Features

Province unsuitable as a unit of governance

Published

4 years ago

2021/01/1

by Neville Ladduwahetty

The government is reportedly planning to hold the provincial council elections while an expert committee is actively engaged in the making of a new constitution. Holding elections before the drafting of a constitution imposes a constraint on the expert committee since it cannot afford to drift too far from existing arrangements if it is not to incur the ire of the elected members following an election. This means that the expert committee cannot take into account the prevailing antipathy towards Provincial Councils (PCs), for whatever reason, and propose a fresh approach to devolution

This would be the unfortunate outcome if elections to PCs are held prior to the promulgation of a new constitution. If elections are held after a new Constitution is in place, it will give the expert committee an opportunity to propose a fresh approach after taking into account the lessons of historical experiences Sri Lanka has had to endure. Therefore, the plea to the government is to give the country the opportunity to evolve a system of government that serves them best, free of constraints.

LESSONS OF HISTORY

Having gained control of the whole of the island following the Kandyan Convention in 1815, the British attempted to administer the island as a single unit under a Governor. It did not take long for the British to realize that consolidation of power through an effective administration required the island to be sub-divided into smaller units as recommended by the Colebrooke-Cameron Reforms of 1833. The process of sub-division that started out with five (5) Provinces ended up with nine (9) provinces in 1889. Throughout this process of sub-division each province was further divided into districts and even smaller units in order to better administer the province. Thus by 1889 the nine provinces ended up being divided into the 25 districts.

With the introduction of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987, which created Provincial Councils, the lessons of history were ignored. Although the lesson of history was that smaller units are more effective as an administrative tool, the reversal to the larger unit of the province ignored the colonial guidelines of administration. The plea to the framers of the New Constitution is that these lessons of history are not ignored. What history has demonstrated clearly is that the province as a unit is ineffective as a unit of governance.

Although the administration of the island was based on the provinces under an all-powerful Government Agent for each province from 1833, his powers underwent significant derogation with the introduction of the Donoughmore Commission recommendations of 1931. Affirming this trend, the citation presented below states: “The status of the GA after the Donoughmore recommendations could be portrayed through the following note. ‘The division of government’s activities into ten ministries with a minister in charge of each activity, in place of general surveillance by the colonial secretary reduced enormously the power and responsibilities of the GA and led to the appointment of the departmental organizations responsible to the minister to manage many of the executives formerly entrusted to GA’. Thus the power and status of the GA, who was once an unquestioned authority in the district, underwent gradual erosion with the acquisition of his powers and authority of local administration by the departmental field agencies (Leitan p.41) Local administration for instance, under which Sanitary Boards and Village Committees were formerly supervised by the Kachchery organizations was now under the Department of Local Government. Education, Agriculture, Health and Public Works that were the subjects under the purview of the GA were the responsibilities of relevant departments under the executive committee system. (Ranasinghe R.A.W, “Role of Government Agent in Local Administration in Sri Lanka, International Journal of Education and Research, Vol. 2 No.2 February 2014).

Commenting on the process of division and sub-division during the colonial period where the powers of the provincial Government Agent become increasingly marginalized, Dr. Peiris in a characteristically scholarly article states: “Intra-provincial administrative adjustments were made at various times bringing the total number of Districts in the country from nineteen in 1889 to twenty-five at present. Government Agents of the provinces, holding executive power over their areas of authority, coordinated a range of government activities in their respective provinces. It is important to note, however, that in certain components of governance, while the related regional demarcations did not always coincide with provincial and district boundaries, the Government Agent had either only marginal involvement or no authority at all. This was particularly evident in fields such as the administration of justice, maintenance of law and order, and the provision of services in education and health care, in which there is large-scale daily interaction between the government and the people. (Dr. G.H. Peiris, Province-based Devolution in Sri Lanka: a Critique, December 17, 2020).

As Chairman of the Executive Committee responsible for Local Government it was Hon. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike in 1940 who advocated the district as the most suitable unit from a Local Government perspective. His recommendation to the State Council was: “though the word ‘provincial’ is used here, I would point out that this body would be restricted to a revenue district, not necessarily to a province as we have it now, but to a revenue district. The Galle District, the Matara District, the Nuwara Eliya District and so on…” (Hansard {State Council}, 10 July 1940, pp. 1362-1371).

Thus, the lesson of history confirms the unsuitability of the province by itself as a unit of administration /governance. It is the sub-division of the province to districts that made administration effective during the colonial period. Furthermore, even though the population in the island in 1889 was only three million (Dr. G.H. Peiris), if the colonial powers deemed it appropriate to structure the island into nine provinces and twenty-five districts for reasons of administration, what kind of logic would justify reverting back to the larger unit of the province when the population is more than nearly six times what it was in 1889?

