Opinion

Warner Troyer, Rupavahini, and me

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/5

BY GEORGE BRAINE

This was early 1981, and the government was planning to start a state-run television service. Applicants were invited for an inaugural training course for producers, directors, researchers, and writers. I had applied, and was called for an interview.

The interview was at the newly set up National Television Planning Centre, at Kirulapone. Not having any political or family “strings”, I did not expect to go beyond a cursory meeting. But, to my surprise, I was met by a ruggedly good-looking, ebullient Canadian named Warner Troyer.

I can’t recall what we discussed, but he did point to a tall stack of papers, saying he had received thousands of applications. Apparently, the glamour of television, and the opportunity to become a pioneer, were irresistible (A newspaper later reported “over 5000 applicants”). Troyer and his wife, Glenys Moss, television personalities, had been invited by the Ministry of State to train the staff needed to run the television service. They were sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Three years earlier, a team of experts had arrived from Japan to conduct a feasibility study on a television broadcasting project. Their report, submitted in October, 1978, recommended the establishment of a studio complex in Colombo, and transmission stations at Pidurutalagala, Kandy, and Kokavil. The total cost would be Yen 3500 million (Rs. 276 million). Personnel were to be trained abroad. In the end, Japan bore the cost of construction, and the Sri Lankan government may have decided to train the personnel locally.

The 12-week course, run by Warner and Glenys, began at the end of April, 1981. Thirty trainees, drawn from wide ranging backgrounds, were enrolled. We were university teachers, government servants, radio announcers (three from SLBC), print journalists (three from Lake House), school teachers, musicians, freelance writers, a translator, a law student, even a postmaster! Quite wisely, Warner had spread his net wide, not sticking only with journalists.

Manique Gunasekera and I were from Kelaniya University, and Somi Sekerama, Ranjit Senaratne, Ravinatha Ariyasinha, Shiranee Dissanayake, Ramesha Balasuriya, Sunil Govinnage, Kartini Mohamed, Nalin Wijesekera, Noeline Honter, Mohamed Yahiya, and Milton Fernando are the fellow trainees I easily recall. For employees in government departments, corporations, and the university, the Ministry of State had secured duty leave.

We first met at the National Television Planning Centre, to discuss various writing assignments that Warner set for us. A skilled teacher, he was also piercingly blunt with his criticism, without naming names. (Once, I was the target.) Gradually, we were introduced to camera angles, face-to-face interviews, screenwriting, the various roles of personnel within a production team, the hands-on use of camera and recording equipment, and related matters. We also made field trips to SLBC, the Parliament, and ITN, the small television station established a few years earlier.

While the training was going on, the infrastructure for the national television service was springing up: the central transmitting station on top of Pidurutalagala, the re-transmitting stations at Kokavil and Kandy, and the studio complex in Colombo, next to the SLBC. Then, the name for the service, Rupavahini, was announced. Some trainees were giddy with excitement.

Once we had leaned the rudiments of production, six teams were formed, each tasked with the production of a short documentary. Team members, selected by Warner, consisted of a producer, director, writer, cameraman, and a researcher. As the producer of my team, I worked with Ramesha, Milton, Yahiya, and Joe Sothinathan, making decisions and coordinating the tasks.

The Troyers were living in a sprawling two-storied house, in Borella, and the teams began meeting there. We spread out on the ground floor, in teams, brainstorming ideas for documentaries, checking out the cameras and editing equipment that had been supplied to every team. Warner and Glenys were easy-going hosts, giving us the run of their home. Warner and Glenys were always around, to answer our queries and make suggestions.

I lived 40km from Colombo, and took the train to Colombo. Every day, I travelled in jam-packed trains, with some passengers hanging out of the doors, a few even riding on the engine. Occasionally, this overcrowding led to brutal deaths – passengers falling off trains and getting run over, or getting their heads bashed on bridges. I also passed the vast railway yard at Maradana, where dozens of carriages sat idle, in various states of neglect, some even covered in weeds. A wasteland. The contrast was stark: overflowing trains and abandoned carriages, and I had my story.

The script got written, and we scouted locations for filming: Maradana railway station, the nearby railway yard strewn with abandoned carriages, the railway workshop at Ratmalana, and the Dematagoda crossing, among others. We got permission to film at these locations. Each team was provided with a vehicle and a driver.

