Respected economist and model of integrity
The remains of Mr. Fitzroy Derek Christopher Wijesinghe were laid to rest on March 8, in the presence of a large gathering of fellow Christians, former professionals and officials, friends and relatives.
Mr. Wijesinghe, fondly known as Derek to all who knew him, was born on April 9, 1922, the eldest child of the late Francis Daniel and the late Gladys Wijesinghe, both of whom I remember from my childhood as devout and highly regarded persons.
Derek was a bright student at Royal College, where his father was a teacher. He obtained an external degree from the University of London in Economics and proceeded to serve his motherland in various capacities. He was a teacher at St. John’s College, Nugegoda; a Divisional Road Transport Officer in the Department of Motor Traffic, and a Research Officer in the Department of National Planning.
At the Department of National Planning, he worked under the eminent economist Dr. Gamani Corea, whom he held in high regard. Dr. Corea nominated Derek for a Rees Jeffreys Studentship in Transport Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE). This resulted in Derek’s postgraduate work on Transport Economics at LSE, under the doyen of British transport economists of that era, Gilbert J. Ponsonby. He then obtained his master’s degree, M.SC. (Econ.). Dr. Corea sent Derek as an economic advisor with the Ceylon delegation to the 21st session of the UN General Assembly in New York in 1966.
He held two executive positions in the private sector in Sri Lanka and served as a consultant economist at the World Bank, Washington DC, and continued as senior economist, specialising in commodities at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
Having served in two international organizations, he retired from active service and returned to Sri Lanka, where he continued his interest in economics and transport by serving as a member of the Fair Trading Commission.
More recently, he took a great interest in Health Economics and was instrumental in obtaining funding for the special care baby unit of the Castle Street Maternity Hospital.
He was the second chairman of the Chartered Institute of Transport (CIT), UK (Sri Lanka section). During the formative period of the CIT (SL section), I had the privilege of associating with him in its establishment. The institute, renamed the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics, is among the prestigious professional bodies in Sri Lanka. With his guidance, I became its chairman during the conflict period in Sri Lanka in the late 1980s, when transport was a high-risk commodity.
In fact, the day I was inducted as chairman there was a threat to public transport, and Derek was among the handful who attended the induction ceremony, along with the then Minister of Transport.
Derek was a soft-spoken, articulate and focused contributor. He believed that “being on time for a meeting is actually being five minutes late.” This he manifested in his professional, official and spiritual obligations.
He was a practising, God-fearing Christian. His sincerity, integrity and honesty were recognised by his peers and subordinates.
On a personal note, I owe him a debt of gratitude, as officer at the Registry of the Maradana Technical College. The day after my GCE 0/Level results in 1959, he gave me an application form to enrol as a Junior Technical Officer (JTO), and this laid the foundation for my career in tertiary education.
In his latter years, when I would visit him in his home and meet him at gatherings, he would recall the early days. On my last visit a few months ago, he was very concerned about me and kept asking, “Now where are you?” When I visited him in hospital to say goodbye, before going on an overseas trip, he had his usual gentle smile. He opened his eyes and acknowledged my presence. I am consoled that he breathed his last just when I returned to our motherland, which we both valued, and I was able to pay my last respects.
May his spiritual and exemplary life, unique characteristics, integrity remain with all of us who valued and respected him.
Dayantha Wijeysekera