The reason for the reversal to the province was definitely NOT motivated by governance. The motivation for the reversal was clearly political. It was triggered by the need to find a solution to the Tamil national question based on claims of a traditional homeland involving the Northern and Eastern Provinces following the riots of 1983 and the intervention of India under the guise of the Indo-Lanka Accord. The history lesson that had come from colonial times to recognize the district and sub-divisions of the district, was ignored. What was introduced instead, was the province as the unit of governance in 1987, under the 13th Amendment. It is therefore understandable why the reversal to a province is as unworkable today as had been recognized by the colonial rulers.

LEARNING from HISTORY

No amount of additional powers and resources would make the provincial council system work, because the intention of the arrangement was for all power to be retained by the provincial councils. Such a centralized top down approach is inherently unworkable; a lesson the colonial administrators had eventually learnt. The only way to make it work was to devolve powers from the province to districts and to sub-divisions of districts such as pradeshiya sabhas and other local government units. This would derogate the powers currently exercised by the Chief Minister and the provincial council. Consequently, it would not be any different to the erosion of the powers of colonial Government Agents (GA) until the Donoughmore Commission recommendations were implemented and districts and its sub-units directly handled peripheral issues, thereby underscoring the irrelevance of the GA. Therefore, there is little or no prospect of PCs elected under current provisions devolving powers to districts and local governments within the province. Consequently, the current ineffective arrangements under the 13th Amendment would continue unless transformed rationally.

Although the province lost its relevance from an administration perspective, the British continued to identify the territory of the island in terms of provinces and districts. Even independent Ceylon and the Republic of Sri Lanka continued to identify the territory in terms of provinces and districts. However, it was only Article 5 of the 1978 Constitution that identified the territory of the Republic in terms of the district.

Notwithstanding the identification of the territory of the Republic of Sri Lanka in terms of the district, the reference to province resurfaced following the Vaddukoddai Resolution of 1976 that called for a separate state involving the Northern and Eastern Provinces. With this and the three-decade long armed conflict to create a separate state, the province has once more assumed importance to the point of not only becoming a threat to the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, but also bequeathed an administrative nightmare that needs to be addressed without any further delay.

That nightmare is that every province in Sri Lanka functions under two parallel systems. One system administers functions relating to line ministries of the central government and a second system administers functions relating to the powers devolved to the provinces under the 13th Amendment. Reverting back to the decentralized system that existed prior to devolution is not a satisfactory arrangement either, because of the remoteness of the center from the priorities of the periphery. Devolving power to the provinces is akin to a centralized arrangement because it is as remote from the periphery. The problem with the current arrangement is not so much due to the two parallel systems, but primarily due to the choice of the unit to which power is devolved. Therefore, accepting that two parallel systems need to function concurrently because of its

in-built merit that power needs to be shared, one way to mitigate its negative aspects is to devolve appropriate power to districts and the local government entities in keeping with the concept of subsidiarity, instead of the provinces as exists today.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS

The choice for the Government is either to live with the current ineffective arrangement as per the 13th Amendment despite the denial of human rights of the overwhelming majority for improved governance, or actively promote a change to current arrangements notwithstanding a possible backlash from those who benefit from current arrangements.

One way to mitigate a possible backlash would be to absorb all the elected members in each PC into a District- based Council and divide the powers currently devolved under the 13th Amendment excluding powers relating to Law and Order, Land and Land Settlement and any others based on the concept of subsidiarity between such District-based Councils and the Local Governments. Such an arrangement would empower the districts with powers it did not have and enhance the powers currently assigned to Local Governments. In addition, it would give many more members currently elected to PCs an opportunity to directly engage in District-level activities than they are today.

For instance, under the current PC system, on an average, only the Chief Minister and four others form the Board of Ministers in each of the nine provinces. This means a total of forty-five are actively engaged in all the nine provinces with the majority of the Council members not having an opportunity to play a meaningful role. Consequently, the arrangement is undemocratic since the majority of elected members do not have the opportunity to contribute their views and express their concerns. If as proposed herein, a five-member Board of Minister is created in each district a total of one hundred and twenty-five Councilors in the twenty-five districts would be in a position to engage themselves meaningfully. According to a website as of 2017 there were 455 PC members. Accommodating all of them in the 25 districts would mean each district-based council would have an average of 18 to 19 members. On the other hand, if the district-based council is made up of a minimum of 2 from each of the nearly 260 Pradheshiya Sabahs (not including the 14MCs and 37UCs) the number in the 25 district council would be 520 i.e. more than from all the PCs. Therefore, whether the district council is formed from members of PCs or from members of local governments, the numbers involved would be similar. The only difference being the cost of conducting an election to elect the district-based council. Therefore, regardless of how the district based council is elected, it is imperative that if Sri Lanka is to prosper it has to transfer powers currently devolved to the provinces to district-based councils and local government entities.

