Features

VICTOR LLOYD WIRASINHA

Published

4 years ago

2023/02/5

Nineteen years ago, on February 9, 2004, this country lost a great public servant and a fine human being who was blessed with a full life and good health for 91 years which he enjoyed right to the end.

Those who knew, or knew of V L Wirasinha – (Uncle Victor to us, the close friends of his four children – late Vyette Goonetilleke, Nimal Seneviratne, Shiranee Urala-Dissanayake and Rohini Jayamanne ) – will ever remember him as a wonderful man with a razor sharp mind , a classicist par excellence, an upright, efficient and an outspoken civil servant, a concerned and law abiding citizen, a good Christian, and most of all, as possessing four qualities that radiates greatness in any human being: integrity, simplicity , an adoring love for family and abiding concern for colleagues and friends .

Studying at Richmond College Galle , he carried away the Darrel Medal, the highest honour a student at Richmond could earn. At the age of 17, he completed his Cambridge Senior, read Western Classics at the University College of Ceylon in Colombo and entered the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service as a cadet at the age of 22.

He served in Ratnapura, Badulla, Jaffna, Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya, Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Batticoloa, Pelmadulla, Matale Kegalle, New Delhi and of course, Colombo, and functioned in various capacities as required of the Ceylon Civil Service. This included Office Assistant to GAs, Additional Superintendent of Prisons, Additional Police Magistrate, Additional Commissioner of Requests, Additional District Judge, Assistant Government Agent, Government Agent, Commissioner for the Registration of Indian and Pakistani Persons , Commissioner of Parliamentary Elections, Commissioner of National Housing, Director of Commerce and Controller of Imports and Exports and Permanent Secretary to a number of Ministries, the last being the Ministry of Health from whence he retired to join Messrs Lewis Brown & Co Ltd where he served for almost 13 years as its Managing Director.

Thereafter he was appointed the Chairman of the National Institute of Business Management, and was ‘recalled’ into service, to the Ministry of Industries and Scientific Affairs on the demise of its incumbent Secretary – a decision which he, in hindsight, deeply regretted.

His unyielding stand on the infamous “Hydrocracker Project” earned for him the wrath of the Minister, and he was removed as Ministry Secretary. He was then offered the position of Chairman of the Public Services Commission’s Committee on Education Services, which he agreed to accept after much deliberation. A lot of pressure was brought to bear on him and his Committee, by politicians seeking transfers of teachers outside laid down procedure. But his committee proceeded with impartially and transparency , inspite of “representations of MPs becoming intolerable” at times.”

The last straw was when the highest in the land intervened to have an art teacher’s routine transfer out of a Colombo school cancelled . VL could not comply as it was not in accordance with the transfer scheme and there were no compelling compassionate grounds either.

The next day, when he went home for lunch, he found a letter awaiting him, informing him that he had been removed from office with immediate effect. Thus , was his unsung exit from Government Service. Puckishly, in his Memoirs, ‘No Cousin, I’ll to Fife’ he writes , ” ‘So to fresh woods and pastures new,’ with salaams to Cyril and Junius Richard.”

VL always stood for the truth . One of his famous phrases was “the truth is a glorious but hard mistress that never consults, bargains or compromises.” An anecdote will not be out of place here. An Englishman, W H Moore was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing , when VL was the Commissioner of National Housing in 1954. One morning VL had to meet Moore in his office, for consultations, when he found the latter gazing intently at a letter. Moore looked up and asked:

“Wirasinha,you wish to know what this Member of Parliament tells me?” “I’d like that” replied VL. Moore continued:”He says that ‘honesty is the best policy’.VL responded, “Well, I had to write an essay in school on this topic, and my essay consisted of only six words: Honesty is the ONLY policy. I was awarded maximum marks.”

This incident obviously had a lasting impact on both VL’s public and private life . His honourable exit from public service, over the art teacher transfer , will always serve as a reminder ‘that the best thing is the correct thing.

To further illustrate his courage in the discharge of his public office, another anecdote says it all. When he was the Commissioner of Parliamentary Elections, Mr JR Jayewardene , then Minister of Home Affairs called him “My dear man.”. His retort was only to be expected and is crisply recounted in his memoirs.

It was a question relating to just one blank missing ballot paper in the Buttala poll.. The Minister phoned VL about this, who said that he had nothing to say until he received a report, which he had already called for from the GA Badulla, the Returning Officer. “My dear man, you must say something now, or we may lose the election,” said Mr Jayawardene . VL retorted, ” I am not your dear man, I am the Commissioner of Elections!”

He was awarded the OBE in 1952. He was an active member of the YMCA and spent much of his leisure hours playing the violin and viola or listening to his fine collection of classical music with his family. He was also the President of the Classical Association of Ceylon ,and traveled widely in Europe, America, Australia and many African and Asian countries.

After his retirement and until his demise, he lived with his youngest daughter and son-in-law, Rohini and Nihal Jayamanne, when he found time to write his memoirs and to the newspapers on national and international issues.

