APPRECIATION

W. Karunajeewa; a highly principled and congenial personality

Deshamanya K. H. J. Wijayadasa

I was shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely and sudden demise of W. Karunajeewa the illustrious Chairman of the People’s Bank and dedicated Treasurer of the Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Development Fund for the last six years and above all my longstanding friend since the early 1970s. I first came to know young Karunajeewa in 1973 when he joined the personal staff of Hector Kobbekaduwa, Minister of Agriculture and Lands as his Public Relations Officer. During those momentous years in Sri Lanka’s history, I served as Additional Secretary (Development) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Chairman of the Land Reform Commission and Chairman of the Janatha Estates Development Board. My work involved drastic changes and reforms which impacted on the totality of the population being consumers, the rich land owning classes and the peasant farmers as well as plantation workers.

During those troubled times Mr. Karunajeewa was indeed a tower of strength to me especially in dealing with political co-ordination and public relations issues. However, with the change of government in 1977 we had to part company and mercifully, I ended up in the Public Administration Ministry “Pool” and Mr. Karunajeewa being less fortunate was “grounded” at home in Kandy unceremoniously.

Thereafter, as decreed by fate in 2007, after a lapse of almost three decades and midway during my tenure of office as Chairman of the Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Development Fund Mr. Karunajeewa was appointed as Chairman of the People’s Bank and its associated Group of Companies and simultaneously as Treasurer of the Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Development Fund. Thereafter, for six consecutive years he rendered an invaluable service as Honoary Treasurer of the Development Fund until his demise and was responsible for maintaining accurate accounts of the Development Fund while facilitating People’s Bank donations amounting to Rs. 02 Million to the Development Fund.

When I relinquished duties as Chairman of the Development Fund last year after completing ten years in that capacity. Mr. Karunajeewa was very unhappy and dejected. However, at my personal request he continued as the Treasurer of the Development Fund until his demise exercising greater vigilance and closer scrutiny of all financial transactions. Being a great benefactor and active supporter of the Development Fund his demise is indeed an irreparable loss to the Development Fund.

Mr. Karunajeewa was a highly principled and extremely congenial personality, his display of kindness and magnanimity towards the genuine and deserving was proverbial. His last act of kindness to me was in November last year. I wrote to him in his capacity as Chairman of the People’s Bank requesting financial assistance by way of sole sponsorship to launch my book “Governance, Heritage and Sustainability” at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute. This is because, it was extremely costly and beyond my means being just another retired public servant who did not rob State coffers. He had made a touching minute in my letter addressing the Head of Division handling the subject as follows; “We must help Mr. Wijayadasa; he deserves it for what he has done”. Accordingly, the People’s Bank undertook the sole sponsorship of the book launch in return for carrying the People’s Bank logo and slogan in the main banner displayed in the auditorium.

Mr. Karunajeewa was not just a nondescript political appointee or henchman as is usually the case to many a key position in the State sector. In fact his credentials are quite formidable. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. He is an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. From 1997 to 2013 he had functioned as a Working Director and Chairman of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, Chairman of the Employees Trust Fund and finally as Chairman of the People’s Bank. The exemplary visionary leadership of Mr. Karunajeewa has contributed in no small measure to the expansion and current high ranking of the People’s Bank as one of the leading State banks in the country. In recognition of his outstanding services and invaluable contribution towards the development of the People’s Bank and its subsidiaries the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka decorated him with an honorary fellowship in 2010.

Mr. Karunajeewa was an old faithful of the SLFP and for four decades continued to remain a die hard party man. Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike had such great faith and trust in him that after the 1997 debacle he was appointed as the Administrative Secretary of the SLFP. Even though he disliked the internal strife in the party he stuck to his principles and never jumped parties unlike many shameless party stalwarts. He continued to serve as a Central Committee member and held several senior positions including that of the Treasurer of the party. Being a senior lawyer with years of experience in handling party matters the party hierarchy never failed to seek his advice on constitutional, legal and disciplinary matters in particular.

Following in the footsteps of his early mentors such as Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike and Minister Hector Kobbekaduwa Mr. Karunajeewa led a simple, non deceptive and exemplary life; his wants being few. Therefor he had no need or desire to amass wealth through underhand means. He did not even have a comfortable house to live in Colombo. Even though he was a heart patient and much against the advice of his doctors he continued to live in his 3rd floor flat in the dilapidated middle class housing scheme known as Anderson Flats. Yet for all he was a happy and contented man.

May he Attain Nibbana.