CONCLUSION

The Province as a territorial unit is of relevance to the Tamil political leadership, while it is of no relevance to the overwhelming majority of citizens. To the Tamil leadership the province provides them the opportunity to merge the Northern and Eastern Provinces and carve out a single political unit on grounds of a dubious Tamil homeland claim despite the absence of any physical vestige of such a claim. To the average citizen the province with all power vested in it, is an impediment to improved governance that affects his/her well-being. Furthermore, the province is an ever present and a constant threat to Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity and national security as demonstrated by a three-decade long armed conflict followed by continuing threats by the Tamil leadership to go it alone.

Although colonial administrators started out to govern the island by creating five provinces in 1833 under Colebrooke-Cameron Reforms, they soon realized that effective administration was not possible without creating more provinces along with districts within each province. This process continued until 1889, when the territory of colonial Ceylon was divided into nine provinces and twenty-five districts. However, with the introduction of Donoughmore Commission reforms the relevance of the Government Agent of the province and the province as an administrative tool gradually faded and the smaller unit of the district became the more effective territorial unit for effective governance. This trend is quoted in the references cited above. The district as the unit of administration was also recognized by the State Council for purposes of Local Government even prior to independence in 1940.

These lessons of history were ignored when power was devolved to provinces under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987. The true intent for resurrecting the province with political power was clearly political because it provided for the Northern and Eastern provinces to be merged into a single territorial unit to be governed by a single PC. For this to happen the province has to survive and its survival depends on how it delivers on governance. The fact that the province has failed as a viable devolved unit means that the province has lost its purpose and therefore the justification to exist.

If Sri Lanka is to prosper it is imperative that the province as a territorial and political entity is abolished for three vital reasons.

One – That powers devolved to the provinces under the 13th Amendments excluding Law and Order, Land and Land Settlement and any others based on the concept of subsidiarity, should be divided between the districts and related local governments with a view to facilitating greater economic development and for reasons of fostering enhanced democratic governance.

Two – That the province represents a clear and constant danger to Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity because its size tempts separatist aspirations.

Three – That because the province was created in order to meet political exigencies and not for reasons of good governance, the time and opportunity have come to abandon serving parochial political imaginings of a few and create a system that focuses on human development for the benefit of all citizens.

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Features

Promoting efficiency in economic governance and obtaining investment for development

Published

2 days ago

2024/12/13

Thilina Walpola

Digital Economy in Sri Lanka:

by Dr W.G. Somaratne

PhD (Econ), Latrobe, Australia; MSc (Ag.Econ), London;
BA (Econ), First Class, (USJP); Freelance Development Consultant,
Ex-Economist (ADB), (Part Time); Ex-Head and Senior Research Fellow (HARTI); and Visiting Lecturer,
(USJP); Email: wgsomaratne@gmail.com

The digital economy represents a transformative shift in the way businesses, governments, and individuals interact, trade, and create value. For Sri Lanka, this shift towards digitalisation presents a vital opportunity to stimulate economic growth, enhance economic governance, and social inclusion, and improve service delivery across the country. The expansion of digital infrastructure and increasing access to mobile technology and internet services have already paved the way for new economic models, from e-commerce to digital finance and remote work. With a strategic focus on building a resilient digital economy, Sri Lanka can address critical challenges such as unemployment, regional economic disparities, and limited access to global markets, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

A robust digital economy can empower Sri Lankan citizens, providing access to global markets, financial services, education, and healthcare through advancing new technology by opening opportunities for the general public. It also enables innovation and entrepreneurship development by reducing barriers to entry, encouraging startups, and supporting local industries in becoming globally competitive. However, realizing the full potential of a digital economy requires significant investment in digital infrastructure, improvement in digital literacy, and a regulatory environment that promotes security, trust, and innovation. With the right framework and collaborative efforts, Sri Lanka’s digital economy can play a pivotal role in the nation’s journey towards a sustainable, inclusive, and competitive future on the global stage.

Need for digital economy in Sri Lanka

The transition to a digital economy is critical for Sri Lanka’s development, as it provides avenues for economic growth, social inclusion, and improved governance. By embracing digitalisation, Sri Lanka can modernise traditional agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors, increase competitiveness, and overcome existing economic limitations.

Economic Growth and Employment Creation

Digital tools and platforms can improve productivity across sectors, from agriculture to manufacturing and services, by streamlining processes, enhancing data analysis, and reducing costs. The digital economy offers new avenues for employment in sectors like information technology, e-commerce, fintech, and digital marketing. These jobs can reduce youth unemployment, which remains a challenge in Sri Lanka. Further, digital tools empower SMEs by providing easier access to markets, customers, and resources through e-commerce platforms and social media. This can boost growth in the SME sector, as a vital part of Sri Lanka’s economy. Accordingly, some of the key reasons for the necessity of a digital economy for Sri Lanka’s development are explained below:

Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Digital platforms enable aspiring entrepreneurs to develop startups with lower initial investments. This fosters a culture of innovation, leading to the creation of unique solutions to local and global challenges. Further, a focus on digital can drive the development of solutions in fintech, health tech, agri-tech, and edu-tech sectors, addressing specific needs in Sri Lanka’s context, like financial inclusion, healthcare access, and agricultural productivity.

