Logeswaran (Loges) describes in graphic detail his experiences and achievements during his tenure as a public servant in the Sri Lankan Administrative Service and later in retirement from 1960 until 2019 when he retired from his colourful posts as the Governor of the Western and North-Western provinces. Experiences he gained during his postings, particularly the inside workings of the public service departments in Sri Lanka are tremendous, which are available to only a handful of Tamil public servants. His was an achievement which can make everyone proud of him.
I first met him as a general medical registrar at the General Hospital Jaffna in 1978 when he visited the hospital. Since then, I was taken up by his pleasantness and the way he treated his fellow citizens from labourers to higher ups. Our friendship has grown more since his son-in- law Kumar Wijeyaratnam IT Department (Medical Informatics) and daughter Sakthy (financial controller) came to work at West Middlesex University Hospital.
His story begins as a teacher in 1960 soon after graduation from the prestigious University of Ceylon. From there, he quickly moved on to the Administrative Service by passing the selection examinations held at the time. This was a few years after the passage of the Official Language Act in 1956 by the then Government.
Premature retirement
Consequently, many Tamil civil servants took premature retirement as their career advancements depended on the proficiency of the Sinhala language. However, Loges is one of the few Sri Lankan Tamils, to hold high posts since 1960. He took it as a challenge starting as a DRO (District Revenue Officer), ACAS (Asst.Commissioner of Agrarian Services), Deputy Director Planning, GA (Government Agent), Secretary Telecommunication, Secretary National Police Commission, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to South Korea and finally ending up as a provincial governor.
These are rare opportunities which are available in Sri Lanka and Loges was able to achieve them by sheer hard work, honesty, and dedication to work. As a public servant he has an unblemished record, and he was incorruptible and has had praises from his peers and leaders which one cannot fail to notice while reading the book.
The book with 960 pages, even though appears bulky, it flows beautifully as in the case of a reader of a novel wanting to know what is next. Most of his book had been completed in May 2014 during his retirement.
One of the main things which attracted me was his early career as a DRO and ACAS. His descriptions of his field visits to villages in the Vavuniya district is as if the leaves have been taken out of the famous book by Leonard Woolf’s ‘Village in the Jungle’ written during the British rule in old Ceylon (Sri Lanka) which I read many years ago.
His observations of the villagers in 1962 – 67 are similar to the description by Leonard Woolf, meaning nothing has changed in the rural life of Sri Lanka over a century since British left.
To my pleasant joy Loges quotes Leonard Woolf in two of his later chapters.
He highlights the agricultural practices of the green revolution of the 1960s. In 1968 Loges was appointed as ACAS and he closely worked with the GA Vavuniya. He was involved with paddy land registration, guaranteed price scheme, supply of fertiliser to farmers, insurance schemes, supervision of rice mills and distribution of rice to consumers. 50 percent of the agenda of food production was under his department. He writes about the long hours of work coordinating with several institutions and introducing innovative practices. Enhanced rice production enabled the excess paddy to be transported to other deficit urban areas. He maintains that camaraderie among officials is vital for any successful outcome.
The book has material for researchers on terrorism, contemporary history, and human rights. He speaks about how power is abused by public officers. He mentions about the JVP insurgency and overrunning the Vavuniya Police Station in 1971 and holding on to an area around A9 highway from Vavuniya to Anuradhapura for a month before being cleared by the armed forces.
There are references on murders of politicians by Tamil militants, excesses by the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) following the Indian Peace Accord (1987), conflict between the IPKF and Tamil militants, horrors of the terrorist battle, functioning of provincial councils and so on.
The book is a must read for every aspiring young public servant whether administrator, doctor, engineer, teacher, politician, uniformed officer as time and time again, he has documented the pitfalls in various departments.
Greedy middle men, illiteracy and poverty among the rural community, abuse by loan sharks, thuggery, and professional jealousy are highlighted by the author. He says how he navigated through rocky seas and that deserves a satisfying retirement.
Even though he mentions in his preface with humility that he wrote the book with his children, grandchildren, friends, and some of past colleagues in mind, yet, I will strongly recommend it to the university students and pre university students to read the book particularly during the period between the results of the examinations and entering into the university.
Honest citizen
This will influence the attitude and behaviour in the future to be a useful honest citizen of Mother Lanka.
In the epilogue Loges chooses a poem from Kamba Ramayana, and summarises the challenges he faced. He underlines the need to be fearless and to give truthful and honest advice to the Heads of State, Government leaders and senior colleagues. He has dedicated the book to late Mangala Samaraweera Former Minister of Foreign Affairs which makes the Minister to be seen with a clear lens instead of a tinted glass.
Finally, Loges would not achieve these heights without the blessings of his fondly loved mother the late Cathiravelpillai, and his ever dedicated and supportive wife Shakuntala who cared for his family while Loges was working away from home during difficult times.
- Dr. Sri Thalayasingham Thanabalasingham, MBBS, FRCP, DTM&H.
- Consultant Chest Physician, Find and Treat, University College Hospital London (NHS Trust).
- Former Principal Medical officer and Medical Director – Health Control Unit (Port Health), London Heathrow Airport
- Retired Consultant Chest Physician West Middlesex University Hospital, Middx, London.
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Copies of the book are available at Vijitha Yapa book outlets