Features

Back to familiar territory

Published

12 months ago

2025/06/1

Job Offers

Within a day or two of our arrival in Sri Lanka, I received a telephone call from Mr. S.B. Herat, Minister of Food and Cooperatives. He asked me to come and see him. I had neither known nor met Mr. Herat before. But I knew him by sight. When I saw him at the Campbell Place residence, where he stayed with his brother, after asking a few questions, he invited me to become the Secretary to his Ministry. Mr. K.B. Dissanayke of whom I had written about in a previous chapter, was retiring from service. I inquired from Mr. Herat as to whether my present Minister Mr. D.B. Wijetunge was aware that he was going to make this offer to me.

He said “No”, but he would be speaking to him. I told him I was sorry, but if my present Minister had not been informed, it was not possible for me to continue with this conversation. This was the tradition we were brought up in. One did not discuss a matter like this behind the back of one’s Minister. In fact, I remember the instance in the 1960’s when Mr. D.G. Dayaratne, a senior civil servant who was then functioning as the Port Commissioner when called by the Prime Minister Mrs. Bandaranaike and offered the post of Secretary to the Cabinet declined to discuss the issue, because she had not informed his Minister Mr. Michael Siriwardena. Mr. Dayaratne was later appointed, after the formalities had been concluded.

In my case, Mr. Herat was apologetic and said he would not discuss the matter further, but only wished to know whether I would serve if there was general agreement. I said, “Yes” and that this was based on a principle I followed, of taking up whatever assignment the government of the day wished me to undertake. Mr. Herat appreciated this, and we parted. As I was leaving he said “Please don’t mention this conversation to anybody. I will be clearing matters with your Minister and the Prime Minister.” (Mr. Jayewardene was not President yet.)

I promised not to. Matters rested at this for two days. On the morning of the third day which was a holiday, where I had decided to go to the station later than usual, the telephone at home rang at about 9.30 a.m. The Minister of Lands and Irrigation Mr. Gamini Dissanayake was on the line. He said “Dharmasiri, what are you wasting your time at SLBC for? We are forming a new Ministry of Mahaweli Development. Join me and become its Secretary.

” I was now in a serious quandary. I couldn’t tell him that the Food Minister had already spoken to me. I had promised to keep that conversation secret. I therefore rather lamely told Mr. Dissanayake that I knew nothing about irrigation systems or river diversions, and that it was best for him to look for someone with some experience in that area. I suggested Mr. Sivaganam, who was his Secretary in the Ministry of Lands. But Mr. Dissanayake was not to be so easily diverted. He merely said, “No, you will pick it up in three months. It’s going to be an enormous challenge and a great creative endeavour. Please come. I will speak to the Prime Minister.

” I reminded him that he should speak to my Minister first. He promised to do so. To my relief, he did not request me to keep this conversation confidential. I therefore, rang Mr. Herat and was fortunate to find him at home. I requested an immediate appointment. I said that the matter was urgent. He asked me to come. When I told him what happened, he was visibly upset. He thought that Mr. Dissanayake knew that he was interested in getting me. I told Mr. Herat that the last thing I wanted was to be in the middle of a tug of war between two Ministers and to please understand that the present situation was none of my seeking. He was very understanding. He agreed that I should not be misunderstood by anyone. Mr. Herat told me later that the matter was finally resolved in Cabinet. Both Ministers had argued for me.

What had finally clinched the issue had been my previous experience as Deputy Food Commissioner. The government was about to launch a major food policy reform, and they finally concluded that my presence in the Food Ministry was more important at the time. Thus it was, that one afternoon, when I had just finished seeing off the French Cultural Attache, who had come to present some recordings of French music, an envelope bearing the seal of President’s House was hand delivered to me. It contained a letter from the Secretary to the President intimating to me that the President was pleased to appoint me as Secretary to the Ministry of Food and Co-operatives “with immediate effect.” One could not however, abandon responsibilities involved in the only national broadcasting facility “with immediate effect.

” What I did “with immediate effect” was to call a series of emergency meetings with all the relevant parties including Heads of Divisions, Trade Unions, and other important persons. The news of my imminent departure spread rapidly, and large numbers of employees sought to see me to express their shock and regret. In between meetings, I had to find the time to speak to them, however briefly. I had enjoyed good relations with everyone and I felt somewhat sad at the prospect of this sudden departure.

