New government takes over, transition to SLBC

With the new government about to be sworn in, there was an immediate issue, which confronted WT Jayasinghe and myself. Had we to be present at President’s House when the new Prime Minister took his oaths? We were still holding the posts of Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Foreign Affairs, and Secretary to the Prime Minister respectively. As such, there was an element of duty in our being present.

On the other hand, given all the circumstances and the Sri Lankan context, there was the real possibility that our presence could be misinterpreted by both sides. Those in the SLFP camp could believe that we rushed to participate at the swearing in, in order to curry favour with the new government. Those in the UNP could think the same, and at the same time, hold us in contempt for being there. Under these circumstances, both of us decided that we would not go to President’s House.

It was up to the new government to decide, what to do with us. WT was convinced that he was heading home, after the passport incident relating to Mr. JR Jayewardene, which I have narrated. As for me, I was a public servant, and was well aware that I was bound to serve in any area and in any post the government wanted me to. But, at this time, I was somewhat worriedly hoping that I would not be transferred out of Colombo to some distant place.

The reason for this was that my father, who was over 88 years in age had, according to the doctors, entered upon the last stages of his life. He was confined to bed and under close treatment. My mother, my wife and I were looking after him. Both as an only child, as well as out of a sense of gratitude for what he had done for me, I wanted very much to be near my father, and do whatever I could personally for him during these last stages.

Invitation by the President

Our decision not to go to President’s House was unexpectedly overridden. WT rang me at home and said that Mr. Gopallawa, the President had rung him up, and requested his presence at the swearing in ceremony. The President had also asked WT to contact and convey to me that I should be present too. This was typical of the sense of propriety and thoroughness of the President. He would have been reviewing all the arrangements for the swearing in, and in that context decided that we should officially be there.

WT ended the telephone conversation with me by asking the startling but what was to him, the most important question of whether it was necessary for him to wear a suit! WT hated wearing suits, and one of the major irritations he would have undergone as Foreign Secretary, would undoubtedly have been the number of occasions he would have had to wear one. I would have been surprised at this question had it come from anyone else but WT. But I knew something about his tastes and distastes. I told him not to be silly. I told him, that for one, the President, who was always quite proper would think that we had taken leave of our senses, if we ambled into the ceremony in shirt and tie. I told him further that casualness in dress, on a formal occasion, where we were present at the invitation of the President, would constitute disrespect to him, and could also be misunderstood by the new Prime Minister. WT, philosophically bowed to the law of inevitability.

Mr. JR Jayewardene was sworn in as Prime Minister on the morning of 23rd July 23, 1977. When WT and I went to President’s House there was the bustle usual on these occasions. Important members of the UNP were strutting around. Some not so important ones, were even more conspicuous walking about in the President’s House with a proprietary air. It was as if the whole country now belonged to them, and President’s house was but an insignificant portion of it.

I witnessed a similar phenomenon in 1970 when the coalition government headed by the SLFP came in. On both occasions, this display of power and inflated importance was not visible in the Prime Ministers or some of their senior advisors or colleagues. But it was the general spectacle of a majority who were basking in reflected glory.

WT and I were standing around, trying to look inconspicuous, which was not easy given WT’s towering- height and my own height and build. Mr. JR Jayewardene had arrived and was in conversation with the President. The oath had not been administered as yet. We were downstairs in the lobby, and wondering whether to go upstairs or not when Mr. Menikdiwela came briskly down the stairs. He saw us and asked WT to go up immediately.

He then turned to me and advised, that I should go to the Prime Minister’s office, next door, straightaway and receive the Prime Minister when he first came into the office, which he said he was going to do immediately after taking his oaths. This was, he said, because I was still officially Secretary to the Prime Minister. I told him that the President wanted me to be at President’s House. Mr. Menikdiwela, undertook to tell the President of this change of plan.

By now a large crowd, consisting mainly of UNP supporters were thronging the roads and a particularly heavy contingent were gathered opposite the General Post Office, facing President’s House. I walked through the crowds to the Prime Minister’s office next door, and prepared the office to receive the new Prime Minister. Mr. Jayewardene, however, after taking his oath did not come to office as was expected. Instead, he drove home to see his wife Mrs. Elina Jayewardene.

