Appreciations
View(s):The burly figure who stood out like a beacon
GAMINI WEERAKOON
The curtain came down on Gamini Weerakoon, 82, one of the last of the great English language Editors of Sri Lanka in November 2023. Gamini Weerakoon’s passing ends a career of 57 years of superlative journalism.
This burly figure, stood out like a beacon not only for his excellence in journalism at home and as a foreign correspondent, but also for his will to carry on as Editor, regardless of the challenges leading journalists who were not government stooges or ‘yes men’ faced. He was known as “Gamma” to his close friends and in local journalistic circles and “Mr Weerakoon” to those like me who served under him. His specialty was international affairs.
Gamini Abhaya Weerakoon was born on March 19, 1941. His father, Edmund Weerakoon, an officer of the Ceylon Railway Department, settled down in Mount Lavinia for Gamini to attend S. Thomas’ Mount Lavinia of which school he was later a loyal Old Boy.
Gamma entered the Colombo University, Science Faculty in 1963 and later changed over to the Law Faculty. He also excelled in Rugger, representing his school and the Combined Universities.
It was while at the University, having edited the Magazines as President of the Science Students’ Union and later as President of the Students’ Union that Gamma conceived his love for journalism which led him to be introduced to the then Chairman/Lake House Ranjit Wijewardene by Devinda Senanayake, the son of Robert Senanayake.
Cutting short his undergraduate studies in 1966, Gamma joined the Sunday Observer as a cub reporter under the legendary Editor, Denzil Peiris who passed on to him some of the finer points of this noble art.
On the Observer, Gamma cut his teeth at the lowest rung of a reporter’s ladder – the Coroner’s Court. Subsequently, he was assigned to cover the Colombo Municipality, the then Senate and thereafter the Parliament. At Lake House, where heavy competition was then the order of the day, he was picked to interview Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon in 1969, when the astronauts of Apollo 11 visited Ceylon in 1970.
He also had readers at the time who looked forward to reading his reports of the controversial meetings of the Rationalists’ Association headed by Abraham Kovoor (of firewalk fame and who invited Sai Baba to visit then Ceylon without a visa.) His coverage of the Senate proceedings was also a treat at a time when politicians of the calibre of Reggie Perera and Hema Dabare with their colouful banter, afforded journalists a good report. Later, the Editor of the Sunday and Evening Observer, Harold Peiris entrusted him with the Evening Observer signature column “Roundabout.” It was also on the Sunday Observer that he met his lifelong partner, Rajitha, herself an accomplished journalist.
While serving as the Additional News Editor of the Observer which had the largest circulation for a Sunday newspaper at the time, Gamma was moved to the Daily News.
On the Daily News, which then had the largest circulation for a daily newspaper, Gamma took over the role of News Editor.
In 1976, he was selected to cover for Lake House the Non-Aligned Summit held in Colombo, chaired by Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike with 96 heads of state in
attendance.
His interests in international politics led him to later cover Non-Aligned conferences in New Delhi, Harare, Belgrade and Jakarta.
In 1981, when business magnate Upali Wijewardena began The Island and its sister newspaper Divaina, the best of Sri Lankan journalists were recruited to The Island. And, Gamma was appointed as News Editor of The Island. Within a few months, he was appointed as its Deputy Editor. When the other great Editor Vijitha Yapa left around 1986, Gamini Weerakoon assumed the post of Editor.
In 1985 on an invitation from the US Government, he visited Washington, NASA, the Pentagon and key US state establishments ending his tour in Hawaii.
With his deep interest in international politics, he on invitation covered several General Elections in France and Germany.
His interviewees included over the years, the Japanese Prime Minister Kaifu Toshika, Indian Prime Ministers Indrakumar Gujral and Chandra Shekhar, Pakistan’s President Zia-ul-Haq, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Afghan President Mohammad Najibullah.
In 1986 Gamini Weerakoon was appointed the Editor-In-Chief of The Island and Sunday Island. In 1999 he was appointed Editorial Director of Upali Newspapers Ltd.
During the JVP insurrection in the 1980s with politicians and journalists being gunned down, his life was in danger. But despite threats from the JVP and with the LTTE threatening to blow up the whole of The Island, Gamma carried on regardless ensuring that the paper was published.
Later in life, he was struck with a viral attack on his nervous system which confined him to hospital for about four months. It was thought that he would not be able to walk freely but he made a seemingly full recovery.
Gamma retired in 2004 from Upali Newspapers, and functioned as the Consultant Editor of The Leader newspaper until its publications closed down. Up to the time of his passing, he wrote the popular column “Doublespeak” in the Sunday Times.
Gamini Weerakoon, a member of the prestigious Orient Club, walked with kings but did not lose the common touch.
When in 1965 temperamental English cricketer Freddie Trueman retired, someone wrote, ‘there will never ever be another you’; there will never ever be another Gamini Weerakoon.
