Gamini Dissanayake– how we remember him

By Arjuna Ranatunga

Today a principal topic among many people in our country rich and poor, young and old is the lack of proper leadership which is seen as the bane of our society. The country is saddled with myriad of problems but instead of finding solutions to them, they are allowed to persist and even grow making them increasingly acute. Leaders are there in name but in order to grapple with the national problems we need leadership which is resolute strong and persuasive.

This is obviously lacking in contemporary society with the result that myriads of problems not only hibernate but even accelerate instead of being solved. The very fabric of our society is under stress and the end result could be chaos. A few illustrations could be pointed out. Take for example the power crisis and the need for coal power. Over the years suitable places have been located, plans prepared and other preliminary steps taken to site the coal power stations. But when it comes to the stage of implementation objections arise, lobbying follows and everything comes to a stand-still, despite the gravity of the situation, all because interested parties have to be satisfied for the sake of the vote.

Opportunism takes precedence over objectivity and foresight. Or take the example of the Colombo-Katunayake by pass road. So much of water has flown down the Kelani river since the project was originally mooted. So much of funds have been squandered in preparing plans and taking preliminary steps and still there is no headway. In the meantime the main Colombo– Negombo road remains perpetually clogged with heavy vehicular traffic. So many lives are lost, caused by accidents due to impatience. So much of precious petrol and diesel oil is wasted by vehicles traveling at snail pace and above all valuable time is lost which could be hardly spared. We also hear so much of the Colombo –Matara and the other expressways. There is all sound and fury but no tangible results.

All this brings me to the excellent leadership provided by two recent leaders whose tragic demise has shown increasingly the enormity of our loss. One is the late Mr. Gamini Dissanayake and the other the late Mr. Lalith Athulathmudali. On the occasion of the 28th death commemoration of Mr. Gamini Dissanayake it is useful to concentrate on the effects on the country caused by his tragic loss.

Mr. Dissanayake is best remembered for two colossal tasks he undertook and successfully accomplished during his lifetime. One is the gigantic Mahaweli project that he completed as a Cabinet Minister in the J R Jayewardene Government. The other in his capacity as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka is the obtaining of Test Status for the country on the path to recognition and supremacy in world cricket. Both projects changed the landscape of the country as never before. Both needed infinite capacity to work, absolute patience, sound organizing ability, persuasive skills and the ability to motivate and lead teams. Mr. Dissanayake proved that he processed these qualities in abundance.

The Mahaweli scheme was a huge project of many dimensions. The moment a decision was made to implement the project in five years rather than the originally planned 30 it assumed colossal proportions which needed a colossus in the form of Mr. Dissanayake to carry it out successfully. One may question the wisdom of implementing such a vast project in such a short period of time. Projects like Aswan Dam have given mixed results and faced constant criticism.

When the time period for implementing any project is drastically reduced, the problems associated with it will increase exponentially. It is to the eternal credit of Mr. Dissanayake that he was aware of the magnitude of the task, accepted the challenge before him and achieved the objective through clear perception, skilful planning and organization and hard work. A lesser mortal would have flinched at the enormity of the task but not Mr. Dissanayake. With clear foresight and attention to detail he countered the multifarious problems that arose continuously and came to grips with them successfully.

His success in obtaining full ICC membership is the other feather in his cap. It was a dream come true not only for him but to the entire cricket loving public of Sri Lanka. It had been a long and futile struggle to obtain Test Status until Mr. Dissanayake came to the scene. With his intense charm and dignity he was able to convince the powers that be that we deserved admission to the holy of the holies. His scintillating one hour address heard with rapt attention by the lords of Lords clinched the issue. He returned to Colombo from London with “Mission accomplished”.

Mr. Gamini Dissanayake remained President of the BCCSL for eight consecutive terms from 1981-82 to 1988-89. During these crucial years he constructed the edifice for the development our cricket which was enormous task. This included the construction of Headquarters for the BCCSL, establishment of the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation, provision of the infrastructure necessary for the development of cricket including Test and other venues and the engagement of coaches of the caliber of Sir Garfield Sobers to improve our quality of cricket. As a Cabinet Minister in charge of two key ministries he was a very busy person but used his spare time to attend to these matters with no concern for his personal life or rest and recreation. Fortunately alongside of him was his beloved partner in life, late Mrs. Srima Dissanayake always a pillar of strength to him.

Subsequently in 1994 we requested him to take over the reins of the BCCSL once again and he readily obliged despite his many political activities and was elected unanimously as the President of the BCCSL for 1994-95. But fate intervened and his tenure was cut short with his tragic death in October 1994. Shortly before our tour of Zimbabwe in 1994 I paid a courtesy call on him. He was ebullient and as optimistic as ever which inspired everyone around him.

One of my great disappointments is that Mr. Dissanayake was not there to witness our success in the World Cup of 1996 which would have brought him immense joy and satisfaction but it was not to be. Destiny decided otherwise.

Today the affairs of cricket in the country are in dire straits. Millions are squandered on projects that have become white elephants. The authorities maintain a stoic silence. The Sports Law has become meaningless if not ludicrous. The audacity with which these things are done is simply mind boggling. If this is not stopped now, the day will not be far when Sri Lanka will become the pariahs of cricket. Mr. Gamini Dissanayake would have been appalled at this state of affairs if he was alive.

One great quality in him was that he had the strength of character to stand up for his moral conviction regardless of the consequences. It is this quality that urged him to oppose the disenfranchisement of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the only Cabinet Minister to do so. This is in sharp contrast to the present situation where ‘Yes’ men behave like surrogates and lackeys of their leaders irrespective of the critical nature of the issues and the gravity of their consequences.

As a nation we are on the edge of a precipice. The forces that destroyed Mr. Dissanayake then are about to destroy the country now unless a leadership emerges which can face this impending crisis with courage and determination. What is at stake is the unity and the sovereignty of the country and the fate of the nation with an over 2,000 years of recorded history.People yearn for this leadership. That is why the memory of Mr. Gamini Dissanayake grows stronger with every passing moment.