Ceylon Planters' Society turns 76 this year

When the Ceylon Planters' Society (CPS) was set up in 1936, its prime objective was to ensure the 'Bos'em 'nd Sack' em' creed so gleefully enforced on planters by resident, and absentee proprietors had to be stopped.

Executive Committee members of the Ceylon Planters’ Society Year 2011/2012 Seated: N. Nihal Perera (Secretary), D.M.D.B. Daswatte (Treasurer, CPS), D.M.S.R. Dissanayake (Past President, CPS), N.S. Jayawardena (President, CPS), S.K.D.C. Navaratnam (Deputy President, CPS), C.E. Amunugama (Regional Chairman, CPS Kurunegala) and D.S.C. De Silva (Regional Chairman, CPS Dimbulla), Standing: H.M.S. Kahatapitiya (Regional Chairman, CPS Dickoya), T.G.S. Niroshan (Regional Chairman, CPS Kalutara) and G.N. Ratnayake

There were about 1,200 planters at the Queen's Hotel, Kandy that day, who raised their hands supporting the formation of the CPS. The setting up of the CPS turned the tide that employers could not at the 'drop of a hat', dismiss a planter. Thankfully the 'hire and fire' philosophy faded into oblivion.

E.C. Marsh-Smith and D.E. Hamilton lead the CPS to its present stature. All planters present that day were expatriate English, Irish, and Scottish nationals. The CPS had many outstanding personnel who steered its progress. Some of them were W.J. Childerstone (Childie), who was eventually knighted by the Queen with the OBE and Bertie Warusavitana, the first local who ascended the CPS chair in 1961.

Ranjan Wijeratne, Chairman 1965/66 was also Chairman, Planters' Association of Ceylon (PA) and Chairman, Ceylon Estates Employers' Federation of Ceylon.

Rodney de Mel's immense leadership qualities, (Chairman 1971-1973), maintained plantation traditions of good management. Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, Minister of Plantation Industries at that time depended heavily on Rodney de Mel and other seniors in the industry.

M.H.K. Jagathsena, who eventually took to politics became MP for Ambalangoda, was Chairman from 1969 to 1970. His premature death caused intense grief among planters.

A long line of exemplary leaders ensured the CPS progressed during those initial days of state ownership. Malcolm Peiris, Placidus Liyanage and Mahen Hapugoda. Manthi Delwita was president when Ranjan Wijeratne was Chairman, Sri Lanka State Plantations corporation (SLSPC).

Nevile Athukorale, Rohan Jagoda and Rohan de Livera, all had comparatively safe passage steering the CPS through some of those turbulent times.

The CPS has had good leadership since those initial days. In the 1990s L.A. Dassenaike, who was in Demodera, when he was elected president had to oversee the transition from State control to the private sector.

Rohan Thambinayagam, who died at a young age was President for two years followed by S.A.W.P. Jayatilake, N.U. Algama, J.W.Y.K. De Silva, C. Basnayake, N.B. Seneviratne, D.K. Benedict, D.M.S.D.R. Dissanayake and now N.S. Jayawardena appointed in 2011/2012.

The CPS also had exemplary men who were secretaries of the CPS. The most outstanding was Anton Rajendran. Anton's knowledge of industrial law, was widespread. Nelson Wijewardena, a planter was also Secretary till the advent of incumbent Nihal Perera.