I had to dissuade employees and trade unions going in delegation to see the Minister to protest at my going. Amongst the Unions, one of the most affected seemed to be the JSS, the same Union that protested at my appointment. Now they wanted to protest at my departure. This too, I successfully stopped. The SLFP Union was extremely unhappy. They had felt secure because of my presence. Now they felt quite insecure. They did not know what type of person would succeed me. My Directors of Divisions were very upset. One of the problems was that to everyone this was a sudden blow. They did not possess my knowledge of the background to all this and I was of course sworn to secrecy.

My meetings went on till near midnight. I myself had not anticipated that my new appointment would come so fast.

Therefore, there was much to discuss and decide on, particularly fairly urgent and important matters that would come up during the following few weeks. Then there were important matters to be pursued, both of a bilateral and international nature, consequent to the Non-Aligned Broadcasting conference. I had virtually just come back from that meeting. Responsibilities for follow up action had to be allocated. It turned out to be an exhausting day, and finally when I left the station for the last time another day had dawned.

***

CHAPTER VI

BACK TO FAMILIAR TERRITORY, SECRETARY TO

THE MINISTRY OF FOOD & CO-OPERATIVES 28TH

NOVEMBER 1977 17TH FEBRUARY 1989

Work of New Assignment Starts at Home

My last day at SLBC was the 24th of November 1977. There was then the weekend. Mr. P.M. Hassen, the Food Commissioner telephoned me and dropped in at home on Sunday morning, with a few of his senior officials. The reason for this team to see me on a Sunday, even before I had physically gone to the new Ministry was their anxiety about the vast changes contemplated by the new government on the whole area of food policy.

The ultimate aim was to abolish the rice-rationing scheme, which had been in existence for several decades. The officials were nervous about the impact of such a change, as well as the enormous difficulties involved in managing the reform and the transition. Mr. Hassen showed me reports and memoranda on which they had already been working. We discussed the issues and possible alternatives. We also discussed certain important aspects of implementation. Amongst other matters, we realized the importance of the role the government agents in the districts would have to play. I was therefore, quite upto date on developments when I walked into the Ministry next day, the 28th of November.

I am aware that many people look to some auspicious time to assume duties in a new job or to have themselves blessed through some religious function, such as the chanting of Seth Pirith. For some reason, these practices never obtained a hold on me. As to auspicious times, I tended to agree with the renowned Ayurvedic Physician of the Gampaha School, Dr. Senasekera of Kesbewa whom we used to consult occasionally. He was a fine gentleman.

One day, he told me to my great astonishment that he did not look for any auspicious times when he got married. I could not believe that a traditional Ayurvedic Physician who wore cloth and banian Would act like that, and I asked him whether what he said was true. He said “Yes”, and went on to say “Look, there are three occasions of major importance in a person’s life, birth, marriage and death.

Now, there are no auspicious times for birth and death. Then why on earth must you have an auspicious time for marriage?” The logic was irrefutable.

As to religious functions in public places, everytime someone gets appointed somewhere, my position is that religion is essentially a private matter, and that it was more important to observe it than to display it. I therefore in my career avoided both practices of seeking auspicious times and having public religious displays. I walked in at the due time and got down to work. Of course, in the case of some appointments such as Secretary to the Prime Minister and Chairman and Director-General of Broadcasting, there was no time for any such practices even if I wanted to follow them. In the first instance, I was yanked out of bed and appointed and in the second, I was sped into controlling a seriously deteriorating situation.

The Ministry and The Minister

The Ministry of Food and Co-operatives situated in Union Place, Colombo was a familiar place. Previously, in the 1960’s, I had spent almost four years as Deputy Food Commissioner in the same premises. I now occupied the room then occupied by the Permanent Secretary Baku Mahadeva. From this room, a connecting door led to the Minister’s room. The Minister himself was a genial personality, holding the Parliamentary seat of Hiriyala, in the North-Western Province. He never lost this seat, and it was easy to see why.

Educated at Wesley College, Colombo and coming from a professional family background, Mr. Herat was short, chubby and energetic. He had been a motorcycle-racing rider on the Katukurunda circuit, a hockey player and a lover of sports. Above all, he was honourable and humane. He was refreshingly free from pettiness, a condition common to many politicians, and possessed a mischievous sense of humour.

