Features

My Stint at Dankotuwa Porcelain – Episode 3

Published

3 months ago

2026/04/26

LESSONS FROM MY CAREER: SYNTHESISING MANAGEMENT THEORY WITH PRACTICE – PART 35

As I described in Episode 1 of my time at Dankotuwa, there were certain unethical practices and political pressures that compelled me to resign. Even then, I had a feeling that I might return someday. Nevertheless, I kept my distance.

During this period, the Japanese directors would meet me whenever they visited Colombo and kept me informed about developments. Financially, the company was still doing well, largely due to its strength in producing heavy gold designs. However, there were troubling signs beneath the surface.

The Managing Director had left to take up a lucrative position at the privatised Ceylon Ceramics. A new CEO had been appointed. The Chairman, a lawyer who had succeeded me, lacked industrial experience. Gradually, I began to hear disturbing reports—discipline was deteriorating, and the organisation was losing its direction.

At the same time, I was working as a consultant on productivity promotion to the Ministry of Industrial Development. I recall telling Minister Hon. C. V. Gunaratne that I could not continue on the modest LKR 10,000 monthly allowance, especially since the role left me little time for other income-generating activities.

The Minister then learned that I had been removed from the ETF Board and from Dankotuwa. He took the matter up with President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who had no objection to my reappointment. I was reinstated on the ETF Board and, as its nominee, re-joined the Board of Dankotuwa Porcelain.

What I saw on my return was alarming. Management was misleading the Board, and I began probing into every aspect of operations. This made me rather unpopular. Soon after, both the Chairman and the General Manager resigned.

Around the same time, two executives who had earlier been driven out by trade union action, along with other executives, and supported by the Japanese directors, requested me to take over as Chairman. Ironically, the very Chairman who had earlier ousted me proposed my name, and the Japanese directors seconded it. I accepted.

However, I soon realised that I had taken on a formidable challenge. Workers were picketing daily during lunch breaks. Discipline had collapsed. The factory premises were untidy. Even the executives had formed a union.

I decided to act firmly. I first addressed the union issues, and the picketing stopped. The two executives were reinstated. Gradually, I implemented several measures to restore order and efficiency. For a while, peace returned.

“On Conduct Report”

At this point, I drew on a technique I had learned in school. There were two systems—”On Report” for poor academic performance, and “On Conduct Report” for behavioural issues.

A student placed on “Conduct Report” would have his behaviour recorded by every teacher, every period. If he received good reports for two weeks, he would be taken off the system. If not, further disciplinary action followed.

Before my return, discipline had deteriorated badly. I was told that a worker had once entered the Head of HR’s office and abused him using foul language, and no action had been taken.

A similar incident occurred during one of my visits. This time, I acted immediately. I instructed the Head of HR to terminate the employee’s services immediately, giving clear reasons.

Soon after, I received a call from the trade union headquarters. They accused me of violating the collective agreement by failing to follow the proper disciplinary procedure. I acknowledged this but explained that, given that several executives were willing to testify to such misconduct, I could not tolerate it. An organisation cannot function under such indiscipline. The union representative understood my position but warned of a possible work stoppage.

I replied rather bluntly that the influx of cheap Chinese products was already threatening our survival, and we were contemplating closure. A work stoppage, I said, might actually make that decision easier. In the end, there was no work stoppage.

As expected, the dismissed worker appealed to the labour courts and was reinstated. We then placed him on “Conduct Report.” Over time, he became a reformed employee. Interestingly, one Head of Division consistently wrote glowing comments about his behaviour. I found this hard to believe and questioned her. She smiled and said, “He is a well-behaved darling now.” I doubt whether this technique will be found in HR theories, but it came in very handy at that time.

New porcelain body and getting used at the Oscar banquet

Meanwhile, the global market was changing. Our traditional porcelain body, once highly successful, was losing its appeal. Customers were demanding a new, super-white porcelain.

We decided to change the body composition, though it came at a high cost. To achieve the required whiteness index, we had to rely heavily on imported raw materials. Contrary to popular belief, porcelain is not simply made from local clay. In our case, imported materials accounted for nearly 90% of raw material costs.

The new product was technically successful. However, competition had intensified. Hundreds of Chinese factories were offering extremely low prices, and we began losing some of our most lucrative markets. Over time, however, we regained certain orders. Buyers began to experience delays and quality issues from Chinese suppliers. Bangladesh too emerged as a strong competitor, producing fine white porcelain at lower costs due to cheap labour and gas.

Despite this, we retained certain advantages—strong governance, attention to detail, flexibility, and Sri Lanka’s appeal as a destination. Many European and American buyers preferred visiting Sri Lanka with their families, something they were reluctant to do in other countries.

There were also governance issues in some competing factories. In one case, a chairman had been found guilty of insider trading. These factors worked in our favour, allowing us to command a premium price. Even so, profitability did not match earlier levels.

I recall a meeting in Hong Kong with representatives from a major American department store. During price negotiations, one of their executives said:

“We know you follow labour laws strictly, your governance is excellent, you treat your employees well, there is no child labour, and your workers are well presented. But Bangladesh offers incredible prices which we cannot ignore. We cannot even verify whether their workers are underage, as many do not have birth certificates.”

