනීම හේතුවෙන් නිදහසින් පසු අසාර්ථක පාලකයින් බිහි විය.

​මෙම ගැටලු මඟහරවා ගැනීම සඳහා මැතිවරණ ක්‍රමය වෙනස් කිරීම සහ ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන කිහිපයක් හඳුන්වා දීම අත්‍යවශ්‍ය වේ.

​1. විධායක ජනාධිපති ක්‍රමය

​විධායක ජනාධිපති ක්‍රමය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට සුදුසු ක්‍රමයක් ලෙස හඳුන්වා දුන්නද, එමඟින් අධිකරණයට සහ ඉහළ රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන් පත් කිරීමට සිදුවන බලපෑම් රටට විශාල හානියක් කර ඇත. එබැවින් විධායක ජනාධිපති ක්‍රමය හැකි ඉක්මනින් අහෝසි කළ යුතුය. ඒ වෙනුවට, නාමික ජනාධිපතිවරයෙකු සහ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට වගකියන විධායක අගමැතිවරයෙකු සහ කැබිනට් මණ්ඩලයක් සහිත ක්‍රමයක් හඳුන්වා දිය යුතුය.

​2. පාර්ලිමේන්තු සහ පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණ

​දැනට පවතින සමානුපාතික නියෝජන ක්‍රමය පැරණි කේවල ක්‍රමයට වඩා යහපත් වුවද, පක්ෂ නායකයින් සහ ඉහළ නිලධාරීන් තමන්ගේ වාසිය සඳහා අපේක්ෂකයින් තෝරා ගැනීම පාලනය කරයි.

​මගේ යෝජිත නව ඡන්ද ක්‍රමය:

1. ​ඡන්දදායකයා පළමුව තමා කැමති දේශපාලන පක්ෂය තෝරා ගනී.
2. ​පසුව එම පක්ෂය තුළම අපේක්ෂකයින් දෙදෙනෙකු දක්වා මනාපය පළ කළ හැකිය.
3. ​මීට අමතරව, තමා තෝරාගත් පක්ෂයෙන් බැහැරව, දිස්ත්‍රික් ලැයිස්තුවේ ඕනෑම පක්ෂයක සිටින එක් අපේක්ෂකයෙකු සඳහා “පුද්ගලික මනාපයක්” (Personal Vote) පළ කිරීමට ඡන්දදායකයාට අවස්ථාව දිය යුතුය.

​ඡන්ද ගණන් කිරීමේදී පක්ෂ මනාප සහ මෙම පුද්ගලික මනාප යන දෙකම සැලකිල්ලට ගනු ලැබේ. මෙමඟින් පක්ෂ සීමාවන්ගෙන් ඔබ්බට ගිය දක්ෂ සහ ජනප්‍රිය පුද්ගලයින් තෝරා ගැනීමට හැකි වේ. මෙය මැතිවරණ ප්‍රචණ්ඩත්වය ද අවම කරනු ඇත.

​3. පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට සහ පළාත් සභාවට එකම මැතිවරණයක්

​නිතර නිතර මැතිවරණ පැවැත්වීමට තරම් ආර්ථික ශක්තියක් අප රටට නැත. එසේම එකම පවුල්වල සාමාජිකයින් මෙම ආයතන දෙකෙහිම බලය අල්ලාගෙන සිටීම ද දැකිය හැකිය.

​යෝජනාව: පාර්ලිමේන්තුව සහ පළාත් සභාව යන දෙකටම සාමාජිකයින් තේරීම සඳහා එක් මැතිවරණයක් පැවැත්වීම.

උදාහරණය (මොණරාගල දිස්ත්‍රික්කය):

මොණරාගලින් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට 5 ක් සහ පළාත් සභාවට 10 ක් තෝරාගත යුතු යැයි සිතමු. වැඩිම මනාප ලබන පළමු පස් දෙනා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවටත්, ඉතිරි ලැයිස්තුවෙන් ඊළඟ 10 දෙනා පළාත් සභාවටත් සමානුපාතිකව තෝරාගත හැකිය. මෙමඟින් වියදම අඩු වන අතර දේශපාලන පවුල් පාලනය ද සීමා වේ.