Enhancing Global Competitiveness

A digital economy allows Sri Lankan businesses, especially SMEs, to access international markets and access to finance more easily. This can boost exports and promote Sri Lanka as a global supplier of IT and knowledge services. Developing a digital economy demonstrates that Sri Lanka is forward-thinking, which can attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in 4IR technology, telecommunications, and knowledge-based industries including SMEs in the country.

Strengthening Governance and Transparency

Promoting Digital Government Services can be performed, especially, the establishment of a digital economy in Sri Lanka, which enables efficient and transparent government services, reducing bureaucratic hegemonies and delays and corruption in the government institutions. E-governance can improve public service delivery in areas like licensing and taxation in Customs, the Department of Inland Revenue and the Exercise Department, and promote social welfare in the country. Further, the decision-making in government organizations could be improved based on Data-Driven Decision-Making in the country (eg. Digitized Food Storage System). In particular, access to real-time data enables the government to make informed decisions on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and public safety, which can lead to better resource allocation and promote Smart Infrastructure, Smart Health, Smart Education, Smart Security, Smart Agriculture etc.

Facilitating Financial Inclusion: Digital banking, mobile payments, and online financial platforms improve access to banking services, especially in underserved regions. This enables more people to participate in the economy, save money, and invest in their businesses by promoting access to financial services. In addition, it improves the Growth in Fintech. The fintech sector can help provide credit, microfinance, and savings solutions to SME businesses and individuals, especially in rural areas, stimulating economic activity and growth.

Improving Education and Skill Development

The digital literacy level in ri Lanka needs to improve through digital tools and resources, which enhances education by providing access to online courses, resources, and remote learning. This can bridge education gaps and the digital divide, especially in rural areas. In addition, it can promote Skill Development for the Future, particularly, because a digital economy encourages the acquisition of skills in AI, data science, coding, digital marketing, e-business and e-commerce, which are in high demand globally. This improves employability for youth and women and prepares Sri Lanka’s workforce for the global future.

Environmental Sustainability

A digital economy reduces the need for physical infrastructure and travel, which can help minimise carbon emissions. Remote work, for instance, reduces the need for commuting, lowering the demand for fuel, decreasing pollution etc.. Further, digital solutions in areas like agriculture and energy enable more efficient use of resources, such as precision farming techniques that reduce water and pesticide use, contributing to goals of environmental sustainability and Smart Resource Management.

Challenges to Address for a Successful Digital Economy in Sri Lanka

While the benefits of a digital economy are clear, Sri Lanka faces some challenges in realizing this vision:

Digital Literacy Improving digital skills and literacy, particularly in underserved areas, will be essential for widespread adoption to promote the functioning of the digital economy.

Regulatory and Policy Framework: Clear, supportive policies that encourage digital innovation and protect consumer rights are needed to support a digital economy.

Infrastructure Development

Expanding internet access and digital infrastructure, especially in rural areas, is crucial to promote connectivity.

Cybersecurity and Privacy

Ensuring robust cybersecurity and data protection measures is also critical as more services and businesses move online and promote the concept of Smart Cities in the country.

The functions of the proposed new Ministry of Digital Economic Development would be to make decisions regarding the promotion of the digital economy in Sri Lanka and the provision of digital solutions for the development and promotion of digital economic governance and entrepreneurship development in the digital economy. The digital economy will be established by networking with all government institutions in Sri Lanka to promote efficiency in economic governance, which reduces transaction costs, and provides services with efficiency and effectiveness.

In particular, the management of the human capital and digital economy is less effective because many of these functions are not performed with the modern standards to promote efficiency in the human capital operational functions.

Accordingly, malfunctioning of the processes is rampant, no time management, and prolonged delays in service delivery, which denies the gaining of improving human capital in the country. However, the development of both the human capital and digital economy is necessary for operating with maximum efficiency for utilizing the hard-earned taxpayers’ funds. The only solution is establishing a digital economy linking all the government organizations together with the digital network to get rid of financial fraud, malpractices, bribery and corruption by using blockchain technology. For this purpose, Smart Health, Smart Education, Smart Custom, Smart Inland Revenue and Smart Exercise Department are some of the priority projects in the digital economy of Sri Lanka. Establishing and Promoting SMART Cities is also considered a necessary project for attracting investment to link the public and private sectors working together for national development. Eventually, it will assist in increasing government revenue as well.

