Features

A Golden Age in Public Administration

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/31

It is arguable that the golden age of public administration in Ceylon/Sri Lanka were the years between 1948 and 1972, probably extending even upto 1989. Before 1948, it was a colonial, bureaucratic administration. Since 1948, Sri Lanka had a Parliamentary democracy. The administrative system during this period was one of collaboration between the administrators and the politicians, each respecting the other’s role.

There was a degree of autonomy for the public service. Most senior administrators of this period worked in English and so did the politicians. The administrators came largely from the University of Ceylon. Moreover, the parliamentarians were genuine representatives of the people, elected directly through a constituency system. The members of Parliament knew their constituents and they in turn knew their parliamentarians. These systems have gradually been eroded.

Elmo De Silva was a senior administrator during this period. His career ranged from the late 1950s to the early 1990s. The first part of his career was in district administration, and the latter part was in the Customs Department and later in the World Customs Organization. He became an international authority on certain aspects of customs administration like trade facilitation. The volume deals with his career, and also with his early life, describing his school days and university life at Peradeniya in the 1950s. His family and personal life is interwoven into the narrative. Running through his life is his love of music. His marriageto his wife, Naomi, comes through the narrative.

The author’s early life was not a bed of roses, nor was it a bed of thorns. One could describe him as belonging to a middle class family, with his father employed in the postal service, most of the time as a postmaster in the outstations. His father was transferred from one place to another and that consequently affected the author’s education as he had to change schools frequently.

The author describes in some detail, the family life of his childhood and the schools he attended. One school in Ratnapura had a class in which children aged six to 16 were placed together – an intriguing mix of primary and adult education. From his early days, the author had musical talent, and music had been one of his life-long interests. When he married Naomi, his musical interests and enjoyment were complemented by that of his wife who was an excellent pianist.

Elmo De Silva had a successful four years at the University at Peradeniya from 1953 to 1957. He ended with an honours degree in Geography. He describes his days at Peradeniya in some detail. Music was one of his interests at the time. He remembers Ivor Jennings, the Vice Chancellor, who made a big difference to Peradeniya at the time. The author is critical of the quality of some of the lectures, especially in his first year when he had to read history. He describes some of the then students by their nicknames which they probably would like to forget in later years. There are also some interesting references to University slang of that time.

From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Elmo De Silva’s career was in district administration. He first served as an administrative officer in the Department of Agriculture. Then he joined the Land Commissioner’s Department as a District Land Officer and served in the districts of Hambantota, Galle and Polonnaruwa. He describes, the relationship he had with the members of Parliament of those districts. In those days, it was a friendly relationship.

The MPs knew their constituents intimately and were conversant with their problems. This pattern of relationships between the MP and the public servant at the district level has changed dramatically since the MPs came to be selected through proportional representation. The MPs had no familiarity with problems of constituents as they did not represent any particular geographical area within the district.

Elmo De Silva will always be remembered for his role in the second phase of the Kaudulla colonization scheme in the Polonnaruwa District. He was instrumental in opening up 5,000 acres of new land and settling colonists during his years as District Land Officer in Polonnaruwa. The volume describes his experiences of that time.

C. P. de Silva was the member of Parliament for Minneriya and the Minister of Lands, Irrigation and Power. Prior to that, he had been AGA in Polonnaruwa in the 1940s. He had an intimate knowledge of the district and Elmo de Silva had a close relationship with him (as did Ivan Samarawickrama, the then GA). The volume describes the very unusual role of C. P. de Silva in the district, as AGA, MP and Minister of Lands. There is no other politician one can think of, whose diverse roles in his career converged so intimately with the interests of his constituents (Polonnaruwa district was largely one of colonization schemes).

The author has great admiration for C. P. de Silva. “Hon C. P. de Silva was the first to conceive the Mahaweli River Irrigation Project. He thought of this when standing on the Manampitiya bridge in Polonnaruwa, under which the Mahaweli flows. If I remember correct this is referred to in the foreword to the UNDP sponsored feasibility Report”.