At times, his whole body shook with laughter. Sometimes, when he thought, the occasion demanded, he tried to get angry, but not very successfully. I remember one such occasion, when he was irritated with Mr. Hassen, the Food Commissioner, over some matter. One could see that lie was striving to get angry and give the Food Commissioner a telling off, but not with greatsuccess. His efforts to generate some visible degree of anger was so funny that the intended victim of his wrath, burst into laughter. “Why are you laughing?” asked the Minister. “Because you look so funny trying to get angry” replied the Food Commissioner, and both burst out laughing.

Such was the temperament of the Minister. It was small wonder that the people of Hiriyala liked him, and kept on re-electing him through every political swing. Mr. Herat’s work habits were also unique. He was always available to the people, and the people made a habit of thronging the premises of the Ministry. He did not see them singly. At any given time over fifty people were in his room, so that everybody heard everybody else’s request to the Minister and the ensuing dialogue. graduating sometime to a public discussion, with the Minister himself referring the matter to the assembled multitude, by asking them for instance, “Do you think this is a fair request?” However, with all this, he was also available to his officers.

Sometimes. I have had to wade through the crowd in order to discuss some urgent matters with him. On such occasions, much to my embarrassment, he used to clear the whole room the moment he saw me. He used to announce, “My Secretary is coming to see me on important official matters. Please wait outside, until he finishes.” I had told him several times, that it was not necessary to clear the room, each time I come in, and that I Would tell him if I had to discuss something confidential which would make this necessary.

But he persisted with the practice, which later I was given to understand was due to his respect for the Secretary. This situation made me reluctant to lightly walk into his room when there was a crowd. I walked in only if a matter was very urgent. Other matters, I noted down and kept for discussion later when the crowd had thinned, or sometimes for the following day.

(Excerpted from In the Pursuit of Governance, autobiography of MDD Pieris)
(Continued from last week)

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Features

From stabilisation to transformation without delay

Published

14 hours ago

2026/05/26

Sahan Weerasooriya

At a symposium on reconciliation organised by the National Peace Council last week, more than 250 religious clergy, civic activists and political representatives from different communities gathered to discuss the country’s future. Speaking at the event, Minister Bimal Rathnayake explained the government’s approach to national reconciliation. He said the government viewed the country’s recovery in terms of a three stage process. The first stage was stabilisation, the second was development and the third was transformation. Reconciliation, he implied, would come in that final stage. The participation of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa at the same symposium, and the constructive nature of his comments, strengthens that hope.

When the present NPP government took office in 2024, the country was emerging from one of the gravest crises in its post Independence history. The economic collapse of 2022 had led to shortages of fuel, food, medicines and electricity. Inflation soared, foreign reserves disappeared and long queues became part of daily life. The political upheaval that followed culminated in the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after mass public protests under the banner of the Aragalaya movement. The country was then governed by a leadership that spoke the language of reform and reconciliation but was widely perceived as lacking a direct popular mandate.

Sri Lanka’s past experience suggests that stabilisation and transformation cannot be treated as entirely separate stages. Postponing reconciliation until some future moment risks repeating the failures of the past. If transformation is endlessly delayed until a supposedly perfect moment arrives, there will always be new crises and new reasons for postponement. Minister Rathnayake’s contention that the government’s immediate priority has necessarily been stabilisation flows from the government’s awareness of the precarious situation the country is. Over the past two years, the government has succeeded to a significant extent in restoring economic and political stability. Inflation has reduced, shortages have ended and public institutions have regained a degree of functionality.

Guaranteed Changes

On the other hand, the country’s development continues to face challenges due to adverse global conditions, including disruptions caused by conflict in the Middle East and extreme weather events that have affected tourism, trade and the cost of living. The danger is that reconciliation may be indefinitely postponed in the name of stabilisation. This danger can be reduced if the government works proactively with the opposition and civil society to commence practical measures of transformation now rather than later. The participation of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa at the symposium, and the constructive nature of his comments, has strengthened the sense that bipartisan engagement on reconciliation may now be possible.