When filming began, I began to take the 4.00am train from home, to be in Colombo as early as possible. I vividly recall two incidents during filming: at Dematagoda, two office trains racing each other towards Maradana, overflowing with passengers hanging out from the doors, which later became a dramatic shot in our documentary; and being hooted at by a trainload of office workers while filming crowded evening trains at Maradana station. Perhaps a group of people carrying television cameras and equipment was a never-before-seen phenomenon at that time.

In the script, I compared carriages being brought to the railway yard to “die” to the belief that elephants journey to Sinharaja for the same purpose. The lines were delivered smoothly by Milton Fernando clinging precariously to an abandoned carriage. Filming had other challenges. Another team had scheduled some shooting at the slums of Wanathamulla. A crowd of residents had surrounded the team and cast lewd remarks.

In my team, we had come up with the idea, written the script, selected the shooting locations, and imagined how the documentary would turn out. When it did, the act of creation – from idea to moving images – can only be described as seductive.

On the last day of the course, Warner and Glenys sat with all the trainees to watch the six documentaries together. The range of topics covered, the way they were handled, was fascinating, considering that, for everyone, this was the first production. Warner and Glenys must have been pleased: they had taken a group of greenhorns and brought them to the threshold of television professionalism.

A bittersweet moment, because, although the course was ending, most trainees would go on for specialized training before joining Rupavahini the following year. Not for me. For economic reasons, I had decided to take-up a foreign job.

When I met with Warner to inform him I would be leaving, he was crestfallen, saying that national television sorely needed someone with my background and skills.

I saw what he meant when my Training Diploma arrived. To quote:

“Mr. Braine brought very impressive academic, intellectual and career skills to his participation in the course.

“He is very well organized, disciplined, and highly motivated.

“Mr. Braine’s writing skills are considerable, and have shown visible improvement (in the area of television scripting) during the course.

“We believe he has a very bright potential future in the areas of educational and public affairs television, and would function very effectively as a producer”.

Somewhere deep in our hearts lurks the desire to write, to crusade, to expose corruption, to investigate criminals. I was no exception. For a news junkie, like me, to be at the creation of television in Sri Lanka, to break new ground in a medium with so much appeal, would have been a dream come true. I did regret my decision when, returning home on vacation, in 1982, I paid a visit to the gleaming, state-of-the art studio complex that the Japanese Government had gifted. My fellow trainees, assuming various roles that the Troyers had trained them for, were already producing high quality news programmes and documentaries.

I recently learned that, during a 40-year career, Warner had “conducted more than 10,000 radio and television interviews authored seven bestselling books, and written/directed/produced more than 600 documentary films”.

His best-known work, Preserving our World (1990) – described as a blueprint to save our planet – carries a posthumous dedication to Warner as someone who committed “his life to making the world a better place’.

Warner died in 1991, of throat cancer. He was only 59.

Wikipedia says that the Troyers “established a journalism school in Sri Lanka” in the early 1980s. As this narrative has shown, they did much more than that. Warner and Glenys firmly left their imprint on those early, glorious years of Rupavahini.

All News Advertisement

Opinion

Can a punishment-free child become a threat to Sri Lankan society?

Published

2 days ago

2026/06/19

Thilina Walpola

Children are the future of every nation, and the values they learn during childhood shape the society they will eventually lead. In Sri Lanka, where family traditions, respect for elders, and social responsibility have long been important cultural values, the way children are raised remains a topic of great interest. In recent years, many parents and educators have moved away from traditional forms of punishment and embraced more child-friendly approaches to discipline. While protecting children from physical and emotional harm is essential, an important question arises: can a child who grows up without any form of punishment or consequences become a threat to Sri Lankan society?

To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment is often associated with penalties imposed for wrongdoing, while discipline refers to teaching children self-control, responsibility, and respect for rules. Modern child psychology generally discourages harsh physical punishment because it can cause fear, anxiety, and resentment. However, completely removing consequences for inappropriate behavior may create a different set of problems.

Sri Lankan society has traditionally emphasized discipline within the family. Parents, grandparents, and teachers have often played active roles in guiding children’s behavior. Respect for elders, obedience, and good manners have been considered important virtues. While some traditional disciplinary methods may no longer be acceptable, the underlying principle of teaching accountability remains relevant.

A child who never faces consequences for wrongdoing may struggle to understand the boundaries that exist in society. For example, if a child is allowed to insult others, damage property, or ignore rules without correction, they may develop the belief that their actions have no consequences. Such attitudes can become problematic when the child enters school, the workplace, or the wider community.

