Parliament

House remembers two ex-members

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody presided when Parliament met at 1.30 p.m yesterday. After presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the condolence motions of ex-members of Parliament late Rupasena Karunatilleke and late S. Sivthasan.

Dinesh Gunawardena (Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister): I move the condolence motion of ex-Parliamentarian late Rupasena Karunatilleke who was elected from Galle.

He was born on March 15, 1933 in Hiniduma, Galle. He had his school education from Niyagama government school, Elpitiya Ananda Vidyalaya, Mahinda Vidyalaya in Galle Nalanda Vidyalaya in Colombo and Polytechnic College in Colombo.

He was a famous businessman and owned several business companies. He married Kethumathi Jayakody in 1963 and was a father of three children. He was the uncle of UNP MP Gayantha Karunathilake.

He held many ministerial and deputy ministerial portfolios under several leaders of the country. In 1987, he was appointed Provincial Council Deputy Minister.

In the former President Premadasa's regime he was appointed ports and Shipping Minister. During that period, he initiated a project to prevent coastal erosion. He also served as the Plantation Industries Minister and did a yeoman service.

He initiated number of development projects in Benthara-Elpitiya. He developed regional schools. He died on October 11, 2011 at the age of 78. His demise is a huge loss to the country.

Gayantha Karunathilake takes the Chair

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe: I think for the first time, an MP is listening to his uncle's condolence motion in the Chair of the House. I got to know Rupa Karunathilake ex-MP when he was appointed as an UNP organizer. He had a talent to organize people from grass roots level. He was a good debater. He decided to retire from politics in 2000.

He was also appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador for Netherlands.

John Amaratunga (UNP): Rupa Karunathilake was a powerful politician of our party. He contributed to the victory of former President J.R. Jayewardene in 1977 by organizing people in the Southern Province. He was an honest, humble and active politician and we admire his contribution to the party.

We are happy that MP Gayantha Karunathilake is with us today to fill the gap of Rupa Karunathilake.

Manusha Nanayakkara (UPFA): Rupa Karunathilake was a close relation of our family. The people of his district still love his name and pay respect to him. He earned the love of people.

He was a committed social worker and sometimes disregarded his personal needs to serve the people.

Karu Jayasuriya (UNP): Late Rupa Karunathilake was a rare politician and his demise was a great loss. He enjoyed a happy family life and had three children.

Karunathilake was a very simple and down-to-earth person. He earned the goodwill of all staff under him. He had rare qualities. He treated all equally despite of party politics.

Labour and Labour Relations Minister Gamini Lokuge: I got to know late Rupa Karunathilake before 1977, when I was engaged in active politics. He was an intimate friend and we worked together in harmony. He always behaved in a respectable manner.

He had a high concern about the country and he was a true patriot. He always took decisions on behalf of the country.

Dr Harsha de Silva (UNP): This is the first time that I express my feelings in a condolence motion. I knew him for a long time. As a person who prefers politics, I had been studying his character from my younger age.

National Resources Senior Minister Piyasena Gamage: Late Karunathilake hailed from Hiniduma in Galle. He was appointed UNP organizer to the Bentara-Elpitiya seat in 1966. He entered Parliament in 1977, obtaining the highest votes from the Bentara-Elpitiya seat. Since then until 2002, he had been representing the House continuously.

Gamini Jayawickrama Perera (UNP): Late Rupa Karunathilake was a close friend of my elder brother.

He was a simple person and noble in qualities. He was never aggressive and always intervened to solve the clashes of others. He always helped me in politics. He could not see his new born child for a week's time because of his dedicated social service.

Joseph Michael Perera (UNP): I first met late Rupa Karunathilake in 1976. The tone of late Rupa Karunathilake and Gayantha Karunathilake has similarities. When Gayantha MP was speaking I was reminded of him.

Lakshman Kiriella (UNP): When I was first elected to the House, late Rupa Karunathilake was in the governing party. As an Opposition MP, I could work with him to provide solutions to problems in the plantation sector. He worked cordially with all the officers and workers of the plantation sector.

Sajith Premadasa (UNP): The service of late Karunathilake is applaudable. He kept an unforgettable mark in the history. He served for the poor people understanding their plight. He enthusiastically joined in the community development projects and pointed out their shortcomings.

Ranjith Maddumabandara (UNP): Late Karunathilake was an honest politician. He did not enter into politics to earn money. He had an intention to serve the people.

