He said “No!” to President’s request!

This is a story that revolves around the late President J.R. Jayewardene who was responsible for introducing the all-powerful Executive Presidency to the country. J.R was also a President who used his executive powers with a unique thoroughness. He also inspired fear and respect in others in a great measure.   

One day Mrs Jayewardene had asked President J.R. to find a job for the family nanny’s son. J.R. respected his wife so much that he never refused a request made to him by her. Later, the Jayewardene couple sent for the nanny’s son and asked him what type of job he was interested in. The young man said that he had passed the GCE (OL) and wished to do a job at the Sri Lanka Customs.   

“Ah! That’s a simple thing,” said J.R. He immediately rang up the Customs chief and asked him to call on him at his Ward Place residence that afternoon itself. The Customs chief at that time was a young civil servant who had earlier served as the GA Galle. The summons he received from the all-powerful Executive President known to be a hard taskmaster sent him into jitters and called at the Ward Place residence with a heart going pit-a-pat.   

J.R and Madam Jayewardene warmly welcomed the Customs Chief and after some small talk, J.R. explained to the Customs chief the reason why he wanted to see him. J. R. added: “you must do this!”   

“Please excuse me, Sir!” the Customs Chief told J.R.   

“Regulations in force do not permit me to recruit a GCE (OL) -qualified person as an officer to the Customs Service. We recruit as officers to our service only those who are GCE -AL- qualified and selected on the results of a competitive exam. GCE (AL) is a pre-requisite for sitting the competitive exam!”   

J. R. was naturally highly upset over his inability despite being the Executive President of the country to meet a simple request by his wife. But without showing his feelings, he asked the Customs Chief whether there was no way of overcoming the hurdle.   

“There are two ways to overcome it, Sir!” he replied. “Sir, either suitably change the existing regulations or let me recruit him as a peon! Later, he can become qualified to sit the competitive exam being a person already in service.”   

“There is no need for a President of the country to intervene to get a peon appointed. I cannot change the existing rules to suit my own purpose either!”   

“Please excuse me, Sir! I only explained the position,” said the Customs chief.   

“I can understand your position. Therefore, let us drop this matter,” said J. R and added: “Now I invite you to have tea with us!”   

It was the Customs Chief concerned who narrated this story to this writer.   

“Didn’t J.R. take it out on you for refusing to comply with his request?” the writer asked him.   

“He did not hold it against me.” He said. “On the contrary, later he became quite friendly towards me! At a meeting with him on a subsequent occasion, he told me: “By the way, I found another job for that young man!”