(Continued from last week)

Therefore, during our visit, we were continuously alert to this factor, and learnt as much as possible about quality specifications, such as protein and moisture contents, milling qualities of different classes of wheat and so on. We took down notes and collected a fair amount of relevant literature. We were however of the view that we still needed expert technical advice, and this we later obtained from a retired expert of the Canadian Wheat Board. An important part of knowledge and judgement is to help you to decide how much you do not know. Whilst the visit to the US gave us a sufficient body of knowledge about wheat, to build on, it also convinced us that the switch-over needed detailed expert advice and guidance. Therefore, it was both fortunate and timely in more than one sense.

“The Tong Joo”

September 1978, saw the inauguration of the new constitution, a hybrid of the US and French constitutions, with a strong Executive Presidency. This was overshadowed in our minds in the Food Ministry, by sinking in Galle harbour of the ship “Tong Joo” carrying valuable cargo for the Food Department. This was a period of rain and blustery weather, with strong winds. Galle was not an easy port to navigate in at the best of times due to varying depths and submerged rocks.

Therefore, it was most important to steer vessels along defined channels that did not leave much room for manoeuvre. The pilot on the “Tong Joo” erred, albeit under difficult circumstances, leading to the drifting of the ship away from the channel and foundering on some rocks.

The question was whether the whole exercise should have been attempted in the prevailing weather conditions. When we received the news the Secretary, Trade and Shipping Mr. Lakshman de Mel and I set-off for Galle during the early afternoon. The Food Commissioner and others went separately. The weather was still unsettled and very windy. Once in Galle, some of us got into a launch and journeyed towards the half sunken vessel. The ride was far from comfortable. The sea was quite rough and the fact that I couldn’t swim added to the tension. After coming back to shore, we held a preliminary inquiry. Some of the steps we took were of importance in the light of the potential legal issues to follow. The half-sunken vessel, was a feature in Galle harbour for many months.

Sometime in October 1978, I was appointed to act as Secretary to the Ministry of Trade and Shipping for a period in addition to my duties as Secretary Ministry of Food and Cooperatives. Hardly had I completed this period of added responsibility, when a double problem confronted me at about the same time, one of a personal nature, and the other of an official nature. On the personal front our son developed Hepatitis and had to be warded at Durdans hospital. On the official side, a nasty cyclone hit Batticaloa.

Cyclone

The cyclone of late November 1978 was a particularly bad one. Batticaloa was completely battered. It seriously damaged homes and buildings and uprooted thousands of trees. Hardly a coconut tree was left. The moment I realized the severity of the cyclone, listening to news reports, I called up a meeting of the senior officials of the Food and Co-operative departments. It was necessary to anticipate the volume of emergency food supplies required, and how to get these through.

Telephone lines to Batticaloa were out and the Government Agent Dixon Nilaweera, who was later to become my Additional Secretary, and still later Secretary to the Treasury, was marooned in his official bungalow the -Residency,” watching the waters rising, seeing serpents swimming in the water, and contemplating whether death was to come by drowning, snake bite or electrocution as a result of fallen electric wires. Not entirely a happy range of choices. But we were able soon to establish radio contact, using the facilities available in the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs, as well as the police radio network. A serious problem was that Batticaloa was inaccessible by road or rail due to fallen trees and extensive damage to bridges, culverts and other infrastructure.

Whilst other departments and agencies of government addressed the issues of shifting fallen trees, and attending to emergency road and railworks, we decided in order to save time to load up lorries with rice, flour and sugar and position them as close as possible to the various routes into Batticaloa, so that they could proceed forward as the roads got cleared. Arrangements were made through Police headquarters, for the lorries to be parked at police stations and other secure points, and suitably guarded. Each lorry had 5-10 tons of rice, flour or sugar and had to be protected against pilferage and theft. Two days after the cyclone struck, the Secretary to the Cabinet called a major conference of Secretaries to Ministries, and Heads of several departments relevant to the relief effort to assess the overall situation and arrive at decisions. During the course of the meeting, I was instructed to load the necessary number of lorries for despatch. I informed the Cabinet Secretary, much to his surprise that loaded lorries were now close to Batticaloa, and that my request was for extra gangs and 24-hour work on road clearance and emergency road repair. This was done, and unexpectedly early scores of food lorries entered Batticaloa.