​4. පළාත් පාලන ආයතන (ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා සහ නගර සභා)

​අතීතයේ ගම්සභා ක්‍රමය දේශපාලන පක්ෂවලින් තොරව ගෞරවාන්විතව ක්‍රියාත්මක විය. නමුත් 1970 න් පසු දේශපාලන අධිකාරිය ගමට පැමිණීමත් සමඟ අපේ දේශපාලන සංස්කෘතිය දූෂිත විය.

​පළාත් පාලන ආයතන සඳහා මගේ යෝජනාව:

• ​ප්‍රාදේශීය, නගර සහ මහා නගර සභා වලින් දේශපාලන පක්ෂ සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම ඉවත් කළ යුතුය.
• ​ස්වාධීන අපේක්ෂකයින්ට පමණක් තරඟ කළ හැකි කේවල මැතිවරණ ක්‍රමයක් හඳුන්වා දිය යුතුය.
• ​ගම්වල වෙසෙන විශ්‍රාමික ගුරුවරුන්, වෛද්‍යවරුන්, ඉංජිනේරුවන්, ගණකාධිකාරීවරුන් වැනි උගතුන්ට පක්ෂ දේශපාලනයෙන් තොරව තම ගමට සේවය කිරීමට මෙහිදී අවස්ථාව ලැබේ.

​5. පරිපාලනය සහ සංඛ්‍යාලේඛන

​දැනට ග්‍රාම සේවා වසමක නිලධාරීන් පස් දෙනෙකු පමණ සිටියද, ඔවුන්ගෙන් නිසි සේවයක් ඉටු නොවන අතර බොහෝ විට ඉදිරිපත් කරන්නේ වැරදි දත්තයන්ය. ස්වාධීන ගම්සභා මඟින් නිවැරදි සංඛ්‍යාලේඛන ලබාගත හැකි අතර, ගොඩනැගිලි සැලසුම් අනුමත කිරීම වැනි තාක්ෂණික වැඩකටයුතු දේශපාලනඥයින්ගෙන් ඉවත් කර ගොඩනැගිලි දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව වැනි විශේෂඥ ආයතන වෙත පැවරිය යුතුය.

​නිගමනය

​ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ යහපාලනය, දේශපාලන සංස්කෘතිය සහ මහජන විශ්වාසය යළි ගොඩනැගීමට නම් මැතිවරණ ක්‍රමය ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය කිරීම අනිවාර්ය වේ. මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් වැඩිදුර තොරතුරු ඉදිරියේදී බලාපොරොත්තු වන්න.