That remark revealed a deep contradiction. Buyers spoke of ethical sourcing, yet often ignored it when making purchasing decisions.

Despite these challenges, we achieved a significant milestone. Macy’s Department Store in the United States declared our porcelain line as their best-selling range for a particular year.

Our Japanese shareholders also had operations in the United States, supplying mainly to the HORECA sector—hotels, restaurants, and catering. Perhaps the proudest moment came when the caterer for the Oscar Awards banquet selected three different opulent dinner sets from Dankotuwa Porcelain for three consecutive years.

For all of us at Dankotuwa, this was a moment of immense pride. It signified that we had truly reached world-class standards.

More experiences from my time at Dankotuwa Porcelain will follow in the next episode.

Sunil G. Wijesinha
Consultant on Productivity and Japanese Management Techniques
Former Chairman / Director of several listed and unlisted companies
Recipient of the APO Regional Award for Promoting Productivity in the Asia-Pacific Region
Recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays – Government of Japan Email: bizex.seminarsandconsulting@gmail.com

By Sunil G. Wijesinha
Unexpected Return to Dankotuwa

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Features

The hard challenge of clinching a political settlement in the Middle East

Published

23 hours ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Bruised hearts: Displaced Palestinian civilians in the Gaza.(Photo by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Despite some sections of the Trump administration persisting with the view that the possibility could not be entirely ruled out of there being a diplomatic solution to the current US-Iran hostilities in West Asia, the skeptic could not be blamed for thinking otherwise. The intensity, scale and frequency of the tit-for-tat strikes by the antagonists over the past few days against selected military targets and civilian infrastructure in particular in West Asia make the adoption of this stance excusable.

The continuing hostilities render the mentioning of the MOU signed between the warring parties in mid-June a laughable matter. While it could very well be that the foes are wishing privately for a cessation of hostilities before long, what seems to be uppermost on their minds right now is to negotiate with each other from a position of strength. This strategy compels them to incapacitate each other militarily to the extent possible, lest they have to concede too much to each other during negotiations. Hence the stepped-up hostilities.

However, even on the question of there being a negotiated political settlement in the West Asian theatre in the longer term, the skeptic could come to be seen as scoring over the optimist. Developments on the ground account for this.

At the time of writing Israel’s Netanyahu government is going ahead in fairly care-free fashion with the establishment of more Jewish settlements in the Gaza and the West Bank, and it’s all happening under the apparently complacent gaze of the US. In fact, some quarters estimate that Israel is in control of some 65% of the Gaza Strip. Ethnic cleansing, that is, is being drastically stepped-up.

Accordingly, in terms of the power relations of West Asia, the world is almost back to the status quo of the late forties of the last century when the state of Israel was established and the Palestinians were reduced to a microscopic minority in the land they came to inhabit. Therefore, even the impartial observer would be compelled to ask: ‘Will a negotiated peace be ever possible in the Middle East?’

The humanist in the observer would prefer to answer this question in the affirmative and it is indeed the ideal stance to adopt considering the staggering human and material costs of the conflict. But the way ahead to peace could be expected to be highly hazardous and arduous. Among other odds, it would also prove an uphill endeavour to win minds and hearts.

The US’ Trump administration would need to be counted out in this pursuit. This is on account of the fact that it has been far too wayward in its management of West Asian affairs in particular over the past couple of years. Given its unpredictable character it is a matter for conjecture whether it could be counted on to live up to its commitments.

Moreover, Israel could be expected to ‘go it alone’ in the Middle East regardless of whether US help is coming or otherwise. It has indicated as much in recent times and Israel could be doubted on this score only at the doubter’s peril. Because time and again Israel has demonstrated that it could steadfastly defend its interests even single-handedly in the Middle East. History bears this out.

However, a durable alliance with the US would stand Israel in good stead. On the matter of military and intelligence assistance, for example, the US’s help proved invaluable for Israel in the past and going forward this is bound to be so as well. Moreover, it is unlikely that the Trump administration would give up on Israel, considering that a strong Israel is crucial for the furtherance of the US’ strategic and economic interests in West Asia.

But whether the above factors would have a considerable bearing on the question of working out a durable solution to the West Asian tangle is an entirely different matter. Israel, as in the case of the Palestinian enclaves, is acutely security conscious and would need to satisfy itself fully that it could live in a security environment that would guarantee its complete safety, going forward.

The Middle East is badly in need of another peace effort on the lines of the Oslo Accords of the mid-nineties that brought the key actors together and helped hammer out a solution that addressed some of their notable concerns. To be sure, that process did not prove to be the ideal answer to the tangle, but it yielded some respite to the region and drove home that one-time sworn foes could indeed negotiate with a degree of success. The West Bank authority, although falling short of fulfilling some key Palestinian aspirations, is testimony that a degree of success is possible if the intent is right.

Given the current realities of West Asia, peace-making is bound to be an uphill challenge. The violence faced in recent times by the Palestinian community, in particular, has been nothing less than mind-numbing. Merciless has been the violence visited on them by the Israeli side. In such circumstances, durable peace in the region could smack of an idealist’s dream.