Digital Economy and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Human capital development refers to the process of enhancing the knowledge, skills, abilities, and overall well-being of individuals, contributing to their personal and professional growth. Intellectual skills, innovation and information technology assist in wealth creation and lead to a knowledge-based economic system for Sri Lanka’s economic transformation. A Digital Economy in the transformed Sri Lanka that maximizes the use of digital technologies sustainably. It has three main scopes (a) Core scope as a Digital (IT/ICT) sector; (b) Narrow scope: Digital Economy; and (c) Broad Scope: Digitalized Economy and Society. The digital economy expects to transform the Sri Lankan economy into a fully pledged digitalized economy to gain advantages in improving economic governance attracting investment with 4IR technology and maximizing the economic and social well-being of the people.

Strategic Framework for Adopting the Digital Economy

The Strategic Framework for establishing and functioning a Digital Economy in Sri Lanka needs to establish 15 ‘Fortune Economic Zones (FEZs)’. Through these proposed FEZs, it is expected to invest in generating employment opportunities for youth and women and foreign income for the country. The proposed 15 digital FEZs are as follows:

Digitalized Economy and Society –

1 Fortune Economic Zone – For Establishing 5 Smart Cities within 3 years (pilot in Kandy and Gampaha and other 3 cities are Colombo, Matara, and Jaffna);

Adopting Smart Governance System:

1 – Fortune Economic Zone, covering E-Government Services for online public service delivery, covering Digital Platforms for citizen engagement and participation.; and Open data initiatives to provide public access to government data. Issuing a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for each citizen of the country is vital to promoting good governance and a corruption-free society. Sri Lanka needs to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, fraud and malpractices in the country. In addition, by adopting 4IR – blockchain technology in the operation of economically critical sub-sectors like customs, the Department of Inland Revenue and the Exercise Department, the government will be able to assist in maximising the generation of government revenue greatly.

Smart Mobility:

1- Fortune Economic Zone – for Intelligent transportation systems; it includes Real-time traffic management and monitoring; Smart parking solutions, and Public transportation enhancements, covering real-time tracking and scheduling;

Smart Energy –

1 Fortune Economic Zone: for Energy-efficient technologies and infrastructure; including Smart grids for efficient energy distribution; Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, waste) integration and Energy management systems for monitoring and optimizing energy consumption;

Smart Buildings and Infrastructure:

1 Fortune Economic Zone for Energy-efficient and sustainable building designs; Building automation systems for energy conservation; Smart street lighting with sensors for adaptive lighting; and Infrastructure monitoring for maintenance and safety;

Smart Environment:

1 Fortune Economic Zone, for Air and water quality monitoring systems; covering Waste management solutions, including smart bins and recycling programs; Green spaces and urban planning for environmental sustainability;

Smart Healthcare:

1 Fortune Economic Zone; Telemedicine and e-health services; it includes Health monitoring through wearable devices and sensors; Electronic health records and networking for efficient healthcare management in both state and private healthcare institutions/hospitals, Patient registration and management etc.

Smart Education:

1 Fortune Economic Zone for E-learning platforms and digital classrooms; Smart campuses with technology-enhanced learning environments; and Educational analytics for personalized learning;

Smart Security:

1 Fortune Economic Zone for Surveillance systems with video analytics; Emergency response and disaster management systems; and Cybersecurity measures to protect digital infrastructure;

Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI):

1 Fortune Economic Zone for Big data analytics for extracting valuable insights from vast datasets; AI applications for predictive analysis and decision-making; Machine learning algorithms for optimizing city services (Eg. Stock and Buffer Stock Management Systems in the economy covering both the private and state sectors’ operations).

Internet of Things (IoT):

1 Fortune Economic Zone for Sensor networks and IoT devices for collecting real-time data; and Smart sensors for monitoring and managing various aspects of city life.

Citizen Engagement and Social Innovation:

1 Fortune Economic Zone for Platforms for citizen feedback and participation, and Initiatives promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship development.

Establishing an IT park for attracting FDI

– One Fortune Economic Zone – Silicon Valley IT Park in Malambe;

Establishing an IT park for attracting FDI

– 1 Fortune Economic Zone – Silicon Valley IT Park in Gampaha; and

Establishing an IT Park for attracting FDI

– 1 Fortune Economic Zone – Silicon Valley IT Park in Avissawella

Concluding Remarks

The development of a digital economy is a pathway to sustainable and inclusive growth in Sri Lanka. By operationalising the above strategic interventions, improving economic productivity, increasing financial inclusion, fostering innovation, and enhancing governance, a digital economy could help Sri Lanka meet its development goals and compete globally. With a strategic approach and investment in the necessary IT infrastructure, and skills, and operationalizing the above strategic operational framework with ‘Establishing ‘Fortune Economic Zones’, Sri Lanka can make a successful transition to a thriving digital economy.