I first met him in 1989 when I was first elected to Parliament. He was a senior member of Parliament. But he associated us closely and advised us.

A H M Azwer (UPFA): It is my honour to pay respect to gentleman late Rupa Karunathilake. He was a friend of many and enemy of none. He never detested anybody and had no malice or hatred towards anybody. We had a good rapport with each other. He understood the aspirations of Muslims and he recognized them.

Dayasiri Jayasekara (UNP): Rupa Karunatilleke played a significant role in incidents related to variety of fields. He was a humble politician. He faced a challenge to remain as a party organizer in the particular electorate for 32 years. It is a difficult challenge specially for Bentara-Elpitiya. He created many political figures.

He quit politics after initiating many programmes to develop the Galle district.

Thalatha Athukorala (UNP): He was a member of Parliament, a Deputy Minister. He was an eloquent speaker. He rendered a great service to Galle.

R Yogarajan (UNP): The late Rupa Karunatilake was the Plantation Industries Minister in the government led by then President R Premadasa. He rendered a remarkable service to estate workers.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody takes the Chair.

Gayantha Karunathilake (UNP) : Rupa Karunathilake, my uncle, late minister, I can remember, accompanied me here when this Parliament was opened. I was a school student. He dealt with the people irrespective of their party politics. All people of all political parties respected him.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody: Rupa Karunathilake represented Galle which I too represent. He was a politician with great qualities. I instruct the General Secretary of Parliament to send copies of the condolence motion to the family members of Rupa Karunathilake.

Now, the condolence motion of ex Parliamentarian late S Sivathasan will be moved.

Senior Minister DEW Gunasekera: S Sivathasan was born in 1934 at Thelippalai. He was eloquent in all three languages. He entered Aquinas for his further studies. He was elected to Parliament in 1994 as an Independent Member. He vehemently acted against terrorism. He was re-elected to Parliament in 2000 from EPDP. He died on November 13, 2011. He worked hard for the prosperity of the people in his area.

I convey my condolence on behalf of the government to the family members of S Sivathasan.

John Amarathunga (UNP): Sinharapillai Sivathasan was committed for the national unity. He rendered a remarkable service to the people in Jaffna. I convey the condolence of UNP to the family members of S Sivathasan.

Chandrakumar Murugesu (Deputy Chairman of Committees): Sivathasan always appreciated leftist politics. He never betrayed his policies. He was appointed once to the Thal Development Board and during that period, he was attacked with a bomb. He spoke against the LTTE staying in Jaffna. He was committed to uplift the living standards of the Tamil people.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Chandrakumar Murugesu takes the Chair.

R Yogarajan (UNP): He was the voice of working class. Sivathasan was a great man and politician. He made a commendable service to the Tamil people in Jaffna. His demise was a loss not only to Jaffna but to the entire country who strongly believed the rights of Tamil people in a united Sri Lanka.

Rural Affairs Senior Minister Athauda Seneviratne: He was a member of the Communist Party. As there was caste differences strongly rooted in Jaffna and Tamil people in certain casts were not allowed to go to some hotels and kovils, he fought against them. So he had to be imprisoned as a result of that struggle.

He was elected to Parliament as an Independent member. He also fought against LTTE terrorism. So he was abducted on several occasions by the LTTE. He was brave to flee and resume politics again for the benefit of the Tamil people in Jaffna. He never agreed to separate the country. He strongly believed of equal rights in a united Sri Lanka.

Silvastrie Alantin (UPFA): He was a Leftist politician. He struggled against the caste system among the Tamil people. He worked with Leftist politician like Colvin R de Silva.

He understood properly the economy of Sri Lanka and work together against foreign influences. Sivathasan later joined EPDP led by Douglas Devananda and was re-elected to Parliament. His service to the people in Jaffna is appreciable.

A H M Azwer (UPFA): Leftist politicians were committed to build a better society for the people. They neglected caste differences and ethnicity. S Sivathasan also was a Leftist. He stood against the caste system in Jaffna.

Chandrakumar Murugesu (Deputy Chairman of Committees) in the Chair: I too join the condolence motion. I instruct the Secretary General of the Parliament that the copies of the condolence motion sent to the berieved family members of S Sivathasan.

At adjournment

Inimical forces up against SL

Rural Affairs Senior Minister Athauda Seneviratne yesterday stated in Parliament that the countries that do not want the LTTE to defeated attempt to file a case against Sri Lanka and the President. So all should get-together to defeat their attempt.

