He straddled two landmark eras in our modern housing

Dunstan Jayawardena was a role model of both, a professional and public servant. He was also a pioneer in modern Housing Development. Therefore his death on January 2 merits reflection.Today’s generations of managers would learn much by studying in their classwork, that selfselected community of professionals like Dunstan’s. That is the practice in countries like Japan, India and China.

Dunstan’s claim to a place in the firmament of public servants of excellence is, that he was the ‘father’ and ‘mentor’ of modern Housing Development from the 1960s right up to the late 1990s, a long period of nearly thirty years. During this tenure, he first rose to be Commissioner, National Housing Department, and immediately after that, headed the National Housing Development Authority as its first Chairman. He ended up being Chairman, Air Lanka, after being Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Housing & Construction.

I knew him best from his stint at NHDA. He consistently and wisely gave ethical and professional leadership to an equally dedicated team of deputies, with whom he collectively built up an exemplary public institution. No doubt, he was inspired by the exceptional and abundant political commitment of Prime Minister Premadasa. But credible and respected institutional building is not everybody’s cake and does not come easily, especially in our polarised polity. But the NHDA succeeded in laying a firm foundation of high standards of performance and incorruptibility and a lean and mean institution at the centre and the districts. The cutting edge was in the districts, which steered a totally decentralised and devolved Rural Housing Process, which literally touched every grama niladhari division in the country.

It is moot to remember that this institution functioned near normally, against all odds during the Second Insurgency in ’87 – ’89 and implemented a Gam Udawa in Mahiyangane in 1989, covering the whole Badulla District.

The words Father and Mentor are used advisedly. He straddled two landmark eras in our modern housing, namely the Pieter Keuneman era (1970-1974) and the Premadasa era (1977 to 1988). The two eras are distinctive for their difference. The former introduced and implemented a policy where Regulation and Control were the leading concepts (housing ceilings, surplus houses, rent laws), mainly applied in Colombo. This was in sharp contrast to what followed as housing policy and programme,after1970, namely a ‘ lead’ programme of countrywide new/ upgrading and housing loan development in two successive programmes, the Hundred Thousand Houses Programme(1978-83) and the Million Houses Programme(1983-94). The significant difference lay in the fact that these two dis- pensations were premised on two opposed paradigms. One was provider-based with the State playing the dominant role. The other was premised on support or facilitation of the efforts of the poor families,with the people playing the dominant role and the State a subordinate support role.

In his personal make up we saw the stamp of a man of conscience. He was led by a visible sense of values, spirituality and humanism. He was humble while being strict in matters of public duty. He ensured a corruption free institutional culture. He was so much his own self, that he had no chips and complexes.He had a big heart and his subordinates saw that, and loved and respected him. He was large minded, well read and incapable of pettiness. He had fashioned his personality from his Peradeniya Economics education and the use of that famous Library.

The community at large has lost a role model. Let us recall his memory and learn from his many-sided life.

Susil Sirivardana

It is with deep sorrow and affection that I write this appreciation of my beloved maternal grandparents, whom I called Ber Thaththa and Am Amma from my childhood. Whilst Ber Thaththa passed away in December 2003 at the age of 77, Am Amma went to be with Jesus just one year ago. She passed away on January 21 last year at the age of 82. I was born on the day of their 26th wedding anniversary and was lucky to get their love and affection as their first grandchild.

They married on April 30, 1953 and with the strength and courage received from our Lord they lived an exemplary and happy wedded life together and even celebrated their Golden Wedding in April 2003, with a reception at Galle Face Hotel which was also the venue for their wedding reception. I too had the opportunity of celebrating my birthday jointly with them on this day.

Am Amma was a loving wife to Ber Thaththa and was behind him in all what he did and looked after him well until his death.

Both of them were loving grandparents not only to me, but also to my two cousins Trishan and Shiran. We enjoyed every moment being together with them. Even though Ber Thaththa could not see our own children, Am Amma was lucky enough to see five great grandchildren. She was a tower of strength to the family and was admired by all.

Dearest Ber Thaththa and Am Amma, you loved me so much and I always thank Jesus for giving me such loving grandparents. I thank you for all what you have done for me from the day I was born as your eldest grandchild. Both of you will always remain in my mindforever. In God’s care you rest above while in our hearts you dwell with love

May God Almighty grant peace and eternal rest to their souls Your loving grandson Asanjay Fernando