92nd birth anniversary of Felix. R. Dias Bandaranaike

Felix was born on November 5, 1930 to former Supreme Court Judge Reginald Dias Bandaranaike and his wife, Freda Dias Abeysinghe. His siblings were Christine Manel Dias Bandaranaike, and brother Michael (Mickey) Dias Bandaranaike, an academic at the University of Cambridge.He was a brilliant student at Royal College winning many prizes. In 1953 he married Muthulakshmi Jayasundara, having met her at the Colombo University. Lakshmi, a first cousin of mine, who also qualified as a lawyer both at University and Law College.

After the death of Prime Minister S.W.R.D Bandaranaike, Felix took to politics and won the Dompe seat at two elections in 1960. He worked very closely with Mrs Bandaranike, when she was elected to Parliament as the first woman Prime Minister of the world. He was appointed Finance Minister, the youngest in the Commonwealth, at the age of 29 years.

In addition he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and External Affairs, a portfolio held by the Prime Minister. I recall his appointment as Parliamentary Secretary to this Ministry with nostalgia as I joined the Sri Lanka Police in 1960 and he represented the PM at our Passing out Parade held at the Police Training School, Katukurunda, with the late Stanley Senanayake (former IGP) as Director of Training .

My parents were present at the reception that followed the parade and my parents and I were introduced to Felix, by the Director of Training. My cousin, Lakshmi, introduced my parents to the Director as her aunt and uncle. While Finance Minister, Felix resigned from his portfolio due to political issues but remained in the party and started developing his Naiwela Farm in Veyangoda making it a great success. He concentrated on the farm after the SLFP lost the election in 1965.

When in 1970 the SLFP gained power with the United Left Front, including the LSSP and the CP. Felix was appointed Minister of Justice, Public Administration and Local Government. During this period as Minister of Justice he made revolutionary changes in 1973 combining the two branches of the legal profession, Advocates and Proctors into a single profession styled “Atorneys-at-Law.

The Ceylon Civil Service (CCS) was was abolished in his time and replaced with the Ceylon Administrative Service (CAS). The Village Headmen became “Grama Sevakas”. In 1973, I became his Security Officer as my brother, Vere, who held that position was promoted and transferred to the Bribery Commission.

He was given additional responsibilities by Mrs Bandranaike, after Dr N.M.Perera’s LSSP and the Ceylon Communist Party left the government. During these years I had much to do with his electorate, some times handling the private secretary’s duties at the Ministry Of Justice and I had a very strong feeling he was losing his grip on the electorate. I cautioned him of a possible defeat but he told me “Nihal, Dompe is my pocket borough. I am sure to win even by 5,000 votes.”

This country (and SLFP too) lost a honorable and intelligent politician and leader by his premature death. He was a man of action.

In 1977, the late J.R.Jayewardene, with his five sixth parliamentary majority, went on to take revenge, from his political opponents. He did not spare Mrs B, Felix and my uncle Neale de Alwis. Felix was to face a three-judge Commission of Inquiry whose findings were challenged by him in courts. The Supreme Court, with one judge dissenting, held with him.A fighter against injustice, he never gave up. He finally turned to God and decided to obtain, a Doctorate in Divinity. I used to visit him and try to console him while he was fighting a terminal illness. He died on June 26, 1985, going back to his creator.

NIHAL DE ALWIS