Sri Lankan schools already face challenges related to student discipline. Teachers often report difficulties in managing classrooms where some students refuse to follow instructions or respect school regulations. When children are not taught accountability at home, educational institutions may find it harder to maintain a productive learning environment. This can affect not only the individual student but also classmates whose education is disrupted.

Another concern is the development of entitlement. A child who is never told “no” may come to believe that personal desires should always be fulfilled. In a society where cooperation and mutual respect are essential, such attitudes can lead to conflicts with peers, teachers, employers, and even family members. Sri Lanka’s social fabric depends heavily on community relationships, and individuals who fail to respect others can weaken these bonds.

The influence of social media and modern technology has added another dimension to this issue. Today’s children have access to information and entertainment on an unprecedented scale. Without proper guidance and consequences, some may misuse technology, engage in cyberbullying, spread misinformation, or develop unhealthy habits. Parents who avoid setting limits may unintentionally expose children to risks that affect both personal development and social well-being.

The workplace offers another example of why accountability is important. Sri Lanka’s economic development depends on a workforce that is disciplined, responsible, and capable of working with others. Employers value punctuality, respect, and professionalism. Individuals who grow up without learning responsibility may find it difficult to meet these expectations, affecting both their personal success and the productivity of organizations.

However, it is equally important not to interpret this argument as support for harsh punishment. Research has shown that excessive physical or emotional punishment can have serious negative effects on children. Fear-based parenting may produce obedience in the short term but can damage confidence, trust, and mental health in the long term. Therefore, the solution is not stricter punishment but more effective discipline.

Positive discipline provides a balanced alternative. It involves setting clear rules, explaining expectations, and applying fair consequences when those rules are broken. For instance, if a child neglects schoolwork, they may lose certain privileges until responsibilities are fulfilled. If they damage property, they can be required to help repair or replace it. Such consequences teach accountability while preserving the child’s dignity.

Sri Lankan parents, teachers, and community leaders all have a role to play in nurturing responsible citizens. Families should create environments where children feel loved and supported but also understand that actions have consequences. Schools should encourage character development alongside academic achievement. Religious and community organizations can reinforce values such as honesty, compassion, and respect for others.

A balanced approach is especially important in a rapidly changing society. As Sri Lanka continues to modernize and integrate with the global community, young people must learn not only their rights but also their responsibilities. Freedom without responsibility can lead to selfishness, while discipline without compassion can lead to fear. The challenge is to find the middle ground.

A punishment-free child can become a concern for Sri Lankan society if the absence of punishment also means the absence of discipline and accountability. Children who never learn consequences may struggle to respect rules, authority, and the rights of others. However, harsh punishment is not the answer. The most effective approach combines love, guidance, clear boundaries, and fair consequences. By raising children who understand both freedom and responsibility, Sri Lanka can build a future generation that strengthens society rather than threatens it.

Saumya Aloysius

(An essayist, children’s writer and freelance writer who holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Kelaniya)

Opinion

SriLankan Airbus struck by lightning

Published

2 days ago

2026/06/19

Thilina Walpola

A representational image

On Friday 12 June, 2026, a SriLankan Airlines Airbus 330 was en route from Colombo to Sydney, Australia was about 45 minutes into its flight when a loud bang was heard, accompanied by a blinding flash. In what was assumed to be a lightning strike, the airplane’s left (No. 1) engine was damaged, forcing the aircraft to return to BIA-Katunayake, where it landed safely.

Lightning travels from cloud to cloud or cloud to ground. Because the aircraft is not electrically ‘grounded’, or ‘earthed’, it must have been in the path of the thunder bolt purely by chance. There is also a phenomenon whereby the aircraft may travel through an electrically charged atmosphere (for example a cloud) where an electrical charge could build up and strike, or be emitted, as lightning. In such an instance, pilots hear electrical static in their headsets before the strike. Usually, when lightning strikes an aircraft in flight, the electrical charges remain on the outside, as on a ‘Faraday’s Cage’ apparatus, and the passengers and crew are perfectly safe.

To help the efficient and safe discharge of static electricity from the airplane’s structure, static wicks, or static dischargers, are fitted at the trailing (rearmost) edges of the wings and tail surfaces. When an airplane has landed after a lightning strike, ground engineers count the number of wicks that may have been burnt out to ensure that a minimum (recommended) number is available for a subsequent flight. Sometimes, there is minor damage, like pitting of the paintwork at the points where the charges left the aircraft.