One ubiquitous feature of district administration when the working language was English, was the petition writer who converted complaints of the public into some kind of English in a petition which was then delivered to the relevant administrator. The author describes one of these situations. “The first petition I received was against the farm manager of the Mapalana Agricultural Farm. The petition commenced with a very obsequous sentence, which says ‘we place this petition at your honour’s feet and beg for a solution’. Since the pun of the English language was not known to the writer of the petition, there were exhilarating mistakes. Eg. the petition stated that the farm manager was “giving the works” (work) to the young women and not “giving the works” to the older women. An added ‘s’ made all the difference.

The author’s career took a dramatic turn in the mid-1970s. From agriculture and lands, he moved to international trade and the Department of Imports and Exports. Harry Gunaratna, the Controller, who was a former DLO colleague asked him to come and join him at the department as Deputy Controller. A couple of years later, a vacancy occurred in the Customs Department for what became later known as the post of Deputy Director General. There were many who were interested in this job.

When the Minister of Finance (Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike) asked the relevant officer in the Ministry “whether there was any applicant who had not lobbied to be appointed to this post. He had said that only I had not done so. Besides, I had my Import and Export control experience. He then ordered Mr. Gomez to appoint me to fill the vacancy”. That was how senior appointments were made those days.

Elmo De Silva had an outstanding career at the Customs, and was a central figure in the Sri Lankan economic transition from a controlled to an open market economy. The new government which came into power in 1977 is credited with this economic transformation. While the politicians decided on broad policies, there were many critical tasks which had to be undertaken to make them a working reality. In opening up the economy, the Customs and the tariff system had a key role to play. Elmo De Silva was actively engaged in facilitating this transition – in the removal of tariff barriers, in trade facilitation, reducing the many requirements of documentation and streamlining the procedures involved. He became an authority on trade facilitation, and was much involved in the international engagements which led to agreed procedures among customs bodies internationally.

He describes the many conferences and seminars which he attended. He worked closely with the Export Development Board. He was appointed a member of the Presidential Tariff Commission of the late 1970s. He was also appointed Chairman of the Trade Facilitation Committee. The author expresses his great regard for ministers such as Ronnie de Mel (Finance) and Lalith Athulathmudali (Trade) for their key role in the overall economic transition of the country which was initiated by President J. R. Jayewardene.

The author’s valuable insights into the operations of government in opening up the economy is a major contribution to the understanding of the economic history of that time. What emerges clearly from this volume is also the close working relationship which prevailed at the time between ministers and public servants. Technical advice was much valued, and there was a clear division between political decision making and administrative action.

Elmo De Silva had five years with the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels. This was a key organization in the entire process of opening up world trade, with the establishment of the World Trade Organization and the reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers. The author’s expertise in trade facilitation was highly regarded in the many countries and in the many organizations with which he worked while in the WCO. The volume is replete with information of his many engagements while in the WCO.

The high quality of Elmo’s contributions while at the WCO, is illustrated by the tribute paid to him by the Organization of American States (in Washington, USA), and which is contained in the volume.

On a personal note. I have known Elmo since our University days at Peradeniya, and as fellow residents of Ramanathan Hall in the 1950s. Since then, our paths have crossed as fellow District Land Officers in the 1960s. It is a privilege to have known Elmo and his wife Naomi. Elmo De Silva is one of the most conscientious public servants I have known in my career – highly principled and dedicated to his work, and at the same time, a friend for all seasons. His autobiography is indeed an important contribution to the understanding of public administration in our time.

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Features

US’ anti-migrant stance set to intensify tensions in Western camp

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Migrant boats land on Western beaches. Credit: PA

The announcement by the US authorities of an anti-migrant stance during a recent commemoration in France of the epochal D-Day Landings of June 6, 1944, ought to strike impartial observers as a supreme irony. Whereas what should have been expected was a vibrant celebration of the beginning of the process of Western Europe freeing itself decisively from Nazi or fascist control during the crucial stages of World War Two, this was not to be.