Elmo Leonard
I will always treasure the book about his work in Galle
Archdeacon patrick fernando
The sad reality of death has removed from our midst our friend Patrick Fernando.
I first met him when I was doing my field work in Kandy and he was the Assistant Curate at St. Paul’s Church, Kandy. I later spent time with Patrick when he got married and came to spend his honeymoon with my friends Fred and Pansy Pieris. Before the couple returned to Colombo, they came to see me and Saro.
Bishop Swithin Fernando felt that for the work of the Anglican Diocese of Colombo it was not enough to have only Colombo and Jaffna as Archdeaconries, so the Church created two more Archdeaconries in Nuwara Eliya and Galle. Patrick who was the Area Dean of Galle was made the Archdeacon of Galle.
He later wrote a book about his work as the Area Dean and Archdeacon of Galle. In the book’s introduction, Bishop Duleep de Chickera wrote that it is good for workers of the church to write about their work. I treasure the copy of his book that he gave me.
I was one of those who helped Patrick with his work at the Aramaya. When he wanted to develop the land in the Archdeaconry, I obtained funds for him from my friends overseas. He also developed the Centre for Holidays for Church Workers.
Since we were very good friends, his wife and their daughters asked me to write an article on Patrick’s special ordination anniversary.
As a distinguished product of the school by the sea, he was invited to be the Chief Guest at the College Prize Giving. I often attended his services to celebrate his ordination anniversaries.
I know his wife and their two daughters, his sister, her husband, their son and his brother. I am sorry I missed his funeral but to all of them I say please be assured of my love and concern always.
May his soul rest in peace and rise in glory.
Fr. Sydney Knight
The epitome of noble by birth and deed
Kamalambika Swaminathan
Simplicity, humility and dedication to family and unwavering respect for culture and religion are rare attributes. They may be considered precious when combined with devotion to enhance the quality of life of the family, by being aware and using the required tools to make the difference.
This was exemplified by the emotive responses of the children of Kamala at her memorial service. Sitting on the first row at the memorial service in his quiet courtly manner though considerably upset emotionally was her husband, Ram Swaminanthan, Emeritus Professor from Guy’s and St Thomas’, who gained international recognition and respect for contributions made professionally without guile or deceit.
Through all the happenings in her life, Kamala maintained a dignified quiet disposition and many were aware that she was the rock that enabled her adventurous husband to climb the Kilimanjaro mountain and pedal from the West to East coast in North America in his seventies for varied charities, as he had the confidence that Kamala would take care of each and everything “at home”. She was simplicity personified, dressing and virtually hiding from the limelight, yet displaying an elegance that was natural.
My wife and I will miss Kamala despite our infrequent encounters. She was the epitome of “noble by birth and noble by deed”. Her future destiny would surely be guided by her religious beliefs. She has certainly left behind a model of exemplary conduct of a dutiful wife, mother, mother-in law to her family and others near and dear to her.
Lakshman Karalliedde
A gentleman who served his motherland diligently
Dr. A. N. Haniffa
Dr. Ahamed Nasz Haniffa who had a peaceful death recently, was my friend from 1956, when we entered the Faculty of Science, Colombo, of the University Ceylon for the first MB. We entered the Faculty of Medicine (the only Medical Faculty in Ceylon then) in 1957. We were seated next to each other throughout the six years of medical training.
He was a soft-spoken helpful gentleman. He travelled by scooter and whenever we had to go out of Colombo for our medical training, he would readily take me.
We were assigned General Hospital Galle (then at Mahamodera) for our internship in 1962. We lived in the house officer’s quarters. We were both assigned to Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He was under the late Dr. A. Ratnaike while I was under the late Dr. W. H. Fernando. At that time there was only one intern per consultant. There were no Senior House Officers. Dr. M. Jayawardena who was a senior doctor was the only resident obstetrician. Both units shared the same labour room and the same wards. Both units got along well helping each other. It was not difficult with amiable Dr. Haniffa. One intern had to cover up both units during the weekend. Often we had transfers of obstetric emergencies from the south. This was because Matara (the only hospital south of Galle with consultants) had only one consultant obstetrician and one consultant anaesthesiologist.
We separated after internship. He joined the Labour Department, where the Cabinet Minister was the late M.H. Mohammed, his father-in-law, while I continued in the Health Department.
We met again in London in 1972, at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, University of London. He was studying for the Diploma in Occupational Health while I was studying for the Diploma in Tropical Public Health. There, our wives met each other and became friends.
While we had the option of staying back in England, we both decided to come back to Sri Lanka and work in our country. This was at a time of severe shortages in Sri Lanka. Ultimately, we were in the minority of our batch who stayed back and worked in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Haniffa also served Sri Lanka as Ambassador in Bangladesh and Oman.
After retirement he worked as a family physician.
His son Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa, is also my friend. He is Senior Lecturer in Family Medicine, Colombo, and past president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association.
Haniffa was a gentleman who served his motherland diligently.
Ruvaiz could be proud of him.
Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya
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