Lakshman Jayakody rendered yeoman service to Buddhism- Prime Minister DM Jayaratne

Prime Minister DM Jayaratne issuing a condolence message expresses his deepest sympathies on the demise of Lakshman Jayakody, a senior member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The Premier says Jayakody, a businessman and planter by profession joined the SLFP in 1954 established by late SWRD Bandaranaike with the participation of the Five Fold Forces (Pancha Maha Balavegaya). In the General Election 1960, he was elected as the Divulapitiya Parliament Member and represented the Parliament for 17 years. There he held Defence and Foreign Minister portfolio and was the Parliament Secretary to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

Though he was deprived of Parliament seat for few years, once again he was elected as the MP for Divulapitiya in 1989. In 1994, he was appointed as Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister. He rendered a yeoman service to Buddhism and for the protection of Maha Sangha. Prime Minister Jayaratne says he himself as a pioneer member of the SLFP had the opportunity to associate with this humanist and late Jayakody never betrayed the party for money or any other privileges and served for the wellbeing of the party and the people of Divulpitiya till his death. The Premier says late Jayakody’s character is exemplary to the new MPs. The Prime Minister expresses his condolences on behalf of the SLFP, the Government and on his own behalf.