What the world heard instead was a call to contemporary Western Europe to arm itself against a seemingly rising and threatening migrant presence in the region. In other words, the migrant must be despised and ‘shown the door’.

Instead of a commemoration that rejoiced in the flourishing of liberal democracy and its values what one got was a strong affirmation of fascism and racial chauvinism. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vented his spleen against the migrant or foreigner presence in Europe reportedly thus: ‘Sadly today different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies.’ To ‘beaches in Spain and Italy and Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive. When will European capitals do something about that invasion?’

While at the outbreak of World War Two it was Nazi Germany that was doing the invading and bringing some principal European countries under its suzerainty, this time around we are being given to understand that it’s migrants to the West who are seeking to colonize the latter. It goes without saying that such inflammatory rhetoric would have the deleterious effect of keeping racial tensions alive in the West and jeopardize all possibilities of the countries concerned cementing and maintaining social stability.

The Trump administration gives the impression of taking a leaf from the politically underdeveloped regions of the South to keep the US polity stable and united. In South Asia, for instance, we are not short of ambitious demagogues who use what is referred to as the ‘race card’ to gather unto themselves a following and thereby further their political fortunes. By seeking to stir and sustain anti-migrant hysteria, the Trump administration is also essentially replicating Nazi Germany’s policy of anti-Semitism. That is, fascism is very much alive in the US under President Trump.

Such efforts at churning racial hysteria at this juncture in the US should not come as a surprise. For all intents and purposes, the Trump administration is nowhere near achieving its aims in West Asia, for instance, in the short term. It has failed to bring Iran down to its knees, as it hoped to do, but is adopting the expedient of keeping the world guessing and confused on what it is doing in the region, since it cannot withdraw from the theatre in a hurry without losing face.

While perhaps working out an escape strategy the Trump administration it seems, is hoping to maintain its following at home intact and silent by playing on their racial biases and insecurities. Hence, the anti-foreigner campaign.

Simultaneously, the Trump administration will need to keep a close eye on how economic pressures on the domestic front are panning out. Anti-administration sentiments first break to the surface at meal tables. On this score, the news cannot be good because the average US family’s spending power ought to be shrinking on account of rising energy and oil prices. Consequently, it would not be a bad idea to keep the attention of the US consumer diverted by adeptly playing ‘the race card’; once again, lessons from intellectually bankrupt Southern politicians are coming in handy.

To be sure such comparisons many politicians in vibrantly democratic countries would find quite unflattering. But the stark truth is that racism cannot be tolerated in civilized societies and those politicians who resort to it risk being branded as racists of the first degree. In fact they could be seen as being on par with the likes of German dictator Adolph Hitler and his close collaborators.

However, on the question of migrant policy the Trump administration would likely be at polar opposites with the most vibrant of liberal democracies of the West. This will be the case with the UK, France and Italy for instance. The latter continue to keep their doors open to legal migrants and they are likely to view a virtual blanket ban on migrants as reprehensible.

Moreover, in the foremost democracies of the West debates are vibrantly ongoing on the need to keep racism or any hint of it completely outlawed in the public plane. There is the case of the UK, for instance, where the authorities continue to emphatically pinpoint their adherence to the principle of anti-racism in the conduct of public affairs.

One proof of the above was the parliamentary debate relating to the killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton. Police handling of the victim came in for sharp scrutiny by particularly the opposition in the House of Commons but there seemed to be a consensus over the main political divide that the matter should not be politicized.

Moreover, the UK authorities stressed in the House the government’s strict adherence to the policy of non-racism. It was also pointed out that British institutions set up to manage racism at the national, county and neighbourhood levels, for example, were very much intact. In fact, Sri Lanka could gain considerably by studying and implementing locally, legislation modeled on the relevant UK laws if it is in earnest when it speaks of ‘reconciliation’.