Features

Admirable restoration; our Poya

Published

2 days ago

2024/12/13

Thilina Walpola

A file photo of Notre-Dame de Paris burning

As I have said with great relief before this, news in our land is good and actually excellent when compared with what spurts forth from other countries. The new government seems to be going seriously about its business of looking to the welfare of you, me, and more so our poorer brethren. Recent news of international gatherings had foreign VIPs voice their satisfaction in the way the country’s new leaders are settling down to their governing.

What’s with the world then? You do not need Cassandra to tell you what calamities are being enacted in the Middle East, Ukraine, South Korea and Trump’s disastrous, underhand, ruinous cabals and conspiracies that are fermenting in his mind for when he takes power. He was recently absolved of any crime or fault regarding the January 6, 2020 assault on the Capitol. Even we small fry heard over thousands of miles of sea and land his instigating the beefy white guys gathered that day for revolt in challenging the lawful election of Joe Biden as Prez.

Cassandra has had more than her fair share of listening to, seeing and undergoing calamities, mostly man made like our country’s bankruptcy. So, she moves to write about a hugely successful undertaking to rebuild a monument. Here is one instance of reconstruction as against destruction; giving life as opposed to taking it away, restoring beauty against causing ugliness.

Notre-Dame de Paris

The name of this most famous Roman Catholic cathedral translates to ‘Our Lady of Paris’. A cleaning and restoration project, the second after one in 1963, began in1991. Most unfortunately a fire broke out in April 2019, attributed to interference with electrical wires. The fire was no mere blaze nor limited to a part of the building. Its soaring flames devoured most of the cathedral’s roof and upper regions and heart-rending pictures showed the spires as they crumbled. All the upper artwork, the stained glass windows and priceless art, design and statues were destroyed or damaged. But after five years of reconstruction, the cathedral reopened its massive ancient doors, first to dignitaries and worldwide leaders on December 7, 2024, and now to the public. The dedication of workers achieved the near miraculous: keeping to schedule. The five year reopening deadline was kept despite predictions it would take decades. Another miracle: the total cost of 700m euros ($750m) was financed by donations.

I read that within the cathedral were some of the most precious relics of Christendom: the crown of thorns and a sliver of nail from the True Cross. They sure must have been in such safe keeping that they are intact. Centuries old Gothic, Baroque and even 18th, 19th C sculptures and altar-pieces may have been damaged. but would have been restored.

History

Thanks to Cass’s son who arranged a trip to Paris for her and forced her to prise her bottom off her easy chair and travel, she has stood in front of Notre Dame lost in praise and sheer wonder. Being secular, she moved into the cathedral and with solemnity spent some quiet time absorbing the wonders on the ceiling wall and even the floor. The expanse of stained glass windows was stunning. Watching the opening ceremony of the restored cathedral, all these appear as marvelous as ever.

The cathedral, a medieval place of Catholic worship, is sited on the Ile de la Cité – an island in the River Seine. Construction began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and largely completed in 1260. Dedicated to Virgin Mary, it is considered the finest example of French Gothic architecture. It is also exceptional for its three pipe organs and its immense church bells. The cathedral, as is to be expected, has seen tumultuous times. In the 1790s during the French Revolution it suffered extensive desecration with much of its imagery – sculptures, paintings –vandalised. However great ceremonies and even jubilation have occurred within its doors, such as the coronation of Napoleon; and funerals of French Presidents. Victor Hugo’s famous 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, reawakened interest in the cathedral which led to its restoration between 1844 and 1864. One supposes extensive damage was not done to the glorious church during WW II since France capitulated to the Germans with not much fight. On August 26, 1944, the Liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation was celebrated in Notre Dame with the singing of the Magnificat within.

About 12m people visit the church annually making it the most visited Parisian monument. In 1805, it was awarded honorary status as minor basilica, the meaning of which is “a large oblong hall with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a law court or for public assemblies.” So it is a Christian church whose building is similar to a Roman basilica. It also means a church granted special privileges by a Pope. Incidentally, the present Pope was not present at the opening ceremony; a message from him was read.

Opening ceremony

Writing of this grand occasion which Cass watched on YouTube, it was so noticeable (and distasteful to her) the attention and prime place of importance given to Donald Trump, at least by reporting media and even the reception committee. After all he is not even the US President yet. Detailed showing was of his being received by 46 year young Emmanuel Macron and wife, overshadowing the receiving of the Prince of Wales and other present leaders who attended. What Cass noticed was how the splendour, grace and solemnity of the occasion were lost on Trump. True. He looked foolishly blasé – indifferent, even bored. The boor! Macron was all courtesy, not so his wife, seated next to Trump. No gesture of deference from her.

The great achievement of reconstructing such a magnificent and massive building within schedule called for celebration and congratulations from all the world. I write in detail about this world event because it celebrates man’s ingenuity and commitment and its construction as opposed to destruction that goes on unabated, with two persons most guilty: Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. The former is now giving evidence in court against charges of corruption and granting favours for which expensive gifts were accepted. Putin’s time of retribution will surely come for the blood spilt in Ukraine.

