Parliament

Condolence Votes:

House remembers late colleagues

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody presided when Parliament met at 1 pm yesterday. After the presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the condolence motions of late parliamentarians Shelton Ranarajah and H M D B Herath.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Leader of the House, Nimal Siripala de Silva: I now move condolence motion of late parliamentarian Shelton Ranarajah, who was elected from the Senkadagala electorate. He was a great politician and was appointed as a Deputy Minister. He was born on November 3, 1926, in Ranwala, Kegalle. He was a child of Senator P B Ranarajah.

He was married to Mrs Chandra Ranarajah and had five daughters, Pramila, Aruni, Shamila, Shiromi and Anjali. His wife Chandra Ranarajah was elected as the first female mayor of Kandy.

He initiated his studies from Trinity College, Kandy and continued at S Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. He was engaged in sports such as cricket, boxing, golf, swimming and obtained his college colours as well. He took oaths as an attorney in 1949. He joined the SLFP in 1956 and was elected to Parliament in 1960 from the Senkadagala electorate.

He rendered a great service to schools in his area and also provided many services to the people of the area.

He stood against the Press Bill in 1964 and was removed from the government. On the invitation of J R Jayewardene, he joined the UNP in 1973 and was elected to Parliament in 1977 from the same electorate. He was appointed Justice Deputy Minister.

He created history by presenting the Mediation Board Act

He quit politics in 1988 and died at the age of 85 on August 11, 2011.

Ranil Wickremesinghe (UNP): Late Shelton Ranarajah was one of the best examples in this House. He stood against the Press Bill of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government in 1964 and subsequently quit from politics. Then J R Jayewardene invited him to join the UNP and was reelected to Parliament in 1977.

Shelton Ranarajah rendered a great service to his electorate Senkadagala. In 1988, he quit from politics, saying that he would never return. He was a politician who was stuck to politics.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Murugesu Chandrakumara takes the chair.

He was a great politician

John Amaratunga (UNP): He was re-elected to Parliament in 1977 and was appointed Justice Deputy Minister in the UNP government. Even within the UNP government, he stood against certain decisions taken by the UNP. He was a great politician and I wish him attain Nibbana!

He was a great friend of the Tamils

R Sampanthan (TNA): I was privileged to be elected to Parliament in 1977 when late Shelton Ranarajah was elected for the second time. He was held in high esteem by all the leading politicians of the day. Late Shelton Ranarajah always stood for truth and justice. He was a close friend of the TULF and a true friend of Tamil politicians. He frequently visited the North and East.

Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena: I associated Shelton Ranarajah since the time I was elected to Parliament in 1983. He openly expressed his views whatever party he was attached to in Parliament. His services rendered to the public as well as to the legislature, was commendable.

He never mingled his profession with politics. He was an exemplary politician who rendered service to people irrespective of their parties.

Lakshman Kiriella (UNP): Shelton Ranarajah rendered a great service to the people of Senkadagala. He commenced housing complexes, water projects and many other projects in the area. When he was in the SLFP, he stood against the Press Bill and when he was in the UNP he stood against removing Sirimavo Bandaranaike's civic rights.

Land and Land Development Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon: Shelton Ranarajah was able to win the Senkadagala electorate for the SLFP. He was a very popular person in his area. Later he joined the UNP and held the post of Justice Deputy Minister. He was a gentlemen in politics. His wife Chandra Ranarajah was the mayor of Kandy. He was a great person loved by all the people and politicians.

Karu Jayasuriya (UNP): Shelton Ranarajah was a people friendly politician. He was very eloquent in the English language. He was skilled in various sports such as cricket, swimming, football, etc.

His wife Chandra Ranarajah was also a very popular figure.

He was not a corrupted politician. Even today, the people of Kandy, respect him.

A H M Azwer (UPFA): Shelton Ranarajah was a great leader hailing from Ranwala in Kegalle.

He was a good friend of the Muslim community and developed Muslim schools as well.

He was a national minded politicians

He was a straight forward lawyer and never betrayed his clients. He was deeply national minded.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Chandrakumar Murugesu: I request the General Secretary of Parliament to send copies of the condolence motion to the family members of Shelton Ranarajah.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister and Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva: I now move the condolence motion of late parliamentarian H M D B Herath, who was elected to Parliament from the Polonnaruwa district.

He was born on March 11, 1942 in Polonnaruwa as the eldest child of H M T A Kapuruhamy and Mrs H M Dingiri Menika.

He studied at the Galenbindunuwewa Vidyalaya, Kekirawa Central College, and Ibbagamuwa Central College. Later he entered the Peradeniya University and became the first degree holder from Minneriya.

He was appointed an Assistant Lecturer in the same university in 1967 and joined the Ganga Nimna Development Board in 1968.

He married S M Indrawathie in 1970 and had two sons and a daughter, Sujeewa, Radhika and Ravindra.

He joined the UNP in the late 1980s. He took oaths on March 20, 1992 representing the Polonnaruwa district. He was appointed a Monitoring Member to the Health Ministry. He expired at the age of 69 on September 9, 2011.

