Features

British Merchants and Planters

Published

2 years ago

2024/06/16

Thilina Walpola

Sir Thomas Villiers who built Adisham in Haputale

(Excertped from Selected Journalism by HAJ Hulugalle)

If it is now the end of the road for the agency houses (this article was first published March 1976), the event marks an important landmark in the Island’s history. It is a traumatic experience for those closely concerned, like the coffee crash in the middle of the last century when local banks were compelled to close down.

Agency houses may be irrelevant in the present context and unless they have read the signs of the times ahead and sought other avenues, they too will be forced to put up their shutters. It is now fashionable to regard them as the principle instrument of exploitation adopted by the foreign capitalist. Their contribution to the development of the country is too easily forgotten. As Shakespeare’s Mark Antony said, “the evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.”

The first agency house in Ceylon, Acland. Boyd and Company, was opened in 1829. One of the partners was a Member of the Legislative Council. The next was Crowe and Co., and George Crabbe, a partner was an MLC in 1840.

Many of the higher officials of the Government including the Governor himself, were involved in the rush to buy and develop tracts of forest land. There was plenty of land and the population was a mere fraction of what it is today. The biggest mistake the Government committed was to fail to demarcate land for village expansion and the future needs of a fast-growing population. This may be a hindsight view, for the expectation of life even in England then was 40 years. In Ceylon today, it is 60.

The foreign capitalists minded their business and were detached from the general population. They lived to themselves, – had their exclusive clubs and associations, and employed Ceylonese with rare exceptions in subordinate positions. They brought labour from India when they could not get willing and amenable workers in Ceylon. All these practices have left their mark.

The massive contribution made by the agency houses, despite serious setbacks like the coffee crash, was the building up of the tea, rubber and coconut industries, to say nothing of the minor ones like cinnamon, cardamom and cocoa. It is these industries which today enable our people to maintain a reasonable standard of living which could be improved if they were able to organize better and work harder.

At the end of the last century there was a steady flow to Ceylon of young Britishers seeking employment in the mercantile and planting spheres of the economy. Some of them reached the top and were even knighted. They-strove in their respective fields of activity to serve not only their own interests but also those of Ceylon as well as their mother country. They worked hard, made their money and sometimes settled down in the Island.

I came into close contact with a few of them in the course of my work as a journalist, especially with those who were members of the legislature. One of them was Thomas Lister Villiers. He arrived in Ceylon in 1887, at the age of 18-years, with 10 pounds in his pockets, to take up a job as a planting apprentice.

His father, Prebendary Henry Montagu Villiers, belonged to the Clarendon family and his mother was a daughter of Lord John Russell, one of Queen Victoria’s Prime Ministers. He was brought up with his cousin, Bertrand Russell, the third Earl, who was in his day a well-known philosopher and scientist.

Villier’s career as a planter demonstrated the truth of A P Herbert’s dictum that it needed a public school boy to produce the best tea. Villiers had been to Sherborne.

In due course, he bought Dickoya Estate and came down to Colombo in 1906 to join George Steuart and Co., whose founder was once Master Attendant and Magistrate of the Joint Police Court, Colombo. Keenly interested in public affairs, Villiers was a member of the Colombo Municipal Council for 10 years, and later a member of the Legislative Council (1924-31), and the State Council (193132).

He built himself a baronial mansion at Haputale and called it “Adisham.” The rows and rows of faces which confronted the ornate staircase were those of his aristocratic forebears through whom he was related to, or connected with, half the ruling families in England.

When I first came to know him he was about twice my age. Having made the first draft of his well-known book, ‘Mercantile Lore’ he wrote me a letter dated December 1, 1938 :

Dear Mr. Hulugalle, – Though I do not think I have had the pleasure of meeting you, I feel that I know you through your writings, and Mr. G K Stewart has I know, told you about my proposed publication, and the interest that you are taking in it. I am sorry that you cannot come on the 3rd but quite understand that it is impossible, and possibly it is a good thing, for you may have occasion to disagree with me after my speech on the 8th, though I do not think so, and certainly hope not.

I am going to Dickoya on my way back from Colombo, but if you promise definitely to come on the December 10, I will postpone that visit. It is really the last week-end that I can make free, for I am thinking of going to Bombay the following, week to meet my wife, who is such an invalid that I cannot promise any date after her arrival. If you come by the night mail of Friday 10th, I would arrange to have you met. – Yours sincerely, Tom Villiers.

Soon, I was spending week-ends at “Adisham” and helping him with his book. He appreciated my co-operation and made me write the Preface to his second book, a slim volume called “Pioneers of the Tea Industry.” Anyone wanting to write a history of the agency houses, a worthy project, will find his two books invaluable.

I have a pile of letters from Sir Thomas Villiers discussing all sorts of topics such as the usefulness of the Bank of Ceylon with State participation, of the Marketing Board and Anglo-Ceylonese relations. In a letter written in 1940 he said, “What the Europeans want to do is to help the Singhalese to hold their own, but certain members of that community, unfortunately the noisy section do all they can to antagonize the European. Probably we appear to antagonize the Singhalese and I know this is so. I regret it.”

Lady Villiers died in Bombay after a long illness and he wrote to me to say that “it is difficult to face an entirely new life at my age, but anyway I am relieved to think that she is past all pain and sorrow.” He left Ceylon in 1949 and died 10 years later in England.

I also have letters from M. J. Cary, who was also a member of the Legislative Council, Col. T. Y. Wright and Sir John Tarbat. Cary was troubled about the island’s financial situation and said,

“You have a hard task to try and create any sort of public opinion against expenditure. The public is very ready to cry out when taxed, but will never unite in protesting against either the creation of additional posts or money spent on building.”

T. Y. Wright who had a distinguished planting career in Kurunegala, my home town, knew my family well. As I indicated at the beginning of this article the system may or may not have been beneficial to the Ceylonese, but many of the men who were called upon to work it were decent human beings.

(First published in 1976)

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Features

Proactive peacemaking becomes a paramount need

Published

8 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wasting wars: Some war-displaced people in Lebanon. BBC

It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.

As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.

However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.

The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.

However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.

A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.

There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.

At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.

When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.

Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.

As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.

However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.

However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.

The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.

Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.

Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.

Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.

It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.

In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.

The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.

This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.

Features

Dialog Brings Sri Lanka’s Largest Digital Vesak Experience to Matara

Published

9 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left to right: Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, and Lasantha Theverapperuma experience the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered VR tours.

Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.

One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.

Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.

Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.

Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.

Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”

Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”

Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.

Features

Beauty, elegance and talent…for women

Published

9 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.

According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.

Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.

With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.

The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026

A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.

Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.

The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.

Launching the first round of auditions

The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.