A public officer who was a resident of Batticaloa later told me that it was like a miracle to see the food lorries, many of them Food Department lorries with the huge sign of the department painted across on both sides, entering the city, so soon. He went on to say “Nobody will understand how high this boosted our morale, and what this meant for us.” He said people started clapping when they saw the lorries. Some were in tears. We in the Ministry of Food and Co-operatives did not imagine such a reaction. It was only made possible by quick reaction, responsible anticipation, close co-ordination and determined follow up. I was fortunate to have an excellent team, both in Food and in Co-operatives, who worked long hours untiringly and uncomplainingly. The personal downside of all this for me was that I was able to see very little of our son in hospital. On most days I was able to see him for about half an hour well past 9 p.m. The fact that he was in the very competent hands of Dr. Cyril Perera, one of our foremost paediatricians eased my mind somewhat.

Visit to China

In February 1979, a delegation led by Mr. Herat, the Minister of Food visited the People’s Republic of China: The members of the delegation, besides the Minister were, the Acting Food Commissioner Mr. Pulendiran; Mr. Easpharathasan of the Treasury; Mr. Sellaiah, the Deputy Chief Accountant of the Food Department; Mr. Jaya Herat, Private Secretary to the Minister; and myself. The purpose of the visit was to negotiate, renew and sign the protocol for rice under the overall umbrella of the Rubber-Rice Pact between the two countries. This visit constituted one of the senior level visits of Ministers, Deputy Ministers and senior officials periodically envisaged under the main Pact. Under these arrangements there were set periods, set levels and set protocol. It was indeed a rare privilege those days to visit China, which was closed to many foreigners.

In early 1979, China was still very much a closed Society, but we could see incipient signs of liberalization. The large mass of men and women were still dressed in the ubiquitous “Mao” blue suit, which constituted a pair of trousers and a tunic jacket. Dressed all-alike, it was sometimes not easy at a glance to distinguish men from women.

There were hardly any cars on the road, even in Beijing. But there were literally hundreds of thousands of bicycles. Everyone commuted on a bicycle. The paradox however was that although there were only very few cars, Beijing and other cities were quite noisy because of the constant blare of car horns. This was due to the thousands of cyclists on the highways. A thaw was just beginning. There were just a few people who had discarded their ‘Mao” suits and were dressed in more colourful clothing. Most of these were young people, and some young couples were bold enough to cuddle up in the parks and even steal a kiss or two in public, which we understood was unprecedented behaviour even in the recent past.

Ritual

But first we had to go through the ritual of getting into China from Hong Kong, then under British rule. We took a train to Lowu on the Chinese border. We got down at the station. We now had to cross the railway bridge on foot, and, at the other end of the bridge, we saw Chinese officials standing in order to receive us. On the Hong Kong end of the bridge was the British flag. On the Chinese end was the flag of the People’s Republic. It was quite dramatic. Our baggage was carried by porters at Lowu and handed half way over the bridge to porters on the Chinese side. So strict were the lines of demarcation of the border. Obviously, a Hong Kong porter was unable to cross the balance half of the bridge without a visa which was unobtainable.

We were warmly received by the Chinese officials and conducted to a special waiting room at the railway station on the Chinese side. Here, after the customary drinking of Chinese green tea we were served lunch at noon. At 12.30 p.m., we started on a 2 1/2 hour train journey to Canton. Here, we were greeted by officials of the local party and Municipal council and taken on a sightseeing tour to a beautiful flower exhibition and upto a mountain commanding a scenic view of the city.

At 4.15 p.m. we took off by plane on the 2 1/2 flight to Beijing. We arrived at about 7 p.m. to what was for us bitterly cold weather, with an icy cold blowing which brought tears to our eyes. We were met by the Chinese Minister of Trade Li Chiang; one of the Vice-Ministers and other officials. Our Ambassador Mr. Dias de Singhe and Embassy officials were also present. We were lodged at the huge Beijing hotel. Beijing did not have modern five star hotels during this time, and the Soviet type Beijing hotel was the best available. As in the Soviet Union, we found that the skill of heating rooms had not been mastered. Our rooms were uncomfortably overheated.

On the 28th of February at 10 a.m. the formal talks with the Chinese Minister of Trade opened in the Great Hall of the People. Minister Li Chiang was elderly, sophisticated and genial. Discussions progressed smoothly and concluded in about 1 1/2 hours. The team of senior officials, on our side led by the Acting Food Commissioner were to begin detailed talks during the afternoon with their Chinese counterparts. I was available to be consulted by them, but my task was to be with the Minister.

