email from Gunsie
Received
from a classmate of mine!
Following
is an interesting piece by former Sri Lankan (Sinhala) DIG of Police now
domiciled in Canada:
Recently
I enjoyed reading a lively discussion in a newspaper about the ‘Govigama
Burghers’.
The
first time I heard the term ‘Govigama Lansia’ being used in lighter vein was by
my cousin the late Neville Algama. He referred to his friend and classmate at
Royal College V.T. Dickman as ‘Govigama Lansia’.
Siva
Rajaratnam that affable Attorney- at- law who hailed from Trincomalee became a
dear friend of mine after he cross-examined me for several days before the
Sansoni Commission. He too had been a classmate of Dickman’s.
In
1980 when I was the DIG–Metropolitan, Siva invited me to his Royal College
batch mates’ annual get-together at his Wellawatta Rohini Road residence as the
guest of honour, although I was not from that Reid Avenue school.
Among
others present on this occasion were Neville Algama and Nissanka Wijeratne who
was then a cabinet minister.
When
V.T. Dickman arrived it was Nissanka Wijeratne who announced aloud, “Here comes
the Govigama Lansia!”
Dickman was surprised to see his superior officer seated next to the minister.
My instant reaction was to loudly observe, “Sir, Vernon is only one of the many Govigama Lansias in the Police.”
Such
terms were freely used by friends in the company of Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers
and Muslims. That was indeed the wonderful spirit of the time.
Perhaps,
many today do not know that a common party song of the time sung by all had
words such as “Sinhalaya modaya, kevun kanna yodaya, Demalaya, panankottaya,
Thambiya, hambaya, Lansia, kerapotha etc.”
Songs of this nature brought the youth of different communities together.
There
was no animosity whatsoever.
The term ‘Govigama Lansia’ was certainly complimentary. It was applicable in full measure to the many burgher gentlemen that formed the backbone of the Ceylon Police that I joined as an ASP in 1958.
At that time there were only about sixty Senior Gazetted Officers. Of these senior officers there were many burghers. Almost all of them became my good friends.
The Officer’s Mess on Brownrigg Road with Jamis the butler in attendance, was the pleasant meeting place particularly during the week-ends.
Wilhellem Leembrugen was one of the three DIGs, Cecil Wambeek, Richard Arndt, Harry Vanden Driesen and Jack Vansanden were Superintendents.
The Burgher ASPs were Fred Brohier, R.A. Stork, Ian Vanden Driesen, Ainsley Batholemeuz, Royden Vanderwall, Allen Flamer-Caldera and Paddy Sims.
There were many Govigama Lansias among the inspectorate too.
Those that readily come to mind are: V.T. Dickman, Taylor, Rosairo, Pietersz, the Balthazar brothers, Eddie Gray, Barney Henricus, Dick Hopman, Derrick and Hague Christofelsz, Thomas, Sweetie Weber, Ron Jansz, Dudley Von Haght, Barthelot, Vernon Elias, Mike Schokman, Brindley Stava and Gerry Paul.
The Burgher community was so respected and widespread that many had been recruited as constables. They had the distinct advantage of the ability to work in English.
The sergeants and constables of the time were very important public officials that functioned at grass roots level in the villages. As an ASP fifty years ago, there were many Police stations where sergeants were the OICs that came under my purview. Sergeants Pietersz and Whatmore were excellent court officers.
Even lawyers and magistrates respected their knowledge of the law. Of course, Derrick Christofelsz, the Chief Inspector of the Colombo Magistrates’ Court was highly regarded by judges and lawyers. When he walked into the court house he drew the attention a Queen’s Counsel would have drawn.
It is with nostalgia that I recall the names of burgher constables who served under me in different police districts in the late fifties and the sixties. The names that come to mind are Ryde, Leitch, Hesse Leiton, Hendrick, Hingert, Koelmeyer, Raymond, lsaacs and Wally Bastian the reputed exponent of true Portuguese Kaffringha music. He was one of the few talented officers who kept the Colombo Police ‘Traffic Circus’ alive in the sixties.
The ‘Lansias’ of the police were truly ‘Govigama Lansias’. They undoubtedly enjoyed a place of honour in the history of the Sri Lanka Police.
Ex - DIG Henry Dullewe
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