Lalith Athulathmudali was an astute politician - Dullas

The late Minister, Lalith Athulathmudali was a popular and sincere politician who was never a burden on the state. He belied the general impression cartoonists and society had about politicians as rugged, shrewd, wasteful and unscrupulous persons, said Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dallas Alahapperuma.

The minister was addressing a meeting held at the Dehiwala Lalith Athulathmudali Vocational Training Institute to mark the registration of a new batch of students enrolled for its training courses recently.

Minister Alahapperuma said there has been a strong division or separation in our country's education system in this country since attention had been focused by the country's leadership on the traditional system of education only. But most countries in the world had achieved development through the development of technical education. However we have been able to end that division or separation in July this year by taking several positive steps which brought successful results.

Minister Alahapperuma said he honoured the invitation extended to him and participated in the ceremony at the Lalith Athulathmudali Vocational Training Institute for several reasons. He considered it is his duty to honour late Lalith Athulathmudali who was an astute politician. The Lalith Athulathmudali Vocational Training Institute was a model training institute among the 900 vocational training institutes in the country. Kesarralal Gunasekara also addressed the meeting.