The last instance in the USA of an airplane believed to have been lost due to a lightning strike was on December 8, 1963, when a Pan Am Boeing 707-121, en route from Baltimore, Maryland to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suffered a fuel tank explosion, later determined to have been the result of a lightning strike. Since then, aircraft have been rendered immune from lightning damage thanks to extensive research conducted by manufacturers using high-voltage currents.

Interestingly, modern airliners have electronic instrument displays which don’t even flicker when the aircraft is struck by lightning. By a process of connecting all the metallic parts, known as ‘bonding’, the entire fuselage effectively becomes a protective cocoon, so electrical charges caused by lightning will always reside on the outside of the aircraft.

What is unusual in the recent SriLankan Airlines incident is the extent of damage to the left engine. Did it encounter hail or ingest something?

Only a thorough, independent inquiry by aviation safety investigators will reveal the cause.

GUWAN SEEYA

Opinion

Beyond diagnosis: A strategic design for 7% growth by 2029 (Part I)

Published

3 days ago

2026/06/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

“Vision without execution is hallucination.” – Thomas Edison

Introduction: Stabilisation Is Not Transformation

Sri Lanka has come a long way since the economic collapse of 2022. Inflation has been brought under control. Foreign reserves have improved. Debt restructuring has advanced. Government revenue has increased significantly through taxation reforms. The exchange rate has stabilised, and confidence has gradually returned to financial markets.

These achievements deserve recognition.

However, stabilisation should not be confused with economic transformation. A patient discharged from intensive care is not necessarily healthy. Likewise, an economy that has escaped collapse has not necessarily achieved sustainable prosperity.

The central economic question facing Sri Lanka today is no longer how to avoid another crisis. Rather, it is how to achieve sustained economic growth of at least 7% per annum by 2029.

Unfortunately, much of the current policy debate remains trapped in economic diagnosis. Policymakers, economists, and commentators repeatedly identify familiar problems: (i) low productivity, (ii) weak exports, i(iii) Inadequate innovation, (iv) poor competitiveness, and (v) insufficient investment. While these diagnoses are correct, they are not new.

Sri Lanka now needs economic engineering.

The country requires a clear, measurable, and actionable National Growth Strategy for 2026-2029 that identifies (i) where growth will come from,(ii) what investments are required,(iii) which institutions will lead implementation, and (iv) how success will be measured.

The difference between diagnosis and engineering is the difference between describing a problem and solving it.

The Missing National Growth Target

One of the most striking weaknesses in Sri Lanka’s economic discourse is the absence of a publicly articulated growth target supported by a detailed implementation framework.

Successful economies establish measurable objectives.

Sri Lanka should adopt the following growth trajectory:

2026 – 4%

2027 – 5%

2028 – 6%

2029 – 7%

Such targets would provide direction to investors, public institutions, universities, exporters, and development partners. Without a destination, even the best policies risk becoming disconnected initiatives.

Today, many policy interventions appear fragmented—valuable in isolation but lacking integration into a broader national growth framework.

Growth Will Not Come From Consumption

For decades Sri Lanka relied heavily on consumption, imports, remittances, tourism, and external borrowing.

That model has reached its limits.

No country has achieved sustained prosperity through consumption-led growth alone.

The countries that transformed themselves—Singapore, South Korea, Ireland, Vietnam, and China—generated growth through productive investment, exports, industrialisation, and integration into global markets.

Sri Lanka’s future growth must therefore be driven by investment and exports rather than domestic consumption.

The challenge is not increasing spending but increasing productive capacity.

Export-Led Growth: The First Pillar of Transformation

Every successful Asian growth story has one characteristic in common: exports.

Exports generate foreign exchange, create jobs, attract investment, encourage innovation, and improve productivity.

Sri Lanka should establish an ambitious target of doubling export earnings within the next decade.

This requires moving beyond traditional exports and expanding into:

High-value agriculture

Food processing

Information technology services

Logistics services

Advanced manufacturing

Professional services

Export growth must become a national mission comparable to post-war reconstruction efforts seen elsewhere in Asia.

Without a major expansion of exports, sustained 7% growth will remain elusive.

Manufacturing: The Forgotten Growth Engine

Manufacturing remains the single most important source of rapid economic transformation worldwide. Vietnam provides perhaps the best recent example.

Through (i) industrial zones, (ii) trade agreements, (iii) infrastructure development, and (iv) targeted investment attraction, Vietnam became deeply integrated into Asian production networks.

