Rendering Unto Caesar: One man’s tenure under nine leaders ends

By Yohan Perera   

Deshamanya Bradman Weerakoon, a veteran Sri Lankan civil servant who has made an exceptional record of being the Secretary to nine Sri Lankan leaders passed away yesterday at the age of 94, family sources confirmed.   

Mr. Weerakoon had his basic education at Holy Cross College, Kalutara and later was one of the first boarding students at S. Thomas’ College, Gurutalawa during the Mount Lavinia parent school’s breakup into three separate branch schools (at Kollupitiya, Gurutalawa and Bandarawela) during World War II. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree with second class honours (upper division) in economics and sociology from the University of Ceylon and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study at the University of Michigan for one year where he did his MA in Sociology.   

He served under nine prime ministers and presidents during his career, becoming one of the most respected figures in the country’s public service. He was the Secretary of Prime Ministers S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, W. Dahanayake, Dudley Senanayake, Ranasinghe Premadasa when he was the Prime Minister from 1978 to 1988 and Ranil Wickremesinghe when he was the Prime Minister from 2001 to 2004.   

His was involved in state service for more than 30 years   

Mr. Weerakoon held a few posts in the J. R. Jayawardena government and was appointed as Commissioner General of Essential Services during 1983 riots where he ensured that essential services including supply of food continued smoothly.   

He authored a few books including his biography “Rendering Unto Caesar “ and “Ranasinghe Premadasa of Sri Lanka” the biography of Late President Premadasa.