D. S. Senanayake, (popularly known as DS or the Father of the Nation) the first Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka, in his inaugural address to the nation, said: “The independence we won would be a reality only when the people are ready to safeguard their newly won rights and responsibilities. By winning independence, we have seen the end of a struggle but it would be the beginning of another struggle, which is mightier and more challenging than the one just concluded.”
He strove to gain independence for Sri Lanka without causing an upheaval or shedding a drop of blood. The Europeans lowered our national flag four and half centuries ago and DS Senanayake the ‘Father of the Nation’ made an European prince hoist it once again.
His priority was to visit the Dry Zone where much of our staple food -- rice, was grown. He realised the sad plight of the malaria-stricken families who lived there on the edge of starvation when the rains failed. “Our village is suffering from a severe shortage of drinking water.
People in this area have no time to work or study because they spend the whole day in search of drinking water. Their infants are crying of thirst at night but they cannot go out as elephants are there in the Pannala Oya,” from a speech made by DS in 1939 as Minister of Agriculture. The pathetic situation is that we are still struggling to supply water to many districts due to negligence and discontinuation of D.S. Senanayake’s far-sighted vision.
He saw the need for a careful assessment of the land and water resources of the island before beginning work on the restoration of the old and generally neglected irrigation facilities. As Minister of Agriculture from 1931 to 1947 he initiated the first Agriculture Policy and Plan along with land reform and established LDO together with a migration scheme for landless peasants and restored old irrigation works, while building new ones. The thinking behind this was to make the country self-sufficient in food.
He didn’t forget the three main export industries of tea, rubber and coconut either. He improved research facilities into these plantation industries and sought cooperation with foreign countries growing these plantations and products, all the while concentrating on sustaining prices and improving quality.
Other significant developments, while he was holding public office, were the introduction of adult franchise and to lay the ground work to implement free education system for every child in the country. He was tough and courageous in making a strong decision by moving out a population to less developed areas in the Dry Zone, such as Minneriya.
There is no doubt that the great achievements of D.S. Senanayake during this period were the Minneriya scheme launched on 30th April 1933, Kagama Development scheme in 1936, Minipe Canal development in 1939, Thopawewa Development in 1937, Huruluwewa Rehabilitation in 1946 and Ridibendiela development scheme in 1935/36, are the main schemes among the hundreds of development schemes implemented during this golden era.
He was able to start agricultural colonies in Minipe, Elehera, Bakamuna, Gal Oya and in many other areas. He restored the largest reservoir constructed in this country during ancient times, the Parakrama Samudra, with its 14-km-long bund. Next came Gal Oya, the great reservoir development and colonization scheme, which he initiated as the first Minister of Agriculture and Lands in Ceylon. Never since the days of Sinhala Kings, was there so much irrigation and agricultural activity in the dry zone.
In 1946, DS pioneered the establishment of the Ceylon Broadcasting Station and started the first radio station in Sri Lanka. It is now functioning as the leader of the national broadcasting network.
He also took steps to restore many ancient shrines and gave special attention to the planned development of Ruwanweliseya - Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Mahiyangana and was himself the president of the Mahiyangana Restoration Society when it was started.
He was a great lover of animals and the environment. By establishing farms and encouraging cattle rearing, he sought to educate the rural folk in methods of housing, breeding and feeding livestock. Also he set up the Ruhuna and Wilpattu National Parks by legislation introduced in 1938. Having founded Ceylon’s cooperative-society movement in 1923, he emphasized the development of cooperatives and attempted agricultural modernization. He refused a knighthood in 1946 but expressed gratitude for British goodwill and cooperation.
He never used luxury vehicles or jeeps and travelled by train, bullock cart, or horseback. In the night he did not stay in luxury hotels, staying instead in camping tent huts or under a canopy using hurricane / lantern light. He never travelled abroad to find solutions to domestic problems.
DS was instrumental in forming the ‘Udaratagamipunaruththapana Comisama’-- the Commission for the Development of underprivileged Kandyan peasants and systematically expand the welfare measures for the poor people.
His progressive measures included free education up to the tertiary level, free health facilities and above all the provision of food, mainly rice, our staple food, at a subsidised price for all to maintain the country’s investment in human capital at a higher level.
In a country without coal, oil or gas deposits, a start was made in developing and demonstrating the future hydropower potential of the country with the commissioning of the Lakshapana power station in 1950. The two development programmes were outlined during his period, the six-year development plan (1951-1957) and the six-year investment programme (1954-1959), placed major emphasis on investment in agricultural infrastructure. As planned by DS, the Central Bank of Ceylon was established in 1958 by replacing the currency board system, to implement an independent and flexible monetary policy.
Under the guidance of this leader, Sri Lanka became eligible to apply to the UN for membership. Sri Lanka was entitled to appoint her own diplomatic representatives or use those of Britain if she so preferred.
As a genuine patriot, DS rendered yeomen service to the nation with dedication and honesty by providing an extraordinary contribution to this country as a whole. Without any division, each and every person belongs to this independent motherland, Sri Lanka and should pay their respects to this great leader demonstrating their gratitude as civilized human beings.
Namo Soorya Naatha Devo…
Dr. I. Dissanayake - General Secretary, D.S. Senanayake Commemoration Committee