Sri Lanka possesses strategic advantages:

A prime Indian Ocean location

Strong port infrastructure

Educated labour force

Proximity to India

The country should establish specialised manufacturing clusters focusing on:

Electronics assembly

Medical devices

Processed food products

Boat building

Rubber-based products

Engineering components

Rather than attempting to compete with every country, Sri Lanka should specialise in selected niches where competitive advantages can be developed.

RCEP: The Strategic Door to Asia

Sri Lanka’s future lies increasingly in Asia.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) represents the largest trading bloc in the world and includes many of the fastest-growing economies.

Membership or closer integration with RCEP supply chains could provide Sri Lankan exporters with access to markets, investment, technology, and production networks that are currently beyond reach.

Unfortunately, discussion on RCEP remains limited compared with its strategic significance.

A dedicated national roadmap for RCEP engagement should become a top economic priority.

The question is not whether Sri Lanka can afford to integrate more deeply into Asia.

The question is whether Sri Lanka can afford not to.

Knowledge Economy: Turning Universities Into Growth Institutions

Sri Lanka’s universities produce thousands of graduates annually, yet their contribution to commercial innovation remains limited.

Globally, universities have become engines of economic development.

Research institutions should not merely produce graduates; they should produce patents, technologies, startups, and commercial solutions.

A national innovation framework should:

Link universities with industry

Encourage commercialisation of research

Support technology transfer

Expand startup financing

Reward innovation and entrepreneurship

Knowledge must become an economic asset rather than an academic exercise.

Dairy, Agriculture, And Import Substitution

Export growth alone is insufficient.

Sri Lanka must also reduce unnecessary import dependence.

The dairy sector offers a compelling example.

For decades, billions of rupees have left the country through dairy imports despite favourable climatic conditions and substantial agricultural potential.

A comprehensive dairy development strategy should focus on:

Improved genetics

Feed production

Commercial farming

Processing investment

Farmer productivity

The objective should be import substitution combined with rural income growth.

The same principle can be applied selectively to other sectors where domestic production is economically viable.

Creating A National Investment Targeting Agency

Sri Lanka does not need another bureaucracy.

It needs a professional institution dedicated exclusively to investment targeting.

Instead of passively waiting for investors, this agency would actively identify and attract strategic investments aligned with national priorities.

Its mandate would include:

Identifying priority sectors

Marketing opportunities globally

Coordinating approvals

Monitoring outcomes

Facilitating technology transfer

Singapore’s Economic Development Board and Ireland’s Industrial Development Agency demonstrate how targeted investment institutions can transform national economies.

Sri Lanka requires a similar mechanism adapted to local realities.

From Economic Diagnosis To Economic Engineering

The next stage of Sri Lanka’s recovery requires a fundamental shift in thinking.

The policy debate must move beyond identifying problems. The country already knows its problems.The challenge is implementation.Every policy proposal should be evaluated against a simple question:

Will this contribute to achieving 7% growth by 2029?

If the answer is no, resources should be redirected.

Economic engineering requires focus, prioritisation, accountability, and measurable outcomes. The era of fragmented initiatives must give way to a coherent national growth strategy.

Summary

Sri Lanka has achieved significant macroeconomic stabilisation, but stabilisation is only the first step toward sustainable prosperity.

To move from recovery to transformation, Sri Lanka should adopt a National Growth Strategy for 2026-2029 built around five pillars:

Export-led growth

Investment-led growth

Manufacturing expansion

Knowledge-economy development

Regional integration through RCEP and Asian supply chains

Supporting sectors such as dairy, tourism, logistics, and information technology should be strategically developed within this framework.

Most importantly, investment must be targeted rather than scattered, supported by specialised institutions and measurable performance indicators.

Conclusion

History demonstrates that no nation has become prosperous by accident. Economic success is rarely the product of isolated policies or short-term political initiatives. It is the outcome of a deliberate strategy pursued consistently over many years.

Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads.

One path leads to modest growth, periodic crises, recurring debt challenges, and continued vulnerability. The other leads to transformation through investment, exports, innovation, manufacturing, and regional integration.

The choice is ultimately strategic.

The time has come for Sri Lanka to move from economic diagnosis to economic engineering.

The future will not be determined by how successfully the country stabilised after the crisis. It will be determined by how effectively it builds the foundations for sustained growth thereafter. If Sri Lanka can articulate and execute a coherent investment-led growth strategy today, achieving 7% growth by 2029 need not be an aspiration.

It can become a national objective—and a national achievement, economic Engineering

The writer, among many, served as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia from 2006 to 2012 and was a Senior Consultant with the UNDP for 20 years. He was a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993). He can be reached via asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com