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| Thursday, 11 December 2003 |
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5th Death Anniversary : Gaya Cumaranatunge It is said that Time stands still but many months and five years have rolled by since the demise of the late Gaya Cumaranatunge on 11th December 1998. Yet it appears as if it all happened the other day, because this sad event is still so fresh in our minds and memories linger on. Cumaranatunge had a long association with Sri Lanka Customs, during his illustrious career as member of the elite Ceylon Civil Service. Having been posted to Customs as a trainee cadet in 1962, he later returned to serve two more terms as an Additional landing Surveyor and as a Deputy Collector when he rose to be the Senior Deputy and ended up as the Principal Collector of Customs in 1974. It was my good fortune to have been able to work under him during the Customs phase of his career and later on in the Presidential Tariff Commission for several years. One of Cumaranatunge's most valuable contributions to the 'modernization' of Sri Lanka customs and for the facilitation of our foreign trading activities was the introduction of the 'Brussels Tariff Nomenclature" also known as BTN replacing the much outdated Alphabetical Classification of goods. The leadership he gave in this exercise with the expertise he had developed by then in relation to key aspects of customs work enabled a smooth transformation into the new classification system followed at that time by almost all other countries engaged in international trade. Decisions All his decisions whether as Principal Collector of Customs or as a Deputy were well-considered, fair and according to the letter and spirit of the Customs Ordinance. Never did he vary his orders because of pressure from any quarter. Due to this admirable but rare quality, the price he had to pay in Customs was rather heavy. He was transferred out of Customs with less than twenty-four hours notice to administer a Govt. Owned Textile Mill which was notorious for indiscipline and unmanageable labour. However, in no time he was able to transform this institution into a disciplined and viable industrial establishment and also earn the affection of the entire workforce. As Additional Secretary to the Late Hon. Lalith Atulathumudali who was Minister of Trade and Shipping, Cumaranatunge was his Principal Advisor in the planning and execution of two major projects which continue to be of immense benefit to the community. One of them is the Mahapola Higher education scholarship scheme to provide financial support to students to pursue university education. Finances provided under it have enabled several thousand undergraduates to complete their University education. It is indeed heartening to hear that many of them are occupying positions of authority in different sectors of public life to-day. The other is the setting up of the first full-fledged Duty Free Shopping Complex set-up which besides being a new means of attracting extra foreign exchange into the county is benefiting large numbers of Sri Lankan returners from employment or travel abroad. Fortune Having served under Cumaranatunge earlier, as an Assistant in Customs, it was my good fortune to have been called upon to serve under him once again in 1981 when he was appointed by President J.R. Jayewardene as Chairman of the first Presidential Tariff Commission. Although it was a difficult task to perform up to his expectations, it was an enriching experience to work once again under this exemplary, hardworking administrator. He gave due consideration to written as well as oral representations made to the Commission for which he had no restrictions of time. The recommendations made to the President were always well reasoned and balanced. In June 1989, he left the PTC to assume duties as alternate Director to the Asian Development Bank in Manila. In one of the several letters he wrote to me from the ADB he had this to say: "My work in the ADB keeps me fully occupied and I seem to be attracting work like a magnet. When another staffer retired, they decided not to fill the vacancy and asked me to do his work also. Since we were real "beasts of burden" in the old Sri Lanka public service, I took in my stride". Yes, he enjoyed work and the influenced all those who worked for him with his style of work ethics. Before returning from Manila he wrote to me in 1996 stating that our destinies seemed to cross ever so often and hoping that we will meet again in the Ministry of Finance. Fate determined that it was not to be as my assignment in the Ministry was terminated before his return. As foretold by him, destiny has brought me back of late to the Ministry of Finance to work for the Tariff Advisory Council which has replaced the PTC which he headed with such distinction. Past PTC Reports, Minutes of the Meetings chaired by the late Gaya Cumaranatunge and rulings given by him are very often referred to by me in order to seek guidance as to how he had addressed issues relating to granting of protection to Industry. Much has been said and written about Cumaranatunge by his friends and Civil Service colleagues. One of them, Mr. Chandi Chanmugam (former Secretary to the Treasury) summed up his career well when he stated "He stood alone, answerable to no one except his conscience. The disciplines he imposed on himself were rigorous and he expected no less of others". Another such colleague Buddhin Gunatunge who headed the last Presidential Commission on Traffis and Trade in a personal tribute to Cumaranatunge on the completion of their assignment in a difficult environment stated, "We kept the ship on an even keel thanks to your wise guidance, technocratic excellence and steadying influence. No one knows or appreciates more than I, the tremendous part you played in this dicey venture,". Independent He was always independent, straightforward and impeccably honest and was undoubtedly one of the ablest administrators who adorned the country's public service. He has been a part of my official life for many years and it is a great debt of gratitude that I owe him for the knowledge I have acquired particularly in the areas of customs tariff and classification. As I recall these memories, a French proverb which a friend told me years ago about a cart drawn by a horse carrying a full load of lemon grass flashes into my memory. Although the horse-cart had vanished from sight, the fragrance of the lemon grass continued to linger on. Gaya Cumaranatunge has gone beyond the sight of his wife Lakshimi, and sons Chandi and Milo and his other dear and near ones, but the memories of him, like the fragrance of the lemon grass of the horse-cart will continue to linger on. May he attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana. - Ben Isaac |
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