Business

Rapacity as the driving force of colonialism and capitalism

Published

2 years ago

2023/11/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Book Review

Title – Savage Beasts
Author- Rani Selvarajah

Publisher – One More Chapter; a division of HarperCollinsPublishers

Within the pages of this memorable novel, ‘Savage Beasts’, by Sri Lankan-origin Rani Selvarajah, a University of Cambridge product, living and working in Great Britain, is an exhilarating narrative of the rapacious greed that drove the British colonial project in its early centuries. Essentially, it is a creative writer’s account of how the global South or East came to be pillaged and reduced to penury by its colonial overlords, although it is presented to us in the form of a gripping story.

As could have been expected, we don’t have in the novel a detailed, prosaic historical account of how parts of the ‘Third World’ came to be subjugated by the Western colonial powers, such as the Dutch and the British, in the mid-eighteenth century; for that is the century in focus. Rather, what we have narrated very engagingly in ‘Savage Beasts’, is an amorous tie that descends into mutual animosity between a Calcutta-based Indian Princess and a handsome young British sailor, with strong blood connections to the ruling hierarchy of the invading British East India Company (VOC), the precursor of full-blown British rule in the East. The relationship starts with a heart-warming romance and ends in betrayal, deceit, thievery, murder and destitution.

The central action in the novel traverses India, Ceylon, South Africa and Britain. The princess, Meena, is duped by the sailor, James, into running away with him from her kingdom in Bengal where her father, the Nawab of Bengal was the ruling despot, to Ceylon, South Africa and lastly Britain, where James’ cruel machinations to use Meena to achieve his material and power ambitions are laid bare.

It is finally revealed that James was mainly interested in wresting from Meena, the Nawab’s military plans to defend his kingdom against the invading British, and to sell these secrets to the British East India Company, which was headed by James’ uncle, the coldly calculating Sir Peter Chilcot, who becomes a symbol of imperial rule in the East in all its harshness and exploitative greed.

Although a ruthless ruler, whose fixation too was power, we are compelled to agree with the Nawab in his assessment of James, when he tells Meena at page 104, early in the story: ‘That man is a charlatan. You may not be able to see it, but he is. All of them are. They come here, treating us like fools, taking what they can at the point of a gun. Traders, merchants. They like to call themselves businessmen when they’re just pirates who think they can make demands of kings.’

The Meena-James relationship at the heart of ‘Savage Beasts’, therefore, becomes an ‘objective correlative’, as it were, if we are to borrow a concept from renowned English poet and literary critic T.S. Eliot, for the central theme in the novel, which is the ruination and impoverishment of its colonies by the British colonizer. That is, the romance and its gradual degeneration into a relationship of mutual hate between the main protagonists becomes a tangible symbol of the novel’s main theme.

The ruination of India by the British colonizer does not take the form of only the physical subjugation and economic exploitation of the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of the British monarch. It takes the form also of the brazen robbing and pillaging of everything of cultural and spiritual importance to India, including, of course, its dignity.

The episode that bears this out in the novel arrives in its closing chapters when Meena, who is inveigled by James into accompanying him to England, finds to her horror that all the important cultural treasures in her father’s palace had been robbed and stowed away in James’ uncle’s mansion, that is, the VOC chief’s residence. Prior to such pillaging, the Nawab had been savaged by the invaders and left to die on a Calcutta street, we are given to understand.

‘Savage Beasts’ ends on the tragic note of Meena being rendered homeless and destitute. However, she enjoys the satisfaction of exacting ‘blood revenge’ from James, by killing the influential English woman he intended to marry after deserting her. Meena, however, is deeply comforted by the fact that she retains possession of the son, her liaison with James yielded. The enduring mother-son bond, we could say, is the ‘universal in the particular.’

Besides its thematic substance, ‘Savage Beasts’ is also notable for its smoothly flowing and gripping story line. Bolstering its literary merit further is its dramatic and evocative prose style. It is a novel that calls for close and sustained literary appraisal.

– Lynn Ockersz

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Business

David Pieris Group expands global footprint with investment in Dubai-based Navire Logistics

Published

7 hours ago

2025/12/20

Thilina Walpola

The David Pieris Group continues to strengthen its international presence with the acquisition of 50% ownership in Navire Logistics Services L.L.C, (www.navirelogistics.com) a reputed logistics company based in Dubai and Oman. This strategic move marks a significant milestone in the Group’s journey towards expanding its operations beyond Sri Lanka and positioning itself in the international markets.

In Sri Lanka, the Group’s logistics arm, D P Logistics (Private) Limited (DPL), has already established itself as a comprehensive logistics solutions provider — covering warehousing, transportation, freight forwarding, project logistics, inland distribution and custom house brokering.

