Congenial man whose brilliance outshone many

On October 20, 1892, there was born to a family whose head was a postmaster, a son named Oliver Goonetilleke. As his stars at birth were exalted, he had an astronomical rise in public life, to serve Sri Lanka in centre stage positions, spanning 23 years after the country gained Independence from colonial rule in 1948.

The statue of Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, the country’s first Ceylonese Governor General dressed in an Indian style sherwani and bedecked with several Imperial Honours (medals) stands tall today, realistically sculpted to remain in the memory of people of that era. There are many who remember him as an astute public servant who astonished all with his high voltage brain power.

After his education at Wesley College, Borella, he joined the Bank of Ceylon as an accountant, during her formative period and later served as Auditor General. His superiors had sized him up correctly as an able man, who sported an endearing charm when the going was rough, but equally one able to tide over formidable situations.

His contribution to our welfare as Civil Defence Commissioner, during the height of World War II (1939-1945), as second in power only to the Commander-in-Chief Geoffrey Layton and later as a Senator (Home Minister), then diplomat who served as our High Commissioner in the U.K, and still later as Governor General is noteworthy.

Sir Oliver moved with men and women with grace.

His truly warm handshake with a half smile that displayed his front tooth, signified that he wanted many people to support him. No matter from which walk of life they came, they were all dear to him. He knew of everybody’s secrets, but none knew what his next move would be! Like a computer wizard he acted with brilliance and speed to handle crisis after crisis. Like a puppet master, he knew well which strings should be pulled at the correct time.

His congenital stammer helped him, because his amazing brain power always had some extra time to think twice and say gracefully and diplomatically just a few words to convince people. Often he was a self-appointed counsellor and trouble shooter to defuse tension at Cabinet level.

They say, Sir Oliver knew the Financial Regulations (F.R.) by memory outstripping and outraging the then Treasury Boss Sir Arthur Ranasinghe because Government Departments were often created without prior sanction overnight. Salaries and overtime had to be paid; and with the war situation behind him, he could not starve 8 million people! All that he wanted was to deliver the goods. He had the backing of Sir Geoffrey Layton and D.S.Senanayake.

Using the enormous authority (power) vested in him as Civil Defence Commissioner, on the pretext that Colombo would be bombed by the Japanese, he ordered that all old buildings in congested Pettah, the eye-sore that it was, be demolished overnight, to create what he called “fire gaps”. No one questioned him. He seized that opportunity to widen narrow Pettah roadways which the CMC never did.

Sir Oliver was also an astute businessman who tuned his 12-valve radio (no transistor radios then) to London and kept an ear on The London Stock Exchange. As a lover of horses and the turf he named his two horses “Castle Street” (where he resided) and “Evaldine”, the name of his residence. They took part in the English Derby. At the Epsom races he was seen in high company with English society ladies and prominent businessmen, associated with the confectionery and shipping industries. He was also a grandmaster of a Masons Lodge. D.S. Senanayake and Sir Geoffry Layton leaned heavily on this able man to deliver on the “coupon system” food and clothing through the Co-operative Stores he established during World War II.

The Air Raid Precaution Service set up by OEG with the help of Charles Dymoke Green, Scout Commissioner, had a strength of about 1500 young men who were trained in fire fighting and first aid, to give support to the Red Cross and other agencies during the war. After the war, he played a remarkable role to shape our public administration and as Governor General during “Emergency 58” he took charge of a difficult national situation.

Though Sir Oliver today is a forgotten man, the older generation of Sri Lankans today remember him as the “Man of that Day". He died on Dec 17, 1978.