​නවරත්න කොඩිතුවක්කු

ගණකාධිකාරී

Reforming Sri Lanka’s Election System: A Senior Citizen’s Perspective The road is now clear to introduce a new election method in Sri Lanka. As a senior citizen, I wish to express my ideas for discussion within our society. These views are based on my personal knowledge and long experience as a citizen and a professional. Since independence, both right-wing and left-wing political parties have come to power. They have done both good and bad. However, when compared with other Asian countries, Sri Lanka still remains behind. There are many reasons for this setback, including social, political, cultural, and economic factors. After 1971, the word “terrorism” entered the Sri Lankan vocabulary. The JVP insurrections of 1971 and 1989, together with the long-lasting Tamil Eelam war, severely damaged our economy and political culture. In addition, many voters made emotional decisions rather than rational ones during national elections. As a result, unsuitable rulers repeatedly emerged since independence. To overcome these long-standing problems, it is essential to change the election system and introduce several constitutional amendments. 1. The Presidency Although the executive presidency was initially introduced as a suitable system for Sri Lanka, its interference in the judiciary and high-level public appointments has caused serious harm. Therefore, the executive presidency should be abolished as soon as possible. Instead, a nominal President, along with an Executive Prime Minister and Cabinet, should be introduced to strengthen parliamentary democracy and institutional independence. 2. Parliamentary and Provincial Council Elections At present, Sri Lanka practices the Proportional Representation (PR) system. Although this is better than the former electorate system, party leaders and senior party officials now control candidate selection and electoral districts for their own benefit. Present Voting Method Voters select a political party. They may either refrain from marking preferences or mark one, two, or three candidates within the selected party. Proposed New Voting Method First, the voter selects a preferred political party. Then, the voter may select up to two candidates from the same party. In addition, the voter may select one candidate from the district list, regardless of party affiliation (except the party already selected). This additional vote will be considered a personal vote, independent of party loyalty. During counting, the total vote will consist of: Party preferential votes, plus Personal votes received by candidates. Through this method, voters can support capable and popular individuals beyond party boundaries. This system would reduce election violence, as candidates would realize the importance of earning votes not only from their own party supporters but also from voters of other parties. 3. One Election for Parliament and Provincial Councils Sri Lanka cannot afford the cost of frequent elections. A review of current Members of Parliament and Provincial Council members shows that the same families often dominate both institutions. My proposal is to conduct one election to select members for both Parliament and Provincial Councils. Example: Monaragala District Parliamentary seats: 5 Provincial Council members: 10 The five candidates with the highest votes (according to party proportions) should be selected for Parliament. From the remaining list, the next ten candidates should be selected proportionately for the Provincial Council. This method allows both institutions to be formed through a single election, reducing costs and limiting family-based political dominance. 4. Local Government Institutions Villages are made up of families and represent the smallest unit of administration. In the past, the administrative chain flowed from the Village Headman to the Korale Mahaththaya, Government Agent, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet, Prime Minister, and Governor-General. Basic public services were once provided by Gamsabhas, Town Councils, and Municipal Councils. Gamsabhas functioned without political party involvement and served communities with dignity. However, after 1970, the introduction of political authorities, Sanwardana Sabhas, and later Provincial Councils severely damaged Sri Lanka’s political culture. Political influence over the public service further weakened governance, causing voters to make emotional decisions rather than informed ones. 5. Proposal for Local Councils Politics should be completely removed from Divisional, Town, and Municipal Councils. I propose: Introducing an electoral system without political parties Allowing only independent candidates to contest elections There are many educated and experienced individuals—retired teachers, doctors, engineers, accountants, bank officers, SLAS officers, and others—living in villages and urban areas. Many wish to contribute to society during their later years without engaging in party politics. This system would enable them to serve their communities effectively. 6. Administration and Statistics Accurate village-level statistics can be obtained through these councils. Currently, several government officers in each Grama Sevaka division draw salaries without meaningful work, often submitting inaccurate data. National-level decisions are then made using unreliable statistics. Village councils can provide accurate, ground-level data. In addition, responsibilities such as road construction and building plan approvals should be clearly assigned to specialized departments, such as a Department of Buildings, with technical support from institutions like NBRO and the Central Environmental Authority. Conclusion All these reforms can be achieved primarily by changing election methods. Electoral reform is the foundation for restoring good governance, political culture, and public trust. Further details will be shared in future articles. This is one of my proposals regarding electoral reform in Sri Lanka, which I hope to share through the World Press platform. — Navarathne Kodituwakku Accountant

The Night the Roads Disappeared

A True Short Story

Our elder son, Lokka, has always been a unique character. From childhood, he balanced studies with many extracurricular activities. Though his mother wished him to become a doctor like her, destiny had its own plan. Today he is a qualified dentist, but not interested in clinical work. Instead, he added new paths to his life. He won the prestigious Chevening Scholarship and left for the UK to study for an MSc at the London School of Economics. His wife, Nimna, a dental lecturer, was also lucky to receive foreign training at Bristol University. Their journey felt guided by unseen hands.

When they left Sri Lanka, their rented house at Pilimathalawa had to be handed back before the end of November. Otherwise, a month’s rent would be deducted from the advance. I was the only healthy person available to shift their belongings to the new official bungalow at Peradeniya. Lokka never orders me; he always requests politely. That quality alone made me determined to help him and save his money.

One quiet sadness weighed on my heart. Our little granddaughter, Aselee, had drawn a beautiful pastel painting on the wall. I had preserved similar childhood paintings of my own children for decades in Monaragala and Radawana quarters. Still, nothing is permanent. I bought a small bucket of white paint, knowing I would have to erase her lovely work. The date was fixed: 27th November.

The weather turned against us. Continuous rain, cyclone warnings, and advice from everyone to postpone the task. But time was my enemy—tax matters, pilgrimages, and deadlines surrounded me. On the night before, sleep avoided me. After much thought, I decided to go.

