Garvin Karunaratne, former GA Matara

It was a Saturday morning. Seated in the verandah of the Warakapola Rest House I was waiting for the arrival of the Hon Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dudley Senanayake. It was my task every Saturday and Sunday to meet him and be with him the entire day, for two long years. I was the Additional Disapathy in Kegalla. It happened in 1968

Earlier that week I had assumed duties as the Additional Government Agent at Kegalla and met the Government Agent Stanley Maralanda. Mr Maralanda the Government Agent was very specific.

I am happy to hand over the duty of meeting the Prime Minister every Saturday and Sunday and being with him the entire day. I am not very fluent in Sinhala and faltered in speaking at meetings and there are at least five to eight meetings every day, where speeches have to be made. You need not worry because the Prime Minister is a true gentleman.

The GA’s words reverberated in me again and again. I had never met the Prime Minister of our country. Earlier I had met many Ministers- where I had represented the department, where I had for days studied the subject in and out to be able to answer any query. I would memorize the contents of files to be able to answer. Now I was not meeting a Minister. Instead it was the Prime Minister of the country. There was no subject, no file to study and be ready.

My head was reeling fast that Saturday, when the wheels of the Humber Hawk rolled in.

I rushed out and greeted him as he stepped out of his car.

Good Morning sir, I am the new Additional Government Agent.”

Maralanda told me that you will be here.”

He strode into the verandah and sat down. The waiter brought in tea

Let me have a look at the meetings I have to attend to.

I watched his eyes rolling over the paper I submitted

After a quick cup of tea, We were on our way to the meetings. Some were organized by his own political party members- the United National Party ; others were organized by us- the officials- the Divisional Secretary or the various departments. I had been through the list and had met my officials the Rural Development Officer and the Divisional Secretary

who had organized them. I

had also met his party officials.

The Prime Minister strode down the steps and sat in the rear seat. I turned to walk to my jeep to follow him, He wanted me to sit beside him.

Come in and sit beside me.” he ordered and I obeyed

His Humber Hawk was being driven through small roads in his electorate.

He was gazing at the paddy fields on either side.

Stop there”, He was gazing at a small section of the paddy – the growing crop that looked stunted. Something had gone wrong.

Make a note of that field. Find the farmer. Get hold of the Agricultural Overseer of the area and find what went wrong.”

Yes sir.” I made a note in my field book to look into it and to report to

the Hon Prime Minister later.

He went to attend a meeting arranged by his supporters. We were led to a small room, with a table of kiribath, kevun etc. I found a plate and served a piece of kiribath and served him. I myself got a plate and did eat a piece.

Later we all fed into a meeting. I was seated beside him. My men- a few trusted officers were around at all vantage points. The speeches started.

The Prime Minister kept listening to what was said.

One speaker used the word mu”, in referring to someone about whom he spoke. The Prime Minister asked me:

What is the meaning of that word mu”, he just said.”

It is a derogatory word,”

He kept listening. The speaker used the word”aru”

What is the meaning of the word aru”

It is a derogatory word”

Stop him speaking at once.”

I sensed that the Prime Minister was very angry.

I got up from my chair, moved to the front of the stage and snatched the microphone from the speaker, pushed him aside and was about to sit down beside him, when:.

Apologize to the people for the derogatory words used at this meeting.”

I apologized to the people for the use of foul language at this meeting and sat down.

Later when his turn came he spoke, It a powerful speech, followed by mine.

There were at least five meting everyday.

During my work in Kegalla in 1968 and 1969, his Assistant Secretary sent e many messages informing me of the decisions conveyed to him by the Prime Minister for me to do . I went through each decision very carefully and did everything that was reasonable.

All the messages which I thought unreasonable, were carefully thought of and not acted on. I would pile up all such messages which I did not carry out, o to Temple Trees once a fortnight and meet him face to face when I would explain why I did not carry out that order. He kept listening to my reasoning and never disagreed.

Why was he rejected by the people at the 1970 General Election? I yet do not know.

I was away in Manchester studying for a Diploma for which I had been sent.

Garvin Karunaratne, former GA Matara

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