Accordingly, it is highly unlikely that Western Europe would ‘cave in’, so to speak, to US pressure on issues related to migration. The liberal democracies of Western Europe in particular would remain for the foreseeable future migrant-welcoming, multi-ethnic and plural democracies.

Nor is it likely that Western Europe would be passively receptive to US demands that it drastically increases its defense spending to meet the latter’s demands. Within the Western fold the EU is remaining committed to backing Ukraine, for instance, in its ongoing armed resistance to the Russian invasion and it is not giving any indication of being deferent to US pressure.

However, although tensions would continue to bristle within US-Western Europe relations on the above and numerous other matters of contention it would be far too premature to announce a parting of company between the two sections of the West. In that sense, the post-World War Two order remains essentially intact. There are still many things in common between the two, particular on the economic plane, that will ensure the continuance of the partnership.

Features

A decade among Yala’s ghosts of gold

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

YM75 "James" surveys his territory from a tree-top vantage point, demonstrating the leopard's commanding presence in the landscape.

The first rays of dawn creep over the ancient rocks of Yala. The Indian Ocean glimmers in the distance, and the wilderness slowly awakens. Somewhere amid the scrub jungle, a pair of amber eyes scans the landscape.

For wildlife conservationist and leopard researcher Milinda Wattegedara, moments such as these have defined more than a decade of dedication to one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic creatures—the Sri Lankan leopard.

What began as fascination evolved into a remarkable conservation journey that has transformed the understanding of Yala’s leopard population and placed Sri Lanka firmly on the global wildlife research map.

“Long before I ever lifted a camera, leopards had already captured my imagination,” says Wattegedara. “What fascinated me was not merely their beauty but the complexity of their lives—their hunting strategies, movements, reproductive behaviour and their remarkable ability to adapt to changing environments.”

That fascination led to the birth of the Yala Leopard Diary in 2013, an ambitious long-term project dedicated to documenting individual leopards and unraveling the mysteries surrounding their lives.

For many visitors, a leopard sighting is a fleeting thrill. For Wattegedara and his team, every encounter is a chapter in an ongoing scientific story.

“Each photograph was never the end of an encounter,” he explains. “It was the beginning of deeper questions. How did a particular leopard use the landscape? How did its behaviour change with the seasons? What environmental pressures shaped its decisions?”

These questions drove years of meticulous fieldwork. Every sighting was carefully recorded with details including location, habitat, behaviour, date and time. Photographs were analysed to identify individual animals through unique spot patterns, allowing researchers to distinguish one leopard from another with remarkable accuracy.

What followed was groundbreaking.

YF77 “Shelly” pauses in quiet observation, embodying the alertness
and grace that define Yala’s leopard population.

From 2013 to 2026, the Yala Leopard Diary identified an astonishing 189 individual leopards within the Yala Block 1. The research revealed a leopard density of approximately 0.524 leopards per square kilometre, making Yala one of the highest leopard-density landscapes ever recorded anywhere in the world.

Such findings have elevated Yala’s status among global wildlife researchers.

Nestled between the Indian Ocean and a mosaic of habitats, ranging from rocky outcrops to dense scrub forests, Yala offers an ecological stage unlike any other.

Here, leopards are photographed silhouetted against ocean horizons, perched atop ancient granite formations, resting on tree branches and stalking prey across sunlit grasslands.

The images tell stories of extraordinary lives.

There is Haminee, a devoted mother navigating the challenges of raising cubs in a competitive landscape. There is Lucas, one of Yala’s most frequently documented males, striding confidently across the Gonalabba Plains with the vast ocean forming an unforgettable backdrop.

There is Ruki demonstrating the species’ incredible strength by hoisting prey onto branches, and Shelly, quietly surveying her surroundings in a moment of feline vigilance.

Together, these individuals have become familiar characters in a living wilderness drama.

YM31 “Ruki” secures prey on a branch, illustrating the remarkable strength and coordination of the Sri Lankan leopard.

