Rhythm of the guitar

Tuesday, 5 August 2025 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The film Rhythm of the guitar made me go down memory lane. From my school days these were the hits of the ’70s which we enjoyed on the radio and even buying the records.

Also being in Fort for 50 years brings back happy memories; working at the company down Chatham Street, I used to walk during the lunch interval to buy these records from the children’s bookshop next to the Central Bank which sold these records under the Sooriya label. Down Baillie Street was Silver line record shop which from CT Fernando’s hand I bought records as he was the manager. Down Darley Road I bought the English records from Lewis Browns Tony Fernando manager as well as of the Jetliners famous English music group.

I remember as a child too what Fort looked like in the ’60s. Lovely shops, departmental shops and good restaurants. Great bands in hotels and a juke box in a Chinese restaurant where one could play a record from a rupee.

Then when the Government of Mrs Bandaranaike came in with nationalisation most shops and restaurants closed down. Because of wealth tax too.

Out of my 50 years working in Fort, I faced the 30-year-war with three bombs in Fort, the worst was the Central Bank, where I saw blood stained employees walking down the street.

I heard the bomb as it was inside the building that made me go under my desk. Our roof was badly damaged though it happened about 300 metres away. When I went down to take my car a girl who was injured was put into my car. I drove her to the General Hospital; she fortunately did not look badly injured as she walked into the hospital.

These were the shocks I went through, then COVID, financial crisis and Aragalaya.

During my 50 years in Fort just imagine the challenges we faced in our company. Difficult to get good tenants and rent. So for may be about 35 years or more the staff and I had to steer the ship.

We are now trying with the Government, Governor, tourist board, UDA, CMC and World Bank to get Fort back to its glorious years. We need first to get the basics done which I outlined at a meeting a few months ago. Most Government officials who are younger than me have not seen what Fort looked and was like in the ’60s.

Hope we can make this heritage city a pleasant place for locals and tourists to visit.

R. de Mel