Late Herath was an active member in the Gam Udawa Movement

Ranil Wickremesinghe (UNP): In 1989, many people were reluctant to contest from the UNP due to the threats. At such a period, on the request of late President R Premadasa, he contested from the UNP.

He worked actively in a number of Gam Udawa projects. When MP Muthubanda quit politics, the next in list was H M D B Herath, took oaths as a Member of Parliament in 1992. He joined debates and spoke of the Polonnaruwa district. He remained an MP for two years.

Karu Jayasuriya (UNP): Late MP H M D B Herath rendered a yeoman service to society. He was a well-known and honest politician. He dedicated his whole life as a politician to listen to the problems of the rural people and solved them.

As a Monitoring Member attached to the Health Ministry, he performed a unique service. He was a simple man, who always committed himself for social service.

He always lived with ordinary people. That was why people always called him a great person.

Deputy Chairman of Committees, Murugesu Chandrakumar: Copies of the Hanzard containing the speeches by the Members of both parties of the Well during the Condolence Vote, would be sent to the family members and relations of the members of late MP H M D B Herath.

The Houe adjourned until 1 pm on February 21.

As a measure to control chronic kidney disease:

Water purifiers to be set up in affected villages

The government has taken action to set up water purifiers as a measure to control the chronic kidney disease in ten of the most affected villages in the North Central Province (NCP), Health Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake, told Parliament yesterday.

He said that these purifiers would be set up at Mahavillachchiya, Nikawewa, Nochchiyagama, Adanpane, Galadivulwewa and several other areas in the Anuradhapura district, while assistance has been sought from the Ministry of Technology and Research.

Deputy Minister Dissanayake said that experts have not been able to ascertain the cause of the disease. Drinking water samples have been sent abroad and the ministry was awaiting the results. Studies conducted by local experts had no finality, but the government hopes to commence research to find the causes of the disease and invites local scholars who has shown interest, to contribute their insights to this attempt.

The Deputy Minister was responding to a special statement made by DNA Parliamentary Group Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who demanded to know what action the Health Ministry had taken to ascertain the real cause behind the spread of chronic kidney disease in the North Central Province.

MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that around 18,000 persons in the North Central Province were suffering from this disease, but the Health Ministry had failed to find out the real reason for the spread of the disease.

It had been noticed that in and around the year 2000, that there had been an abnormal increase in patients seeking medical treatment for kidney ailments in the Rajarata. Various scholars have attributed various reasons, but none had been able to ascertain the real reason behind it. Some had said that aluminium, cadmium and fluoride particles in drinking water had caused the disease.

Others attribute it to chemicals in pesticides and weedicides used by farmers, while some others said people should not consume lotus root and inland fish.

There is a common belief among scholars on the basis of research and hypothesis they had formed, that drinking water had a connection with the chronic kidney disease.

It was the duty of the Health Ministry to promote and help the scholars conducting research into this disease, as thousands of people suffer from this disease.

‘SL must join SAARC and C’wealth to help bring normalcy to Maldives’

UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe stated in Parliament yesterday, that Sri Lanka must work with other SAARC and Commonwealth nations to bring about normalcy in the Maldives.

He said that the UNP had spoken to former and current presidents of the Maldives, Mohamed Waheed to end the political stalemate that had gripped the Maldives. “I spoke to Waheed and MP Ravi Karunanayake had spoken to former President Nasheed. It was our duty to assure them the fullest security to the family members of Nasheed and to members of the Maldives Democratic Party at their hour of need,” he said.

Member nations of both SAARC and Commonwealth were presently working hard to bring about a reconciliation for the restoration of normalcy in the Maldives and Sri Lanka too must do her part in this endeavour,'' Wickremesinghe said, adding that the lessons to be learnt from this was that we must not let such situations arise in Sri Lanka.

Ranil says similarities between LLRC, UNP standpoint

‘UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that there were similarities between the recommendations of the LLRC report and UNPs standpoint on finding a solution to the national problem.

Making a special statement in Parliament, the Opposition Leader said: “The Government tabled the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission Report on 16.12.2011. Yesterday I wrote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, informing him of UNPs detailed responses to this Report.

Speaking in Parliament on May 3, last year, I emphasized the need to respond positively and ensure that appropriate action be taken on the UN Panel Report.

Unfortunately, the Commission had failed to make any reference to the Panel Report. Nevertheless, there were several positive recommendations in the Commission's Report. If the Government was sincere in finding a lasting solution to the issues, this was the time to start the process of implementing the recommendations in the report.

On April 20, last year, the UNP stated that any genuine concerted effort by the government to resolve the national issues, would receive the maximum cooperation of the UNP. We have further stated that there must be a lasting and an amicable solution to the grievances of the minority communities.

Prior to my letter sent to the President, the TNA published its responses to the Report in January this year. There is much common ground between our responses and the Commission's report.

We call upon the government, if it was sincere in finding a lasting solution, to not only engage in a serious dialogue with all the parties concerned with a view to reaching a consensus, but also on implementing recommendations of the LLRC.