After our return to the hotel, we sat and discussed matters pertaining to the afternoon’s discussions. After lunch, I accompanied the Minister on a visit to the Forbidden City and the Palace Museum. At 6.30 p.m. the Chinese Minister hosted an official banquet in honour of the Minister at Beijing hotel. This was a nearly 2 1/2 hour affair with some fifteen courses. The Chinese really relax at these banquets, and there was plenty of good humour and an easy atmosphere.

On the next day, the first of March we were taken at 9 a.m. to the Museum of Chinese History and the renowned Tienanman Square. Tienanman, perhaps the largest square in the world was a square of vast proportions situated in the heart of Beijing surrounded on different sides by the Great Hall of the People; the Mao Mausoleum; Museums; the entrance to the Forbidden City and the raised area with a red walled background where Chinese leaders stand to take the salute on important national occasions.

It was both an experience and an education to spend some time seeing these places accompanied by well-informed guides. We had lunch back at the hotel, and at 2.30 p.m. listened to a briefing on food grain distribution in China. The point of interest to us was how China adequately fed such a huge population. Everywhere we went the people appeared to be well fed and healthy.

There was much discussion after the presentation. The process was complicated but it did ensure a basic ration for everyone. Writing this brings to my mind the view expressed by the well-known British economist Joan Robinson. Replying to a critic who lamented the lack of democracy in China, she replied that any society which could successfully feed nearly a billion people must have some solid virtues. The day ended with a visit to the Peking opera in the evening. It turned out to be a colourful satire on social oppression during feudal times. It was designed to heap hatred and ridicule on the pre-communist society, with a greater emphasis on ridicule, and by contrast to extol the progressive qualities of the present communist dispensation.

On the following day the 2nd at 8 a.m. the delegation was taken on a 70 k.m. drive to the Great Wall. To walk on the wall, with snow all around was an unique experience. The wall was interspersed with watchtowers at regular intervals and was broad enough to accommodate horses and chariots. After this early outing, the senior officials in our delegation went back to Beijing for the final round of negotiations on our purchase of rice.

I had the far more pleasant task of accompanying the Minister to the Ming Tombs and the Summer palace, built for the dowager Empress Tsusi. Much wealth had been lavished on its construction. It was a magnificent place with artificial lakes; huge boat like houses or retreats built of solid marble; and inside, a store-house of treasure, with bowls, vases, clocks and other numerous items built of gold, silver, jade and porcelain, some of them studded with gems. The Vice Minister was our host during this visit and we had lunch with him.

Unusual Behaviour

When we got back to the hotel during the early afternoon, Mr. Pulendiran, the Acting Food Commissioner came to see me. Joy was visible on his face. He and his colleagues had had a Successful negotiation. He breathlessly announced that the Chinese had agreed to sell the 100,000 tonnes of rice we needed at a price Of US$ 212 per metric ton. This was indeed a very favourable price. When we had our final round of discussions in Colombo with the committee headed by the Secretary to the Cabinet, the consensus was that we would be fortunate to buy at US$ 220 per metric ton. International market prices were rising, and crop availability tightening.

The World rice market was extremely sensitive, and quite different for instance to the Wheat market. In the case of wheat, there was generally a surplus of around 100 million metric tonnes available fortrading in the market in a given year, but, in the case of rice, general availability at that time was only around 12-14 million tonnes, because of high domestic consumption in the rice eating countries. Aggravating this issue was the state oftraditional rice exporting countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam, due to war and the aftermath of war.

Under these circumstances our delegation had done exceptionally well in getting the price they did. Mr. Pulendiran now wanted to close the negotiation, and the Chinese had wanted an immediate answer. Having warmly congratulated Mr. Pulendiran, I told him, I would let him have my decision later in the evening. He thought I had taken leave of my senses. He repeated the price advantage to us and said that he would be most embarrassed not to conclude matters immediately since the Chinese were waiting for a prompt answer. I advised him to put the whole blame on me, and if necessary to tell his counterparts that his Secretary was somewhat eccentric and also very slow to decide.