Sri Lanka’s treasure

Tomorrow is Unduvap Poya, which commemorates the arrival of Sanghamitta Theri from India, bearing a sapling from the Bo Tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. She also started the Mehenisassna, acceding to the request of Queen Anula of the court of King Devanampiya Tissa. The sapling, now more than 2500 years old, is in Anuradhapura surrounded by many healthy Bo trees. It is a symbol of the living Buddha. Remember the story of how during his 29 years of almost continuous residence in Savathhi (Sravasti), the Buddha decided to proceed on a teaching journey. Ven Ananda asked him how the monks would manage without him present. The Buddha suggested a Bo sapling be brought from Gaya and planted in the grounds. Its second or third generation is a wide spreading tree in that most sanctified of places in India.

The symbol of the Bo tree brings to mind the Dhamma taught by the Buddha; the four Noble Truths and the Path we need to follow, minus too many rites and rituals which now seem to take precedence over the pure Dhamma. Even this attitude may change under the influence and principles of the new government and leaders we have.

Peace and joy to you!

Features

Capturing wild beauty of Lanka: An exquisite photographic guide – Part II

Published

2 days ago

2024/12/13

Thilina Walpola

by Ifham Nizam

(Second part of the interview with Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, lead author and lead photographer of ‘A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka’ published by John Beaufoy Publishing.)

Q: Wildlife photography can be demanding. Could you share some memorable experiences or challenges you’ve encountered while capturing wildlife?

A: I remember once I saw a bull elephant standing still by a waterhole in Yala. My safari vehicle driver wanted to move on. There was nothing to see, he said. I thought there was something going on. The elephant was strangely still. Perhaps it was communicating with a herd using infrasound? Other vehicles drove up. ‘There is nothing to see’ I heard them say and they drove on hoping for a leopard or sloth bear or some elephants that were doing something. We waited, watched, waited and watched. Another bull elephant emerged and the two had clearly been in conversation. But not amicably. A brief fight ensued. I did not get any amazing pictures on that occasion but it was deeply satisfying to know my instinct had been correct.

On another occasion I did get some good images by positioning my vehicle unobtrusively behind some low scrub overlooking a grassy glade. A bull elephant was grazing peacefully and another arrived and a fight ensued, yards away from my vehicle. I was nervous. In Tsavo East National Park I was on a game drive and came to a waterhole with two hippos. The driver wanted to move on. I suggested we just stay and enjoy the bird life and watch the animals coming in procession to drink water. The driver reluctantly agreed and dozed off. A bull elephant arrived and there was this amazing display of aggression between one of the hippos and the elephant. But it does not have to be large animals.

I am just as thrilled if I am in Diyasaru Wetland Park and a huge Water Monitor walks past me. In the Gambia I was on foot photographing Baboons when I was hit by a branch that had snapped back as a large alpha male pushed past it. I froze as this fearsome male unexpectedly walked past within inches of me. As a rule, I am very careful to keep a safe distance and I think safety is very important. No photograph is worth a photographer risking injury or death or triggering an angry reaction from an animal. But when you are on foot and you are absorbed with watching wildlife and taking images, it is easy for animals to sneak up on you. So always be careful, especially if you are in an area where there are animals that could kill you or kill you and eat you.

Q: How do you approach ethical considerations in wildlife photography, especially when photographing rare or endangered species?

A:My general rule with all wildlife photography is that the welfare of the subject comes first. No photograph is worth disturbing an animal from its feeding or resting. My approach is to let an animal come to me or to approach it very carefully and let it get used to my presence. I will keep my distance and avoid forcing it to flee. Quite often by waiting at a distance an animal gets used to me and approaches me closely. This then makes it possible to observe and photograph natural behaviour.

Q: Do you have any upcoming projects or books on the horizon that you’re excited about?

A. Well, I seem to be going back full circle. My recent book ‘A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka’ was meant to be the one book a wildlife enthusiast or a professional naturalist would take if they only had the space and weight in their field bag for one book. Thanks to contributions from thirteen section contributors it goes some way to being that useful one book. Although having said that, we all know Sri Lanka is so biodiverse that there can never be one field guide.

The present book is a good compromise in size, approaching the upper limit of weight people will carry as a field guide. But following Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and the devaluation of the currency, the book is too expensive for many people who work in tourism and wildlife. The foundation for this book was laid in a series of simple photographic leaflets and booklets I did many years ago for people to have affordable field guide literature. These simple pictorial booklets had a huge impact. In the early days for a hundred rupees, you could buy one of these simple guides that helped you to put a name to a butterfly or dragonfly. I have been having discussions with my publisher to work with the tourism sector to going back to developing a series of such affordable mini guides for people who can’t afford the more expensive books.

PG Wildlife of Sri Lanka Hi-res back

Q: What advice would you give to budding naturalists and photographers who is keen to follow in your footsteps?

