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by Kumar de Silva

Cutting the 20-kilo cake from the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

We in Sri Lanka excel in honouring people when they are no longer in the land of the living. We accord them spectacular farewells. We erect statues bearing their resemblance. We rename roads after them. We issue stamps in their honour. Sadly, rarely are such honours bequeathed upon the subject in person.

The Lester James Peries stamp, I believe, originated on the occasion of his 80th birthday, three years ago in April 1999, when it was decided to issue such a stamp in his honour, and, in all justifiable enthusiasm, rename Dickman's Road as Lester James Peries Mawatha.

It took three long years for state machinery, a succession of Ministers and a span of two governments to get going, and finally issue the long promised stamp.

Lester James Peries studying the stamp printed in his honour flanked by Chief Guest Minister of Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs, Karunasena Kodithuwakku and ANCL Chairman Nalin Ladduwahetti. This is the first occasion that a film maker was felicitated with a stamp in his life time.

What a 'do' it was at the BMICH Cinema hall, when the 'Sarasaviya' in collaboration with the Lake House Group of Newspapers and the Asian Film Centre with the sponsorship of Ceylon Theatres Ltd, felicitated LJP on his turning 83. Everyone who apparently had to be there, was certainly there.

The much-awaited stamp was finally issued and K. Bikram Singh's 'The World of Peries' (produced by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India) was screened to the appreciative gathering. And there was Lester, Sumitra by his side, enjoying it all in his quiet modest manner.

LJP's contribution to Sri Lankan, Asian and international cinema have 'unwittingly' brought him a succession of honours from around the world honours of varying degrees, and accolades of various kinds. Not to mention the innumerable international retrospective of his body of work.

Greeting Tony Ranasinghe.

It is however coincidental that France, the birthplace of cinema, has bequeathed the greatest number of 'awards' to both Lester and Sumitra. The list is endless and I do not intend to enumerate them all but I do mention the "Commandeur dans I'Ordre des Arts et Lettres' (French Legion of Honour) a couple of years ago, as the greatest of them all. Together with all the national honours already bestowed on his fragile frame, it is thus fitting that Sri Lanka issued a stamp to honour LJP (at least) at 83.

Now when do we his friends and fans, when do his acquaintances and colleagues in the film world, his wife Sumitra, his older sister Erica Leitan (aged 84), his family....., when does Sri Lanka join LJP at Dickman's Road to see him unveil the plaque bearing the name - 'Lester James Peries Mawatha' and in person?

This is undoubtedly the greatest honour Sri Lanka can give this man. Unlike all the awards, decorations, stamps and retrospective, the road will be a living honour to LJP. Let's not waste too much time, shall we?

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