I emphasized that it was most important that he himself appears in a good light with his Chinese counterparts and that no feeling of respect or friendship for me should prevent him from telling them that he thought his Secretary was crazy. A much befuddled colleague left my room. The reason I decided on this course of action was the friendship and Understanding that I had struck up with the Chinese Vice Minister. He had been to Sri Lanka before, and we had got on very well at the discussions. Protocol-wise a Vice Minister on the Chinese side was equal to a Secretary to a Ministry on the Sri Lanka side.

Therefore, when he came to Colombo, the two banquets in his honour had to be hosted by Mr. Lakshman de Mel as Secretary to the Ministry of Trade and Shipping and myself as Secretary to the Ministry of Food and Co-operatives. But because of the long course of friendly dealings between our two Ministries and relevant departments and those agencies on the Chinese side, Lakshman and I decided to invite our two Ministers to the two dinners hosted by us in honour of the Chinese Vice Minister. Protocol-wise, the Ministers could not have hosted the dinner to a Vice Minister, but they could, if they so wished attend as our guests. This in fact was what both the Ministers Mr. Lalith Athulathmudali, Minister of Trade and Shipping and Mr. S.B. Herat, my Minister decided to do. This was a special gesture by the two Ministers, who were present at both dinners to the Vice-Minister as guests of the two Secretaries. This was deeply appreciated by him and the Chinese side. I was able to renew this friendship on this current visit, and I knew that I would meet him later in the evening at the return banquet hosted by our Minister in honour of the Chinese Minister.

I wanted to have a personal word with him on the price. The banquet was hosted at the Peihai Park Restaurant which was part of an old Palace, with a lake now frozen with ice, outside. When the Vice-Minister came in, I took him to a side. He spoke English and direct conversation was no problem. I was aware, from the newspapers that he had been involved the previous day, as a member of the Chinese delegation having talks with the visiting United States Secretary to the Treasury. I therefore inquired whether the talks were going well. He said, “Yes” and added “But America new friend, you, old friend.” I inquired whether I could discuss something as an “Old friend.” He said “Of course.” I then referred to the rice price. He interrupted me saying, “You have got very good price.” I said, “Yes,” and that it was a good price, but that I was now speaking to him at a personal level.

I rapidly briefed him on some of our problems, including the Foreign Exchange situation and the fact that our Minister had come to China for the first time. I concluded by saying, “Please see whether You could reduce the price by one dollar more.” A larger request would have been completely unrealistic. He said he was not sure, and that we had already obtained a good price, but that he would try, and let us know the following morning. After dinner, I briefed the Minister and the Food Commissioner of what I had done. Both were naturally pleased, and Mr. Pulendiran might have regretted the few dubious glances, he directed at me during the course of the evening. The next day, he came to me and announced excitedly that the price had been reduced by one US dollar. The hundred thousand dollars so saved amounted at the then prevailing exchange rate to about Rs. 2.5 million, a considerable sum of money at the time.

My salary at the time amounted to a little over Rs. 5000 per month. Calculated on this basis the saving would have covered my salary, if at this level, for my entire expected stay of about 35 years in the public service! This reduction also exemplified the spirit of goodwill and co-operation that existed between our two countries. The Minister was extremely pleased. He wanted to include me by name in his Cabinet paper, on the part dealing with the rice negotiations. I had to spend some time prevailing upon him not to do so. I had to remind him that our system works on the basis of Ministers getting both the credit and the blame depending on the diligence and the quality of work of their officials, and that It would be vulgar to have my name put in there. In any case, I said that I was drafting the Cabinet paper and there would be no such reference. The Minister reluctantly agreed, muttering something about telling the President.

On the next day the 3rd which was a Saturday, we were the beneficiaries of a fascinating experience. Our hosts took us to see a part of Beijing’s underground air raid shelter complex. There were an amazing series of underground tunnels, practically below every shop. All the tunnels were inter-connected, with some leading out of the city. They were quite spacious, with kitchens, independent sources of power, etc. In a relatively small area, these tunnels could take in around 10,000 people within about 6 minutes.

These tunnels were elaborate, and furnished with all the facilities including mini hospitals and medical centres. They were virtually a city underground. From here, we were taken to the Temple of Heaven, where the Emperors used to go to pray for a good harvest, and to pray to the earth and the sky. We got back to the hotel for a late lunch. At 5 p.m. the Minister and delegation called on the Vice Prime Minister Mr. Kumu. We had an hour’s cordial conversation, mainly on Sri Lanka-China relations. In the evening, we rounded off the day with a leisurely dinner at the Ambassador’s residence, where we were able to unwind. This was home.

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