Nevertheless, there needs to be urgently, a meeting of minds over the divides. The US would need to be counted out as an honest broker in bringing the sides together but the rest of the West would do well to step up to the challenge.

In this exercise the onus would be on the world’s democracies to take the initiative and doggedly stay the course. An acceptable combination would be the EU and the UN. Given their credentials, the main sides in West Asia ought to find them the least controversial.

Even if the relevant institutional and political arrangements could be shored up to take a reconciliation process forward, winning hearts and minds for the peace drive would prove a grueling challenge. Over the past few years in particular tens of thousands of hearts and minds on both sides of the divide have been bruised badly in the runaway murderous violence that has come to define the Middle East.

These badly scarred personalities would need to experience healing without much delay. It is therefore a multi-faceted challenge that is at hand. Since wide-ranging expertise would be needed in the healing process, people’s participation in peace-making, ranging over the divides, would need to be made a durable reality. It will be a time for enthroning humanity and ensuring the rejection of all forms of violence and coercion.

Features

Amazing Thailand …right here in Colombo

Published

23 hours ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

For many Sri Lankans, Thailand is the go-to holiday — beaches, temples, food, and that famous warm hospitality.

In fact, I’ve been to Amazing Thailand 24 times myself, and was honoured with the Friends of Thailand International Media Award by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for promoting Thai tourism.

The good news I have for you today is that you don’t even need a passport to get a taste of Amazing Thailand.

The Royal Thai Embassy, in Colombo, is bringing a vibrant slice of Thailand, to the city of Colombo, with Thai Festival 2026 — a cultural experience like never before.

Whether you are an avid enthusiast of Thai culture, a total novice, or simply just interested in exploring foreign cultures, Thai Festival 2026 is going to be the perfect opportunity for you to get more than just a glimpse into one of the most celebrated cultural heritages in South East Asia. And ENTRANCE IS FREE.

The festival will be held on the 1st and 2nd of August, 2026, at Siam Nivasa, 43, C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha, Colombo 7, and the East Parking Area, of the Colombo Municipal Council, from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

Both days will be full of live entertainment, and dispersed throughout with Thai cultural displays, including exhilarating traditional dance performances and breathtaking Muay Thai demonstrations.

Exploring art and craft specific to Thailand, tasting irresistible authentic Thai cuisine, and playing arcade games, are just a few more fun-filled events available for visitors at the festival premises.

An array of Thai products will also be available for purchase.

While at the festival, you will find Sri Lankan Alumni from Thai universities sharing their experiences with you and willing to answer any questions you might have, related to studying abroad in Thailand.

You can also register for the Muay Thai workshop that will be happening on the 7th and 8th of August, 2026, in Colombo.

Irresistible authentic Thai cuisine

Visitors can also stand a chance to win traditional Thai souvenirs, get exclusive photo opportunities, and, the big one — to enter the raffle draw, at the end of each day, for the grand prize of an all-inclusive round trip to Thailand.

Be sure to avail yourself of this exceptional opportunity and add a cultural spin to your weekend.

To keep up with the latest updates on Thai Festival 2026, head over to the Thai Festival official social media pages.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo official webpage:

https://colombo.thaiembassy.org

Official social media:

Facebook: @RTEColombo

Instagram: @thaiembassysrilanka

Thai Festival official social media:

Facebook: Thai Festival in Colombo

Instagram: @thaifestival_colombo

TikTok: @thaifestival.incolombo

Features

Thicker, stronger hair …

Published

23 hours ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hair fall, in this heat, can be so frustrating, and noticing a thin patch is even more worrying. The good news is … yes, with a little care and kitchen ingredients, you can nourish your scalp and support healthy regrowth.

Try these four easy home remedies … even our grandmothers trusted:

* Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves Tonic:

Warm 04 tablespoons of coconut oil, with a handful of curry leaves, till the leaves turn black. Cool, strain, and massage into scalp 02-03 times a week. Leave for 01 hour, or overnight.

Why:

Coconut oil deeply nourishes, while curry leaves help strengthen roots and add shine.

* Onion Juice for Spot Treatment:

With cotton, dab the juice of 01 small onion, directly on the thin/bald patches. Leave for 20-30 minutes, and then wash with a mild shampoo. Use twice a week.

Why:

Rich in sulfur, onion juice helps boost blood circulation to the scalp.

* Aloe Vera and Castor Oil Mask:

Mix 02 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 tablespoon castor oil and apply to the scalp, focusing on thinning areas. Leave for 45 minutes, and then rinse with cool water.

Why:

Aloe vera soothes the scalp, while castor oil coats hair to make it look thicker.

* Fenugreek and Curd Strengthening Pack:

You will need 02 tablespoons fenugreek seeds, soaked overnight, and 02 tablespoons plain curd.

Grind to a paste, apply to scalp for 30 minutes, and then wash.

Why:

Fenugreek strengthens strands and reduces breakage.

Extra Tips for Healthy Hair:

Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on the scalp.

Eat iron and protein rich foods: greens, dhal, eggs, fish.

Use lukewarm water, not hot.

Be gentle when brushing and drying.