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by Karu Jayasuriya

I first came to know Prof. Suriyakumaran under exceptional, probably technical circumstances, a little over ten years ago, when he was delivering a series of Public Lectures at the BMICH, on Regional Economic Co-operation for South Asia. I had not known him personally and I attended the series like all others as a keen follower and student as it were.

I knew he had already delivered a similar series in the latter half of the 80s, first on Devolution, and probably the first lecture here and the second on Environment and Development. I had already heard of his outstanding nature. I was keen to follow his lectures on South Asian Regional Co-operation, since I had got actively associated with the government of the day on behalf of the private sector as regards its role in South Asia's future expansion in this vital field.

It was one of the most striking, innovative and clear analyses, prognostications and recommendations for action.

I was impressed enough to introduce myself to him at the end of the lectures and requested time for me to discuss his rich ideas and suggestions for my own purposes. He readily agreed and we had subsequent personal meetings which gave substance to and concretized some of my own ideas.

Some months later I was on a mission to India on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce to work out private sector to private sector arrangements. I have no doubt that my discussions with Prof. Suriyakumaran assisted me greatly in what became a most successful outcome. On my return, I met him especially to thank him.

We had kept in touch with each other further thereafter. When I served as Sri Lanka's envoy to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and I believe in mutual regard and respect.

Later when I was Mayor of Colombo, Prof. Suriyakumaran was one of the earliest contributors of ideas to my attempt to improve and change the environmental conditions of the City, which proved worth. I particularly remember his phrase to me that "Waste is not a Refuse to be discarded but a Resource to be converted into useful Product".

He was also all this time Chairman of the Centre for Regional Development (CRDS) and in 1999 he sent me a copy of a Citizen's Programme for the People entitled "Sri Lanka Vision 2000; A National Landmark Programme", which the authors had placed before the President who supported it, and all other parties including the UNP.

On behalf of the latter I promptly extended our fullest support and the Programme was later adopted at a National Convention of countrywide representatives, inaugurated by the late Sirimavo Bandaranaike and attended by me and my friend Hon. Alavi Mowlana.

Although CRDS is now closed down due to Prof. Suriyakumaran's recent illness, CRDS has set up a Rs. 5 million annual prize programme for innovative development oriented initiators countrywide from any field of any scale and any level.

A distinguished board of directors head this, consisting of Rev. Chandraratne Thera, Shelton Ranarajah, Mrs. Ranarajah, Mr. G. Krishnamurthy, Dr. S. Raveendranath of Eastern University, Prof. Ashley Perera of Moratuwa University, and Mr. Jayantha Wickramaratne formerly of The Asia Foundation, with Mr. Godfrey Goonetilleke, as Special Member/Advisor.

This is a sincere tribute to a truly worthy citizen of this country who in his earlier career was first a distinguished pioneer in devolution and local government and later perhaps one of the most outstanding innovators and creators of institutions and programmes under the United National auspices. The Asian Development Bank (in 1965) and the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP in 1981) the first such in South Asia, are among these.

I place this on record here with sincerity and delight.

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