President Premadasa was committed to serve the common man - Minister Jayasuriya

Stanley Seneviratne, Kurunegala North group corr.

KURUNEGALA: We realised the value of late President Ranasinghe Premadasa as he worked for more than 16 hours a day, and was committed to the service of the common man. He was an exemplary politician and a great leader said Karu Jayasuriya Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs.

He was addressing a Jana Hamuwa after he unveiled the statue of late Premadasa which was restored at Anagarika Dharmapala park Kurunegala. He said Premadasa was a people-friendly leader, who moved with the common man and that the individuals responsible for vandalising the statue would suffer even if they evade punishment.

Minister Jayasuriya said he did not harm anyone and endeavoured to resolve the ethnic problem through negotiations. Unfortunately his demise resulted in the breakdown of his plans to bring peace to the country. A group of our party crossed over to the Government to settle the ongoing conflict.

Minister Jayasuriya said we gave priority to the country's future generation and today the Government is in a position to make decisions steadily to build a prosperous country.

The Government's military victory in the Eastern Province was one such achievements. He said the Mayor of Kurunegala deserves the respect of all those concerned for restoring the statue at his own expense.

Minister of Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion S.B. Nawinna presented President Mahinda Rajapaksa's message which said "I was shocked to here the damage caused to the statue of the late President R. Premadasa.

I share the pain of mind caused to the members of Premadasa's family by the incident. It is our duty to uphold our social values and refrain from insulting the dead. King Dutugemunu who made a royal proclamation that the people of the country should pay respect to the remains of King Elara who was killed during the confrontation with him and set an example to the world.

A person who does not respect the past leaders would never respect his country or his fellowmen. They create political hatred and resort to dastardly acts. It is the duty of all those concerned to wean the future generation from such cowardly acts.