Felicitation ceremonies for Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva

Sandasen Marasinghe

A series of ceremonies will be held in Colombo and Badulla to felicitate Leader of the Parliament and Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva for completing 30 years in politics, said Secretary General of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

He said so at a press conference at the Mahaweli Centre.

A felicitation ceremony will be held at BMICH on May 20 with the participation of Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa as the chief guest.

The book Methi Sabhaye Rana Handa-Nimal Siripala will be launched at the ceremony.

The felicitation ceremony in Badulla will be held on June 2 at 2 pm at Wheels Park, Badulla under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Another felicitation ceremony will be held at the Colombo Municipal Council on June 17 at 10.30 am while another will be held at 4 pm at Campbell Park organized by Parliamentarian Thilanga Sumathipala.

An alms giving to 536 Buddhist monks will be held on June 1 in Badulla. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva initiated his political career as a member of the Colombo Municipal Council in May 1983 as a young attorney-at-law.

He was later elected to Parliament in 1989 and rendered a great service to the nation and to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha said Minister de Silva rendered a great service as the former Health Minister and he was elected as the President of the World Health Organization, the first in South Asia.

He was also lucky to survive after being attacked by an LTTE terrorist.

He has rendered a great service to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the UPFA government at crucial times.

UPFA Parliamentarian Thilanga Sumathipala and Colombo Municipal Council opposition leader Ajantha Liyanage also spoke.