DPL currently ranks among the top ten players in warehousing and 3PL operations and holds one of the largest container fleets amongst the logistics companies in the country. Despite operating in a highly fragmented freight forwarding market, DPL continues to capture a growing share, reinforcing its reputation as one of the very few local companies with expertise across all logistics disciplines.

David Pieris Group also acquired in 2022, Pulsar Shipping Agencies (Pvt.) Limited, the shipping arm of Expolanka Holdings PLC to expand its Logistics & Shipping Cluster into ship agency, husbandry services and marine logistics.

Leveraging this strong domestic foundation, DPL has now extended its capabilities to the international stage through its partnership with Navire Logistics Services L.L.C. The company’s expertise in custom house brokering, freight forwarding, cargo consolidation, warehousing, and transport solutions will be integrated into Navire Logistics’ operations, enhancing service quality and efficiency across the Middle East and South Asia.

The investment also extends to operations in Oman through a fully owned subsidiary, with further expansion plans already underway to establish operations in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and India — strengthening the Group’s regional logistics network.

Business

HNB strengthens national response to Cyclone Ditwah

Published

7 hours ago

2025/12/20

Thilina Walpola

HNB Managing Director / CEO, Damith Pallewatte, hands over the donation to Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake , HNB Chief Operating Officer Sanjay Wijemanne is also in the picture

HNB PLC has contributed of Rs. 100 million towards the Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund, reinforcing its commitment to national recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

“On behalf of HNB, I wish to convey our solidarity with all our fellow Sri Lankans, especially those severely affected by Cyclone Ditwah. As a home-grown institution, our connection to the communities we serve runs deep. Many of our customers and colleagues have been directly or indirectly affected, and we are committed to standing with them during this difficult time and supporting them as they rebuild.”

“HNB’s contribution to the Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund is a sign of our commitment to this collective mission. We recognize that this is going to be a long and challenging process, but we stand ready and committed to support both the immediate and long-term recovery effort,” HNB Managing Director/ CEO, Damith Pallewatte stated.

Complementing its direct financial support to the Fund, HNB has also launched a nationwide disaster relief initiative as the first phase of a broader, coordinated response from the bank.

As part of the program, the Bank donated over 2,500 essential relief and nutrition packages to support displaced families, with the consignments formally handed over to the Sri Lanka Army to ensure structured, transparent, and equitable distribution across the impacted areas of Kandy, Gampaha, Kaduwela, and Hanwella, while separate packages were provided to affected employees to strengthen their personal recovery.

Business

ComBank ranked No 1 in Business Today’s Top 40 for 2024–25

Published

7 hours ago

2025/12/20

Thilina Walpola

Sharhan Muhseen, Chairman, and Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been ranked No 1 in the Business Today Top 40 for 2024–25, reaffirming its position as Sri Lanka’s best-performing bank and one of the country’s top five strongest corporate entities for the 17th consecutive year.

Business Today assigned the Bank an aggregate score of 37.65, placing it at the top of its latest ranking of leading Sri Lankan enterprises.

In its presentation of the rankings, Business Today described Commercial Bank as “a beacon of resilience and renewal after a defining year,” noting that 2024 was shaped by strategic transformation, disciplined execution, and unwavering commitment to long-term sustainable growth. The publication recognised the Bank’s strength across key business lines, its deepened customer focus, and a performance trajectory that reinforced its reputation as Sri Lanka’s most resilient and customer-centric financial institution.

Reflecting on the ranking, Mr Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank said: “Being ranked No 1 in the Business Today Top 40 is a powerful endorsement of the discipline, resilience and purpose with which we steered the Bank through a year of tough conditions and decisive transformation. Our performance in 2024 was defined by navigating turbulence without losing sight of our priorities: strengthening fundamentals, supporting customers, and preparing the institution for long-term growth. This ranking is not merely an award; it is confirmation that our strategy is delivering results and that the Bank is firmly positioned to contribute to national progress with renewed confidence.”

Business Today also highlighted the Bank’s record-breaking financial performance during the year. The magazine quoted Mr Sharhan Muhseen, Chairman of Commercial Bank as saying that the Bank had delivered the highest profits in its history, and attributing this outcome to a disciplined focus on efficiency, digital innovation, and customer-centred transformation. These qualities, the publication stated, enabled the Bank to strengthen its market position and make meaningful contributions to economic recovery.

Among the milestones recognised were an equity capital infusion of Rs. 22.54 billion through a rights issue and the raising of Rs. 20 billion in Tier II capital via a debenture issue.