At dawn, carrying only an umbrella and a mobile phone, Rasu and I left home. Heavy rain followed us to Pilimathalawa. We packed everything—books, toys, clothes, furniture—while rain poured without mercy. Hunger struck us, but the town was lifeless. Power failure. Closed shops. Rising river water. Earth slips.

I walked toward Peradeniya searching for food and found a small boutique. With two rice packets and a bottle of water, I waited helplessly. Roads were blocked. Signals failed. I silently recited Isipitho Gatha. Suddenly, the lorry driver called and rescued me. Sometimes help arrives exactly at the moment when faith is tested.

By evening, despite leeches, soaked clothes, and darkness, we completed the shifting. Roads were blocked everywhere. Finally, we boarded a bus to Colombo via the Kurunegala highway—the only escape from Kandy. That night, the bus stopped near Galagedara. A fallen tree blocked the road. No movement. No information. We spent the night inside the bus, listening to wind and rain argue with fate.

During the night, Rasu lost his mobile phone while getting down to pass urine. It fell into floodwater. He cried bitterly. I told him not to worry, though I knew how attached he was to it. After all, life had bigger lessons planned for us that night.

Dawn arrived without birdsong—only crows. The road was buried under mud, rocks, and broken trees. Houses were cracked. Time felt frozen. Foreigners walked past us and shared their experience—fear, adventure, and the kindness of Sri Lankan people. I helped them find transport on a tractor. Later, a three-wheeler carried us toward Kandy, charging Rs. 3000. I accepted without hesitation.

At Kandy, soaked and exhausted, we searched for clothes. A Muslim textile shop owner welcomed us warmly. He refused payment, saying Allah had sent us to give him a chance to earn merit, not money. Quietly, I left cash hidden among his books. His kindness remains etched in my heart.

At Asgiriya Temple, monks and staff welcomed us warmly with cups of koththamalli tea. Despite the temple being crowded with flood victims, they arranged a quiet luxury room for us—an unexpected comfort after days of rain, hunger, and fear. There was no electricity, but tea, meals, water, mattresses, soap, and basic needs were generously provided. I lit the candles I had bought earlier, and that small light reduced not only the darkness of the hall, but also the fear in many hearts. Later, dinner parcels arrived from the Dalada Maligawa—enough for all.

During the stay, a power pack was brought to me by a young monk from Matale, saving my phone at a critical time. At home, my own Disaster Management Committee—carefully coordinated by Mevan and Amma—was working quietly behind the scenes, monitoring our situation, making phone calls, arranging support, and giving us courage at every step. To my great joy, his father turned out to be my old school friend—a friendship revived unexpectedly in the middle of disaster. Another miracle. At the same time, my son in Melbourne—my quiet ‘financial analyst’—silently filled my empty pocket through a transfer, just when I needed it most. Earlier, Yasasi’s parents had kindly arranged our stay at the Asgiriya Temple and coordinated everything for our safety and comfort, easing my burden without even informing me.

Two days later, electricity returned. Until then, the temple provided tea in the mornings, hot meals, and kind words, turning a place of refuge into a place of comfort. Faces brightened. Phones came alive. Before leaving, I spoke to the victims, sharing our lessons from the disaster. A university student thanked the Maha Sangha and jokingly named me “Aloka Sir”—the one who brought light with candles.

By noon, we returned home safely.

Life moves gently between rain and shelter, loss and kindness. We erase paintings, lose phones, sleep in buses—but gain stories, faith, and unforgettable human warmth.

We live and work and dream, Each has his little scheme. Sometimes we laugh, Sometimes we cry, And thus the days go by.