A: A good wildlife photographer is also a good naturalist. Try to learn as much as you can about the plants and animals around you. That will open up new worlds for photography which you had not imagined. Being a wildlife photographer requires two skills, as a photographer and as a naturalist. As a photographer you need to understand elements such as lighting, exposure, composition, how to frame a subject and so on. The skills that go into taking a portrait of a person are the same skills that are needed to take a gook wildlife image. Of course, with wildlife, you have no control over wild subjects. So sometimes you have to either position yourself or wait for the subject to move into the right position where lighting, background, composition all come together. Sometimes it never works out and you have to settle for record shots.

Also give some thought to what you are taking the images for. For many people wildlife photography is a creative pursuit to take stunning images to celebrate the natural world. If you are using it to illustrate an article, then you need a range of images to tell the story. If it is for a field guide to plants for example, then it can become quite technical as you first need to understand subtle features that distinguish one species from another. Fortunately, there is now a lot of knowledge available for free on the internet. You can also study the imagery of top photographers to understand how they approach composition.

In my own case, education and creating a livelihood for people out of wildlife tourism has become the main plank of my activities. As a result, even when I am in Yala, without driving around in pursuit of the perfect leopard photograph, I often stop to take pictures of plants which other people might think is quite boring or even a waste of precious time on a game drive.

Q: You’ve done a great deal to promote Eco-Tourism in the country. What more can be done to make it a sustainable industry?

At the macro level, we need the private sector and government agencies to collaborate to make the experience good for both the wildlife and people. In the open sea, if whale watching boats crowd around a whale that is stressful for a feeding whale. Many visitors also do not enjoy the experience. To improve whale watching it needs a combination of training the boat crews as well as enforcement. I was whale watching in Vancouver recently and I noticed how a patrol boat kept an eye on the whale watching boats to ensure they observed the guidelines on distance.

In places like Yala, the experience for visitors can be improved by having different routes with different numbers of vehicles allowed on the routes. People should also be able buy tickets in advance for different timed entry slots. This is not to create a situation where only people with money will be able to see leopards. Each route can be chosen so that on any of the routes there is a near equal likelihood of seeing a leopard. But it can be priced differently so that people who want routes with fewer vehicles allowed can buy tickets for more expensive routes. This will suit people who want a leopard encounter without being disturbed by too many other vehicles. People who just want to see what the park is like or are happy to see birds and plants can buy tickets for a cheaper route which allows a larger number of vehicles.

Then beyond the immediate visitor experience, there are a number of other things we should look at. Tourism, as with everything else, should adopt sustainability practices. The three Rs, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle come into mind. We should adopt this in our personal lives. For example, can we reduce the clothes we buy and wear them for longer. When a shirt is too frayed on the sleeves to be worn when going out, can we re-purpose it as a night shirt?

Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne

The providers of tourist accommodation can play a bigger role by adopting sustainable practices. But they can also play a major part in education and habitat creation. The educational aspect is easier if you have a resident naturalist or a member of staff who is willing to take guests on a guided nature walk. My recent book, ‘A Photographic Guide to the Wildlife of Sri Lanka’ which covers 1,180 species with section contributions from 13 others aims to be something that local naturalists can use as a learning tool.

Tourist hotels can also play a big part in habitat creation. At the larger end this can be the creation of man-made wetlands such as at Jetwing Vil Uyana. But it could be something as simple as planting a few wildlife friendly fruit trees. Or, leaving aside a small patch to grow wild. Nectar plants can be planted for pollinators. But remember, with all species you need to think about not just of their food source, but what physical conditions they require for their lifecycle. This included places to rest and places to reproduce.

Q: How do you balance the dual goals of attracting tourists and protecting natural habitats?

In a developing country like Sri Lanka there is a strong linkage. Yes, we can make commitments to sustainable goals such as the amount of forest cover we want to have. These make a lot of sense in terms of the ecosystem services provided by nature. However, what most people want is to be able to provide for their families. If you are poor and living next to a forest you want to be able to feed your family and afford simple things like buying school books for your children. A forest which is simply declared inviolate is no good. But if you can earn a good living as a wildlife tourism service provider, then you will be happy to conserve the forest. But for this to work, there has to be very good infrastructure for visitors to be able to visit it, and stay and have access to visitor amenities. It needs thinking.

But if it is too successful, does it become a victim of its own success? If it reaches that point, other visitor management measures can be applied including requiring the advance purchase of limited ticket numbers and also developing the infrastructure in a way that different visitors are kept entertained in different ways. At sites where visitors can go about by foot, many casual visitors will be very happy to stay within a radius of a kilometre from the visitor centre. If you think about it, a shopping mall with a very small footprint can still manage to handle tens of thousands of visitors in a day. Well managed nature reserves have also learnt to keep many visitors confined to a small area, leaving those who are more serious to explore further afield.