W Karunajeewa:

Sincere, honest, outspoken, multi - talented person

I first met W Karunajeewa on a rainy afternoon in September 1994 when I visited his Narahenpita flat with office colleague – D M O Fernando.

Karunajeewa had just been appointed a Director of ETF by the then Labour Minister, who is today the President of Sri Lanka. Both of us had been introduced to Karunajeewa by higher political authorities prior to this visit and the initial conversation focused around how to revamp the ETF in keeping with the vision of the new minister.

I recall with much nostalgia that there was great sincerity and warmth during that frank discussion despite the fact that we were meeting for the first time. Subsequently, he became the Working Director of ETF and left in mid 1997 with the change of ministers.

Between 1997 and 2001, he served in the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation as Working Director and then chairman and we continued at ETF. However, there was at least a telephone contact once a week to exchange news and whenever we were faced with a problem we visited him and sought his advise.

In June 2001, when my father suddenly expired I had just arrived at the CFC Kalametiya Circuit bungalow in Tangalle with my family. The bungalow was booked through Karunajeewa. At that time there were no mobile phones and not even a land phone at Kalametiya.

It was Karunjeewa who sent a special messenger from Tangalle on a motorcycle to convey the death of my father. In the meantime, he had visited my home in Colombo, spoken to my mother, expressed his concern and inquired what needed to be done until I returned to Colombo.

After the general election of 2001 and with the change of government, Karunajeewa had to give up his official positions and revert back to legal practice. Circumstances also forced me to leave the ETF and find alternative employment in the private sector.

I recall it was during this period that we became more close and sometimes I used to visit his home many evenings a week to chat about the current situation in the country. During this period he entrusted me to do some legal translations connected to his cases which also necessitated me to visit him very often.

After the Presidential election of November, 2005 he called me to his home in early December and told me that the government wishes to appoint him as ETF chairman.

He said he would very much wish to take me along to ETF and re-appoint me to the original position I held when I left the Board in 2002. At that time I was occupied in a senior position at SLBC and he undertook to speak to my superiors and get me released almost overnight. He assumed duties on December 12 and I re-joined on December 14.

During his period as chairman of about one and a half years, he and myself along with two senior officials practically worked 24 hours a day to get the ETF back on track since the Board was in a disorganised and confused state when he assumed duties.

Due to his leadership and committed efforts, the ETF had completely turned around by mid 2007 and I feel it is for this reason that he was appointed chairman – People’s Bank to strengthen the bank further.

During his period of chairman, People’s Bank he became extremely busy and practically every week-end was out of Colombo on bank work and also political commitments.

Due to this reason we could not meet as often as we would have wished, but kept in touch with him at the occasional meetings at the Finance Ministry, Temple Trees etc. We used to also meet him at the election time since he was a key strategist for party election activities.

Karunajeewa whom I knew for almost 20 years was a workaholic and unfortunately to a great extent neglected his health and was always concerned about the welfare of lesser fortunate people.

He was a sincere, honest, outspoken, multi - talented person and die hard party loyalist to the very end. His demise is a great loss to the nation and our condolences are sent to his wife and two children whom we had the privilege to know very closely.

Mangala

A A L Gunathilaka nee Lily Seneviratne :

Embodiment of love, affection

Our sister, A A L Gunathilaka nee Lily Seneviratne, passed away recently at the age of 75.

Hailing from a planter family, she had the distinction of being a pupil of St Bernadettes College, Polgahawela Principal, the late W H Samaranayaka.

She belonged to that class of students who held the dignity and decorum of the college in high esteem. To her alma mater, her devotion was so extraordinary, that throughout she recollected her experiences while paying tribute to the staff whose untiring efforts, helped transform Bernadettes to a college par excellence.

She recollects the important college events in the like of those nostalgic college parlours, picnics, exhibitions, morning drill displays, only to mention a few. I still remember her wearing the lama sari to school that reminds one of the good old days, when the village lass wore it with pride and dignity that also symbolises one's concern for charm and simplicity.

Sister Lily was an embodiment of love and affection which she amply demonstrated through courtesy and long chats with friends and relatives. Most of her life, she spent in the plantation sector, with her husband who himself is a well known planter in Kalawana in the Ratnapura district. During her leisure time, she taught English to the children of plantation workers. Even a few hours before her last breath, she had been with the children who had come for English classes.

She was a second mother to the rest of us brothers and sisters. We remember your charming smile ready to greet us whenever we visited you.

Among others, you are leaving your planter husband, two sons and only daughter who will remember you for ever. You led a life of impeccable virtue and was a firm believer in annicca, dukka and anathma. You have acquired abundance of kusal through meritorious acts and shortened your samsaric life. May you attain Nibbana.

A K SENEVIRATNE