Many of us enjoyed the hospitality, love and warmth of the Wirasinha home which dear Aunty Lillian ( who predeceased him in 1987) ensured was extended in no small measure. We will always remember this gracious and lovable couple. Their sons-in-law, Air Cdre Ranjit Goonetilleke, Hilton Seneviratne, Lakshman Urala-Dissanayake and Nihal Jayamanne were blessed with four wonderful and talented ladies ,who did their parents proud as dutiful wives , loving mothers and fine friends.

An admirer

Victor Wirasinha held the belief that all it took for evil to flourish was the silence of good men…… Indeed, this was a man for all seasons.!

By a Friend of the family

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Features

New US sanctions on ICC, a fillip to worldwide political repression

Published

24 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

The International Criminal Court in session. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s warning to the International Criminal Court (ICC) was stark: ‘Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.’ It followed US central administration accusations that the court was unfairly targeting Americans on the basis of trumped-up war crimes charges.

However, a new plethora of sanctions has been clamped on the ICC by the US, which in turn has spurred accusations by sections of the world that the latter has unleashed an ‘assault’ on the international legal order.

What some of the sanctions would mean for the ICC was outlined by Rubio: ‘We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling their ability to operate against us.’

The ICC has shown consistency of purpose over the years. Despite some operational constraints it has indicted a large number of political strongmen from around the world, accused of war crimes and other governance excesses that come under its purview. Two such recent figures are: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rather than enjoy a mere nominal presence in the world community, the ICC has proved its effectiveness by detaining and bringing to justice scores of VIP politicians and others of their ilk who have been found guilty of human rights abuses and kindred excesses that come within the terms of reference of the ICC.

Accordingly, the international justice system would be stymied considerably as a result of the ICC being dis-empowered, particularly financially. Needless to say, potential and real perpetrators of the species of crime coming under the jurisdiction of the ICC would stand to gain most from such anarchic tendencies. That is, political repression globally would be enabled to enjoy a new lease of life.

A detailing of the types of crime coming under the purview of the ICC provides an idea of what it would cost the international community if the ICC’s operations are gravely hampered. They are mainly: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

That is, the part of the world to be worst affected would be the global South, since the latter is awash with the mentioned crimes. Needless to say, a chronically-disaffected South will sooner rather than later undermine the well being of the world dangerously. The world is already being put through these paces.

At the time of writing, ‘illegal migrants’ from the South, for example, are aggravating many a Western economy’s woes, besides creating for them acute law and order issues. The fact that these migrants’ presence goes on to become a virtual test of the migrant receiving states’ ability to forge domestic social inclusion in the face of jingoistic protests by mainly white supremacist groups is evidence of the latter. As is known, the US, to take just one example, has been up against this crisis for quite a while.

Accordingly, it will be in the best interests of the West if ‘illegal’ migrant arrivals on their shores are stemmed. If the socio-political and economic problems assailing the South are effectively managed through North-South collaborative, ‘trouble-shooting’ efforts the causes leading to ‘illegal’ migration and connected issues could be resolved at source as it were. For, it is the aggravation of the South’s material questions that lays the basis for the emergence of repressive and anti-democratic regimes in the hemisphere.

Until such time that the aforementioned issues in North-South relations are visited afresh and addressed urgently, a vibrantly functioning ICC would be needed. For, the latter would prove a deterrent to Southern political and military strongmen, highly prone to power abuse and like excesses, from coming into being in the wake of the South’s chronic material woes and the wars and conflicts that result from them.

It stands to reason then that the US would be acting in its own interests by enabling the ICC to perpetuate its mandate without hindrance. For a crop of issues that impinges negatively on internal law and order would be defused.

Meanwhile, there needs to be a meeting of minds among the rest of the West to put back in place a North-South dialogue process aimed at reducing some of the economic pressures that are weighing on the South.

Since economics usually drives politics it will be in the interests of the world community to scrutinizingly re-visit North-South issues of the past and put in place economic relief packages for Southern publics that would enable them to tide over their material hardships rather than permit the latter to aggravate into social disaffection and eventually armed militancy. It is the latter juncture that paves the way for the emergence of authoritarian rulers in the South who then go on to be a blight on their publics.

Accordingly, the Southern-based global development thinking of the past that envisaged a more equitable world economic order needs to be seen as an urgent need. That is, NAM’s international development paradigms need to be resuscitated to the extent possible.

It is unlikely that rightist governments of the West, such as the current Republican administration in the US, would find these projects feasible, but democratic states of Europe, led by perhaps the UK, are likely to think otherwise. For it would not be beneficial for the democratic world to be having on their hands repressive governments in the South who would be gravitating towards the major military and economic actors of the South, such as Iran and North Korea, who tend to be in constant power struggles with the West.

However, until such time that the mentioned, pro-people initiatives are given serious thought the ICC would need to be enabled by the international community to be in place comfortably and carry on with its mandate of bringing repressive rulers to book. Besides the ICC should pave the way for the peoples of the developing world to enjoy some substantial respite from the political repression and even terror which tend to be their lot.

