Colourful Lucky calls it a day...

by Amal JAYASINGHE

One of the most colourful and fearlessly upright police officers retired recently ending a near four decades-long career that will be discussed and debated by friends and foes for years to come. Deputy Inspector-General Lucky Peiris was known as an outspoken officer. He was meticulous in his work, but highly intolerant of transgressors who would be treated to an unprintable verbal barrage. His management style was controversial, but he was not known to harbour malice and even his foes could agree that he was a rare breed of old-school honest officer.

As a reporter trying to piece together a story on high road fatalities in Sri Lanka, I had occasion to meet him professionally for the first time in 2004, but only after I had followed the bureaucratic chain of command. Only after clearance from the then police chief did I get to see the legendary Lucky Peiris. He was known to have ruffled the feathers of a VVIP and sent to the "cooler" as director of the traffic HQ, but did not show any sign of bitterness or rancour. Instead, he turned the Traffic HQ into a prized-posting that played a key role in urban development, town planning and traffic management in the country.

He went on to make probably the first public comparison of the number of casualties in the country's drawn out separatist war with the fatalities on Sri Lankan roads. "In our country, road accidents have claimed more lives now than during the war (between troops and terrorists)," said Peiris speaking as director traffic administration and road safety at police headquarters. "That itself shows the state of our driving." From the position of its director, he progressed to head the Traffic Headquarters as its Deputy Inspector General.

I was impressed by his expertise in traffic management and road safety. Perhaps it could be attributed to his attention to detail as well as experience abroad.

I was to learn later that his foreign sojourn was triggered by death threats after whistle-blowing against an administration accused of extra judicial killings. Although Mr. Peiris did not try to cultivate journalists for his personal glorification, I believe he was quietly working to make a difference on our roads both through better enforcement as well as suggesting new regulations.

It was when he headed the Traffic HQ that many spirited motorists started leaving their cars behind and switched to taxis to avoid getting nabbed for drunk driving. A few of the more enterprising taxi companies tried to cash in by reminding motorists that it would be cheaper to take a cab than pay a hefty fine for drunk driving.

I was also to learn that he would not revoke a traffic ticket given by one of his officers even when if the request for such favours came from some of his close friends and family.

His subordinates had advised me that "mahattaya ticket walata udaw karanne ne" ( Sir will not help with traffic tickets). However, I found that if an injustice was brought to his notice, he would not only act immediately, but also ensure that offending police officers were penalised.

I learnt that some errant officers were called in for traffic "classes" where they would also benefit from Mr. Peiris's linguistic skills.

If his management tactics were controversial, he also took the unusual step of declining a farewell parade that is reserved for retiring senior officers.

He told me he did not wish to kick up any dust as he left and was heading for a comfortable retirement that will see him spend time with his wife and only son.

The writer is Agence France - Presse bureau chief for Sri Lanka / Maldives