The urgency of transformation came through strongly in the presentations made by representatives of the Sri Lanka Tamil and Malaiyaha Tamil communities. ITAK parliamentarian S.Shritharan spoke of the frustration caused by unresolved post war issues in the north and east. He referred to disputes regarding land occupied during the war years, including controversies linked to Buddhist temples and state sponsored settlement activity in areas claimed by local communities. He also pointed to the continuing large scale presence of the security forces in the north and east nearly two decades after the end of the war. These grievances have remained central to Tamil political discourse since the end of the armed conflict in 2009. Families displaced by war continue to seek the return of ancestral lands. Civil society organisations in the north have repeatedly called for greater civilian control over local administration and a reduction in military involvement in civilian life.

Academic research and practical work on the ground have shown that reconciliation cannot be separated from questions of dignity, equality and justice. Former minister Mano Ganesan, leader of the Democratic People’s Front, focused on the longstanding problems faced by the Malaiyaha Tamil community. He spoke passionately about continuing housing shortages, landlessness and economic marginalisation, issues that have persisted since Independence. He also highlighted the devastating impact of recent extreme weather events on estate communities that remain socially and economically vulnerable. The condition of the Malaiyaha Tamil community remains one of the enduring social justice issues in Sri Lanka.

After Independence in 1948, a large proportion of them were denied citizenship and voting rights through legislation that rendered them stateless. Though citizenship rights were eventually restored, the social and economic consequences of exclusion continue to be felt generations later.

Many families still lack secure housing and land ownership despite their immense contribution to the country’s plantation economy. Minister Rathnayake’s responses to both these concerns were politically significant. He argued that recent political developments, including the declining influence of narrow ethnic politics across communities, indicated a major shift in public attitudes. According to him, the political ground has changed in ways that make it increasingly difficult for politicians who rely primarily on ethnic division and communal insecurity to retain public support.

Inter-Connected

There is evidence to support the assessment about the changing political grounding which sees future prospects in the resolution of long standing problems. . The economic collapse of 2022 affected all communities alike and generated a new politics centred on governance, anti corruption, accountability and economic justice. The Aragalaya protests brought together Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in a common demand for political change. Although ethnic grievances have not disappeared, the crisis created space for a broader understanding that the country’s future depends on cooperation rather than division. Opposition Leader Premadasa’s comments at the symposium reflected this changing political climate. He emphasised that national reconciliation could not be separated from economic justice and the need to address disparities between regions and social classes.v He also mentioned the need for civil society organisations to take this message to the community. This wider understanding of reconciliation is important because ethnic inequality and economic inequality have often reinforced each other in Sri Lanka’s history.

Academic studies have identified the denial of citizenship rights after Independence as a historic injustice that set back the Malaiyaha community for decades. The challenge now is to ensure that transformation becomes part of the stabilisation and development process itself. Practical first steps are both possible and necessary. The release of civilian lands still under state control, greater devolution of administrative authority, reduction of military involvement in civilian affairs, language equality in public administration and accelerated housing and land ownership programmes in the plantation sector are all measures that can begin immediately without waiting for a final stage of transformation.

The government’s recent commitment that provincial council elections will finally be held this year is therefore significant. These elections have been repeatedly postponed by successive governments. Holding them would not solve the ethnic conflict by itself. But it would signal a willingness to restore democratic institutions and share power in a meaningful way.

Sri Lanka has repeatedly postponed difficult reforms in the hope that a more convenient political moment would eventually arrive. But opportunities are invariably created and fought for instead of being provided as a gift by a benevolent government.

The present moment, shaped by the economic crisis and public demand for accountable government, offers a rare opportunity to move simultaneously towards stability, development and reconciliation. Provincial council elections can be the first meaningful step. But they must not be the last.

by Jehan Perera

Features

Researchers to shape new environmental policy framework

Published

14 hours ago

2026/05/26

Sahan Weerasooriya

Some of the researchers at the meeting

In a significant move aimed at steering Sri Lanka’s environmental governance towards a more science-based and evidence-driven path, the Ministry of Environment has initiated a new collaborative mechanism to integrate leading researchers into national policy formulation and conservation planning.

The initiative was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Dr. Dammika Patabendi at the Ministry of Environment on Tuesday, where top environmental scientists, wildlife experts and researchers were invited to contribute towards what officials described as a “strategic transition” in the country’s environmental management framework.