Meanwhile, the wars of West Asia are relentlessly aggravating the economic hardships of people everywhere, driving the point home to enlightened sections that there is no alternative to peacemaking. A challenge is to convert the US under President Trump to this line of thinking.

Features

Clear, soft and shine-free skin

Published

24 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

This week, I give you five simple, time-tested homemade remedies that help reduce the appearance of blemishes, control excess shine and leave your skin feeling softer and smoother.

The Honey and Lemon Brightening Dab:

For stubborn blemish marks, this is a classic. Mix one teaspoon of pure bee honey with three to four drops of fresh lemon juice. Apply gently, only on the affected spots, and leave for 10 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. While honey soothes and softens, lemon helps to brighten naturally. Use twice a week in the evening.

Besan and Rose Water Oil-Control Pack:

An ideal remedy to combat shine, especially on the T-zone. Take two teaspoons of besan (gram flour) and mix with sufficient rose water to form a smooth paste. Add a pinch of turmeric for its antiseptic goodness. Apply evenly, keep for 15 minutes and wash off. It absorbs excess oil without over-drying, leaving a beautiful matte finish.

Aloe Vera and Cucumber Ice Soother:

Blend fresh aloe vera gel with the juice of a grated cucumber and freeze the mixture in an ice tray. Each morning, wrap one cube in a soft muslin cloth and gently rub over a cleansed face for 30 seconds. It calms, tightens pores and imparts a baby-soft smoothness.

Oatmeal and Curd Gentle Polish:

Roughness and old blemish marks need gentle exfoliation. Combine one tablespoon of finely powdered oatmeal with one tablespoon of fresh curd (yoghurt). Massage very gently, in circular motions, for one minute, leave for five minutes and rinse. It removes dead cells and unveils softer, clearer skin.

Multani Mitti and Green Tea Magic Mask:

Brew some green tea and allow it to cool completely. Mix one and a half teaspoons of Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth) with the tea water to make a fine paste. Apply for 10 to 12 minutes – do not let it dry and crack completely – and wash off. It draws out impurities, fades blemishes and bestows a fresh, shine-free glow.

A Gentle Reminder:

As with any natural remedy, always do a patch test on your inner arm first. For those with oily or combination skin, avoid heavy coconut oil application and harsh scrubbing, as they tend to aggravate shine and blemishes.

Features

Compete, shine and be discovered at WCOPA 2027

Published

24 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Dream of performing on a world stage? Well, here is your unique, golden opportunity!

The World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) — the one and only official “Talent Olympics” — is the world’s premier global platform for aspiring singers, dancers, actors, models, instrumentalists, etc., to compete, shine and be discovered!

And, yes, this world stage is open to YOU, Sri Lankans living in Sri Lanka and overseas!

Held annually in glittering Las Vegas, WCOPA brings together over 70 countries, all competing for Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals, just like the traditional Olympics.

Lakisha Bernard: Will represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2027

Outstanding performers vie for the coveted titles of Junior and Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World, with winners and standout participants awarded over $500,000 in scholarships, cash awards and prizes to catapult their education and careers!

Sri Lanka is already making waves! At WCOPA 2026, Natharie Wickramasinghe, representing Team Sri Lanka, made the nation proud by winning a Bronze Medal in the Ethnic/Folklore Dance category!

Lakisha: Accomplished freelance Model and Fashion Design graduate

Recruitment for this prestigious competition is handled through a system of scouts and licensed National Directors — and this is where our very own Chris Rajendra, now based in Las Vegas, and National Director for Team Sri Lanka, comes into the scene.

If you are a singer, dancer, actor, model, instrumentalist — if you have talent burning inside you — contact Chris Rajendra today for registration and, who knows, you may find yourself in Las Vegas, and proudly draped in the Sri Lankan flag, at WCOPA 2027!

The contact address is: Chris Rajendra, wcopa.nationaldirector.sl@gmail.com

or chris.rajendra@gmail.com

Meanwhile, a star is born for 2027, in the form of Lakisha Bernard who is all set to represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2027.

Originally hailing from the sun-drenched coastal city of Colombo and now carving out her creative career in Canada, 22-year-old Lakisha is stepping into the international spotlight.

This accomplished freelance Model and Fashion Design graduate has officially been appointed as the Team Sri Lanka Promoter for Canada as she prepares to represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA in Las Vegas.

Lakisha brings a unique blend of high-fashion sensibility, captivating camera presence and expert garment design to the Team.

Having built her career, from local college shoots to high-glamour concepts, Lakisha’s inspiring journey embodies the true spirit of cultural bridge-building and creative resilience, bringing immense pride and recognition to Sri Lanka on the global stage.

WCOPA 2027 will be held at the legendary Westgate Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, from 12th to 20th July – the very same iconic arena where the late, great Elvis Presley himself performed!

Your moment is now. Your stage is Las Vegas, so hurry and contact Chris Rajendra.