Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria
A diligent man
The 1977 government came into power with a landslide victory. There were several reasons for this great achievement, and the involvement of academics in the main election campaign was one of them.
In 1979, when I was attached to the Economic Overhead Division of the Ministry of Plan Implementation (EOD/MPI) at the old Central Bank building, a scholarship was offered to me to follow a Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Area Development at the University of Colombo. This scholarship was awarded by the International Institute for Aerial Survey and Earth Sciences of the University of Amsterdam. I requested approval to obtain leave through Dr. V. Ambalavanar, who was then the EOD Advisor to Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria, the then MPI Secretary.
At the time, the bureaucrats at the ministry did not agree to granting me paid leave, so I met with Dr. Weerasooria and informed him of the matter. He approved my leave without any hesitation, and I still have a copy of that file. At the time, the new government was focusing more on rural development; however, as the the MPI Secretary, Dr. Weerasooria saw academic qualifications as top priority in reaching the ministry’s desired goals.
Dr. Weerasooria also handled the job bank of the then government, offering employment opportunities for anyone, despite political interference. In 1982, I was attached to the Mahaweli Authority based in Girandurukottte, and that was the second time I met Dr. Weerasooria. It was to request for two two nurses from the job bank as the then Ministry of Health had not sent enough medical staff to that region. Thereafter, two nurses and a doctor were sent to Girandurukotte, Badulla, to see to the residents who had resettled there after being evacuated from the region surrounding the Victoria tank.
He did this without going through the usual government administrative and financial regulations.
Again, in 200, I met Dr. Weerasooria to request his help in organising and island-wide awareness campaign on the National Water Policy. He was working at the local branch of Resources Development Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, on Galle Road, Colombo 3.
Unfortunately, he could not lend a hand in the campaign as he was busy with another project. May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana!
Senaka A. Samarasinghe,
Canada
****
Newton Kodituwakku
Ever honest and humble
Newton Kodituwakku, one of my late elder brothers, was a courageous, gentle, generous, caring, fun-loving and affectionate brother. Numerous incidents come to my mind instantaneously as I reminisce about these unique qualities and the joyful times we shared. Newton was my second elder brother. He was educated at Wesley College.
Although siblings, all five of us brothers were more like friends during our teenage years. My eldest two brothers were Dharmaratne and Ranjith. Big brother Dharmaratne was a popular cricketer at Wesley College and was often the opening batsman. Both he an Ranjith predeceased Newton.
His passion for cooking led him to making many dishes, especially desserts such as caramel and bread pudding. In the 1960s, we used to love visiting the Fountain Café and Bake House. And even though I have travelled to several countries, rarely have I tasted puddings of the taste and texture as the ones we tried back then.
Newton had four close friends who sometimes joined us in our outings to theatres and hotels: ‘Jardi’, ‘Sin-Sen’, Fuard, and D.B. Perera. We also frequented dinner dances, at which my brother learnt dances such as quickstep, cha-cha-cha, jive, and the twist. This was also the time when The Beatles emerged. I remember how my brother Newton used to often practise the twist at our Maradana house.
Newton also wanted to travel to the UK to pursue higher education, but our father wanted him to continue the family’s furniture business: Albert & Company.
The business soon flourished to unprecedented heights under Newton. In 1980, he built a house designed by him at Talakotuwa Gardens. By that time, I was already in Scotland.
Newton longed to own a British car at the time, so I bought him one, which he thenceforth kept in prime condition.
Another thing I remember about him is that he used to purchase ingredients from Elephant House to produce non-alcoholic beverages using fruits such as oranges, pineapples, and passion fruits. Newton also made the youngest in our family, Nimal, his partner in handling the shop.
Newton suffered from strokes in the past, yet with sheer determination he continued to work, driving his car from the Talakotuwa Gardens to Maradana everyday.
But, unfortunately, the last stroke he had paralysed him. It was our sisters Lalitha and Kamani who looked after him afterwards. If not for them, he would not have lived as long as he did.
The strokes also affected his kidneys and eventually, they had to surgically remove one of them. This made him much weaker, but he was adamant to attend our niece Initia’s wedding at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, in mid-January, this year. I used to visit him three times a year to check how he was doing.
Newton was loved by all his nieces; Shalini, Ruchini, and Initia, who are in Australia; as well as his nephews; Dilusha and Rajive, who are in New Zealand.
They, too, never failed to visit him when he was sick. Newton loved them like his own children and helped them however he could.
My brother assisted all his siblings when it was necessary; he shouldered a lot of responsibility and was a real gentleman, ever humble and honest. When one of our sisters needed help setting up a house, he did not hesitate to help.
He also helped the Buddhist clergy in many endeavours, and several monks in the area praise his efforts.
It is hard to believe that my brother Newton is no more. To me, this loss is irreparable—a void that cannot be filled. May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana!
Mervyn Kodituwakku,
Scotland
from daily news