1st January 2026
Today, the first day of January 2026, I woke up at 5.00 a.m. Malanee had already prepared kiribath for breakfast.
By 6.00 a.m., my wife and I went to the temple for worship. After returning home, we exchanged New Year wishes with family members, friends, students, and well-wishers over the phone. We received many warm wishes.
After breakfast, I took a short nap. Nalaka, one of our close friends who always helps us, invited us to visit his house. Both of us went there to see his father, who is unwell.
Later, Mevan brought lunch from KFC. Meanwhile, we spoke with Lokka and Chacha over the phone.
In the evening, a special dinner was prepared for Dinithi’s parents

“The Wrong Train, The Right Lesson”
About a month ago, Mother was eager to visit Nuwara Eliya and my sister’s family. The day before the Dāne at the Asgiriya Temple organized by Yasasi, on October 26th, she hurried to the AGA office and obtained a railway warrant to travel by train to Nawalapitiya.
As soon as I heard, I went straight to the Weyangoda Railway Station and booked the tickets. Everything seemed perfectly arranged — the journey was set for October 25th at 6 a.m.
On October 24th, we went with Dinithi’s family to Anuradhapura to worship and returned that same day. The next morning, at the station, one of the timekeepers announced, “Badulla train is coming next.” Thinking it was ours, we boarded and sat in the reserved seats — 43 and 44.
Soon after, the railway guard came to check our tickets. He looked surprised.
“You’ve boarded the wrong train,” he said kindly. “There are four trains to Badulla on Saturday mornings. You must check your train number, not just the name.”
I explained that we didn’t know the numbers — we only recognized trains by their names: Mail Train, Udarata Manike, Yal Devi…
He smiled, shook his head slightly, and added, “Madam, your reserved luxury compartment has already passed Polgahawela.” Just then, another passenger arrived, claiming our seats.
Thankfully, the Tamil guard, a truly kind gentleman, thought for a moment and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll find you another seat.” He helped us settle down again.
As always, Mother scolded me for the mix-up — she even ate her breakfast alone, continuing her lecture. But I remained calm, following the practice of Mettā (loving-kindness).
Finally, we reached Nawalapitiya safely and went to my sister’s home — a little tired, but wiser.
That day we learned a simple yet valuable lesson:

A Journey of Faith and Family
The sharp keech-keech of a motorbike horn broke the calm of the dispensary. Smiling, the doctor remarked how even the postman’s bell had changed with time. Life indeed was changing—servants on mobile phones, letters replaced by calls, and habits quietly transformed.
Among the letters delivered that morning was one addressed to Dr. Malanee Kodituwakku—a gentle reminder from Somawathie Temple about the annual pilgrimage on November 16 and 17. That single letter set everything in motion.
As always, Malanee took the lead. Phone calls were made, names discussed, excuses heard, and confirmations gathered. Though many were unable to join due to illness, work, or family duties, a small but devoted group slowly formed. Rasu, the faithful servant of many years, quietly prepared everything—from cooking utensils to food supplies—working not as a helper, but as a family member.
Before dawn, the house at Kalagedihena came alive. Rice was cooked, sambol prepared, bags packed, and prayers whispered. By 4.30 a.m., the bus rolled out—filled with devotion, chatter, Bana sermons, laughter, and quiet naps. The journey included worship at Seruwila Temple, shared meals under unexpected rain, small kindnesses along the way, and warm hospitality.
Reaching Somawathie Temple on time, the group settled in. As tradition demanded, the women cleaned the temple premises, the evening Gilanpasa Pooja was offered with devotion, and tired bodies found rest in simple rooms. Before sunrise the next day, Malanee was again at the temple—service before comfort, always.
The main Buddha Pooja concluded peacefully. Heavy rain followed their departure, as if blessing the journey. Lunch at Minneriya Army Restaurant, sponsored lovingly by family, brought the pilgrimage to a joyful close.
They returned home by night—tired, grateful, and content. More than a trip, it was a reminder: faith grows stronger when shared, and memories made together remain forever.

“This is a proud and memorable moment for our whole family. Our elder son, Dr. Kemiya, a Dental Surgeon, has been awarded a prestigious UK Government Scholarship to pursue his MSc in Health Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE).
In the first photo, Kemiya is standing proudly with his scholarship, a symbol of his dedication and hard work. In the second, we see the warmth of home: his loving wife Nimna and their little daughter Aselee enjoying precious moments together before his departure.
As parents, we are overjoyed and blessed to witness this achievement. His brothers, Harindu and Mevan, stand beside him with pride, along with their wives Yasasi and Dinithi, who all share in the happiness of this success.
This moment is not only about one person’s academic journey, but about the strength, love, and support of the entire family that surrounds him. It is a celebration of unity, love, and hope for a brighter future.”**