His wife, a gracious, cultured and simple lady had declined to go to President’s House for the swearing in. It was in her nature to eschew ostentation and to shun the limelight. Mr. Jayewardene and she were a very close couple, and I was told later that that was the reason why he went to see his wife first before coming to office and beginning to function as Prime Minister.

The new Prime Minister visits his office

Mr. Jayewardene arrived at the office a little before noon, accompanied by Mr. Menikdiwela. I greeted and welcomed him at the portico and ushered him up the rather imposing staircase to the prime minister’s room. While I was walking behind him, Mr. Menikdiwela whispered to me to speak to him about my future. As I had already described in an earlier chapter, Mr. Jayewardene was a person of few words.

As he sat in his chair, he asked both of us to sit. He then informed me that he had decided to appoint Mr. Menikdiwela as his Secretary. This was expected, and therefore no surprise. Then he inquired from me “Where do you want to go? o? What do you want to do?” I said, that I was a public servant and that I would go where the government wanted me to. Mr. Jayewardene thought awhile, and said “I have a problem at the SLBC. I am told that there is trouble there and the place is breaking down. I understand that the previous Chairman had to be taken out of the place under armed escort. I want you to go there and take charge immediately. I have to announce my Cabinet.”

Mr. Menikdiwela inquired “Sir, is he to go as Chairman or Director-General?” “Let him be both,” replied the prime minister. I was at least happy that I would be in Colombo, to see to my father’s needs. But this happiness was considerably diluted by the thought of the place to which I was going. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation at the best of times had a reputation of being a difficult place to manage.

Immediately after a general election and a change of government the prospect was daunting. Those days some people called it “The snake pit.” The previous Chairman, Ridgeway Tillekeratne had to be protected and escorted out by the Navy guards who were responsible for guarding the SLBC. But Ridgeway had at least partly brought this on himself. He did a great deal to improve the program content in particular, but gradually became openly identified with the SLFP.

I remember speaking to him about this, on a couple of occasions. Nevertheless, he went on heedless. I was taken aback by this sudden appointment and when my wits started to function again, I wanted to try to get out of it, if possible. I therefore told the Prime Minister, “Sir, I don’t know much about broadcasting.” Mr. Jayewardene was not to be denied. He suavely replied, “You know, I was once Minister in Charge of Broadcasting. But at the end of that period, I couldn’t say I knew much about broadcasting either!”

It was clear that there was no getting out of the situation. The Prime Minister was now clearly in a hurry, and I did not wish to delay him. I rose, said “Thank you,” and began walking out. Half way to the door, I turned around, walked back and asked the Prime Minister “Sir, before I go and assume duties, could you please tell me what your broadcasting policy is?” The question clearly caught him by surprise. He pondered for a moment and said, “Mr. G.V.P. Samarasinghe is on his way here. Speak to him before you go. You will also have a Minister soon. But please go very early. I don’t want a major breakdown in that place.”

Mr. G.V.P. Samarasinghe was a former Senior Civil Servant who functioned as Permanent Secretary to important Ministries such as Industries; and Defence and External Affairs, and who since his retirement from service had been assisting the UNP in a tangible way. The Prime Minister was to appoint him as Secretary to the cabinet. Pending his arrival, I quickly went round the office and the adjoining Ministry of Defence and Foreign Affairs bidding good bye to the many whom I had been working with for over seven years.

When I went back to my former office, Mr. Menikdiwela who was seated in my chair got up and offered me the chair, and I had to insist that he sit in it. He treated me with utmost courtesy and consideration, the same manner I had treated him in May 1970, when I walked into the Prime Minister’s office, where he was Assistant Secretary. Mr. Samarasinghe came in and I had a brief discussion with him. His advice was, not to make any major changes until I had had an opportunity to discuss matters with the new Minister.

I had decided, that I would quickly go home, change, grab some lunch, and then go to the SLBC. I anticipated that once I got there, I was going to be stuck there for quite awhile.

(Excerpted from In Pursuit of Governance, autobiography of MDD Peiris)

(Next week: Taking over at SLBC)