The minister said those inimical forces' attempts failed on two occasions and they have not given up their attempts.

He made these observations responding to an adjournment motion moved by UPFA MP A H M Azwer.

R Yogarajan takes the Chair.

A H M Azwer (UPFA): I suggest that all must be united to defeat national and international conspiracies against the President and the government. A propaganda campaign should be launched to reach the globe with true information about development in the country. The US-led western influences in the Middle-East have brought misery to those countries. This is what happening in the world.

The international conspirators want to remove 'best batsmen' of the world. That is their secret agenda. Local conspirators have also joined in the malicious intentions of the international conspirators. The incident in Chilaw proves this fact. This incident occurred when fishermen in all over the country except in one area have agreed for subsidies.

We should not let the development in the country to be disturbed by these influences. We have to defeat these elements.

Rural Affairs Senior Minister Athauda Seneviratne seconded the motion.

Dayasiri Jayasekera (UNP): What is the conspiracy MP Azwer is talking about? He thinks that this international conspiracy would end when propaganda campaigns are made using international media channels to show the development of the country to the international communities.

Allegations made against the government are not related to development. Therefore, this suggestion is not going to work.

Rural Affairs Senior Minister Athauda Seneviratne: International conspiracies started not just targeting the Geneva Summit. Those have started a long before that. In each of these incidents in the recent history, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has come forward to shield the country.

Recently, US Representative Robert O' Blake said that they would support a resolution against Sri Lanka in the Geneva Summit. The Darusman Panel was appointed at another occasion. Nobody accepted the Report they presented. But the intention of the Report was to trouble the country with false allegations.

There was a former leader in this country who supported the endeavour to divide the country by signing a secret agreement. This leader surrendered to the voice of the European countries.

This agreement had adverse effects on the security of the country. The agreement was breached frequently by the LTTE. It is the present regime, that ensured security and peace of the country by eliminating terrorism. Certain international groups are not happy over this reality. That is why they are conspiring. Politicians in these countries in want of vote of these groups also support these conspiracies.

Parliament was adjourned until 1 pm on March 6.

Jobs for unemployed graduates

Public Administration and Internal Affairs Minister W D J Seneviratne yesterday said in Parliament that unemployed graduates would be recruited as trainees in a fair manner. The government's objective is to obtain the services for district and provincial development projects.

The minister made these observations in response to a special statement made by DNA MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake under standing order 23/2 stating that graduates are not given equal opportunities when recruitments were made for employment.

Minister Seneviratne stated that the government recruited 45,000 graduates to the public service. He said degree holders were also recruited to the private sector.

He said that there is a proper mechanism for promotions and providing working facilities for those graduates who have been recruited as trainees. The minister stated that the government held many national level examinations that were not held for a few years to recruit graduates to the Administrative Service, Accountancy Service, Engineering Service etc. More graduates have been recruited to the public service during the past years.

He said in addition to those recruitments, the Cabinet approved on December 14, 2011 to recruit another group of graduates for the public service.

In addition to this Cabinet decision, graduates were recruited as trainees from applications forwarded to the Presidential Secretariat, Finance and Planning Ministry, his ministry and the District Secretariats.

The minister said that another advertisement was published in newspapers on February 16, enabling the graduates to apply for posts of trainees. The closing date is March 30.

Minister Seneviratne added that the applicants will be interviewed and recruited as trainees. They will be absorbed into the permanent cadre of the public service.

Govt to inquire into Maj. Gen Shavendra Silva issue

The government would inquire into the issue of dropping Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Major General Shavendra Silva from the UN Peace Keeping Panel, said External Affairs Deputy Minister Neomal Perera in Parliament yesterday.

He observed that the government would appear on behalf of Major General Shavendra Silva who did a great service for the country.

The Deputy Minister made these comments responding to a supplementary question raised by UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera to clarify the government's stance on the issue of dropping Major General Shavendra Silva from the UN Peace Keeping Panel.

Death sentence for 361

Three hundred and sixty one imprisoned convicts have been sentenced to death.

It was noted in an answer tabled in Parliament by Rehabilitations and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gagadeera in response to a question for oral answers by UNP MP Ajith P. Perera.

The minister also stated that 356 convicts sentenced to death were men while five are women. Three hundred forty eight were convicted for murder charges and out of them, three were females.

Thirteen convicts sentenced to death were found guilty of heroin charges. Two of them were women.