Recognising the immense value of long-term documentation, Wattegedara joined forces with fellow researchers Dushyantha Silva, Raveendra Siriwardana and Mevan Piyasena to establish the Yala Leopard Centre in 2020.

Located at the Palatupana entrance to the Yala National Park, the centre is believed to be the world’s first information facility dedicated exclusively to leopards.

“The centre serves as a repository of knowledge, accumulated through years of observation and research,” Wattegedara says. “Our goal is to connect visitors with the science behind conservation and foster a deeper appreciation of these magnificent animals.”

The project’s impact extends far beyond Sri Lanka’s borders.

Research arising from the Yala Leopard Diary has been published in internationally recognised scientific journals. One study introduced an innovative framework for identifying individual leopards, while another documented an extraordinary and previously unrecorded case of a leopard cub being consecutively adopted by two different adult females—first a relative and later an unrelated leopardess.

The discovery attracted international scientific attention and highlighted the complexity of leopard social behaviour.

Yet for Wattegedara, the most important lesson remains one of humility.

“One conclusion has become increasingly clear,” he reflects. “Our understanding of these leopards remains far from complete. We are only beginning to understand how they live, adapt and persist in one of Sri Lanka’s most dynamic protected landscapes.”

YF15 “Hope” descends Rukvila Rock at dawn, showcasing the agility and adaptability of Yala’s leopards.

His words underscore an essential conservation truth: the more we learn about nature, the more mysteries emerge.

As Sri Lanka navigates growing environmental challenges, the Yala Leopard Diary stands as a shining example of what sustained observation, scientific curiosity and public engagement can achieve.

Beyond the stunning photographs and remarkable sightings lies something even more valuable—a growing body of knowledge capable of informing future conservation decisions and ensuring that future generations inherit a wilderness where leopards continue to roam free.

For more than a decade, Wattegedara and his colleagues have followed the tracks of Yala’s elusive predators through dust, rain and scorching heat.

Their work has revealed that every leopard has a story, every sighting has significance and every photograph can contribute to conservation.

And perhaps, most importantly, it has reminded us that the golden ghosts of Yala still have many secrets left to share.

By Ifham Nizam

Features

Glamour, music and community spirit …

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lankans are quite active, all around the globe.

News has just come my way, from Glasgow, in Scotland, where the glamour of masks, music, dancing, and community spirit, came together, in spectacular fashion, at Masquerade Night, bringing together members of the Sri Lankan community for an evening filled with music, fashion, food and entertainment.

Organised by Mahesh Balaaratchi (DJ Mowgli) together with Sulochana Asmone, Hiroshini, Prasad, Ashi, and Shawn, the evening provided guests with an opportunity to socialise, enjoy live entertainment, and celebrate in a unique and elegant setting.

Guests arrived from 6:00 pm, dressed in formal attire and decorative masks, creating a colourful and vibrant atmosphere throughout the venue.

DJ Mowgli: The main
organiser of
Masquerade Night

There was a delicious selection of Sri Lankan cuisine and street food, which proved popular throughout the evening.

The buffet offered a variety of traditional favourites, giving attendees a taste of home while adding to the festive atmosphere.

Entertainment was provided by DJ Mowgli, whose performance kept the audience engaged throughout the night. His playlist featured a mixture of popular favourites, dance classics, and cultural music, remixed for a younger generation.

One of the highlights of the evening was the Baila session, which brought a distinctly Sri Lankan flavour to the event.

The Baila segment highlighted the importance of preserving and celebrating cultural traditions, while bringing people together through music and dance.

As familiar rhythms filled the room, guests enthusiastically took to the dance floor, creating one of the most memorable moments of the night.

The crowd was described as lively, energetic, and welcoming, with attendees embracing the spirit of the masquerade theme while enjoying the opportunity to reconnect with friends and meet new people. The family-friendly atmosphere ensured that guests of all ages could take part in the celebrations.