The discussions focused on strengthening the scientific basis of environmental conservation programmes and national policy decisions while creating a more research-friendly environment for academics and field scientists engaged in biodiversity and ecological studies.

Particular attention was paid to long-standing concerns raised by researchers regarding procedural and operational difficulties encountered when conducting studies in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Department.

Minister Patabendi stressed the need for environmental policies to be guided by credible scientific data rather than ad hoc administrative decisions, ministry sources said.

Among the key proposals discussed was the establishment of a streamlined mechanism that would reduce bureaucratic obstacles faced by researchers in obtaining approvals, accessing field sites and sharing scientific findings with state institutions.

The Minister highlighted the importance of building stronger partnerships between policymakers and the scientific community at a time when Sri Lanka is grappling with escalating environmental challenges including deforestation, biodiversity loss, human-elephant conflict, climate-related disasters and ecosystem degradation.

Environmentalists attending the meeting had also highlighted the urgent necessity of incorporating empirical research into national decision-making processes to ensure long-term ecological sustainability and better resource management.

The meeting brought together several of Sri Lanka’s leading environmental researchers and academics including Rohan Pethiyagoda, Saminda Fernando, Sewwandi Jayakody, Samantha Gunasekara, Dinidu Devapura, Himesh Jayasinghe, Manoj Prasanna, Mendis Wickramasinghe and Suranjan Karunarathna.

Director General of Wildlife Conservation Ranjan Marasinghe also participated in the deliberations.

Officials said the proposed framework is expected to pave the way for a more transparent, data-oriented and scientifically credible environmental governance structure capable of addressing emerging conservation challenges more effectively.

The government expects the new mechanism to support the implementation of practical and scientifically robust programmes aimed at safeguarding Sri Lanka’s ecological future while enhancing cooperation between state agencies and the country’s growing community of environmental researchers.

By Ifham Nizam

Features

Back home … for a special occasion

Published

14 hours ago

2026/05/26

Sahan Weerasooriya

Seven Notes: Sri Lankans based in Dubai – with Niluk (second from left)

Niluk Uswaththa, of Seven Notes fame, based in Dubai, surprised many when he and his wife Apeksha, turned up in Colombo, last week … unannounced.

Yes, they had a purpose in their surprise visit … to wish Apeksha’s mum for her birthday, which was on Monday, 18th May, and what a surprise it turned out to be!

In an exclusive chit-chat with The Island, Niluk said that the scene in Dubai is improving and Seven Notes do have work coming their way.

Since the members of Seven Notes are all employed (doing day jobs), they operate only on Saturdays and Sundays.

Niluk: Didn’t come prepared to perform, but obliged
friends in Galle

In fact, to get to Colombo for the birthday surprise (on Monday, 18th May), the band had to skip their 17th May, Sunday gig.

“Although it’s a short vacation, my wife and I are enjoying the setup here,” said Niluk, adding that they spent two days in Galle and that their next destination is Anuradhapura.”

Niluk didn’t come prepared to perform, but he obliged the crowd present, at a friend’s birthday celebrations, in Galle, singing and playing guitar.

They are scheduled to leave for their home, in Dubai, in the first week of June.

Seven Notes is an outfit made up of Sri Lankans and the band has been around for almost nine years.

Niluk came into their scene nearly seven years ago.

“When I went to Dubai, I had offers coming my way but it was Seven Notes that impressed me because of their acoustic style.”

The Dubai’s entertainment scene is showing clear signs of bouncing back and even levelling up in the next few months.

Niluk and Apeksha: Enjoying their short vacation

After a slowdown earlier this year due to regional tensions, shows and festivals are back on the calendar, and organisers say late 2026 could be the busiest concert season in years.

Time Out Dubai says “the 2026 concert calendar is filling up nicely” and “the city is ready to party once again” after some reschedules.

Dubai Summer Surprises in July brings retail activations, comedy nights, and indoor art exhibitions.

Organisers point to a backlog of postponed events that are being rescheduled for late 2026 and early 2027.

Yes, Dubai is calm on the surface but on alert. Life is mostly normal in the city, but there’s a “balancing act” as people watch for escalation.