PARLIAMENT
House remembers four MPs
Irangika RANGE, Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna
MUDALIGE
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1 p.m.
Yesterday. After presentation of papers and oral questions House took up
condolence motions of ex-MPs P D Weerasinghe de Silva, V Navaratnam, E
Ratnasabapathy and H Chandraman de Silva.
Water Supply and Drainage Minister and Chief Government Whip
Dinesh Gunawardena:
I present the condolence motion of late MP P D Weerasinghe de Silva
to the Parliament. He was born January 25, 1935. He represented
Balapitiya seat in Galle. He had five brothers and sisters in the
family. He had his primary education at Balapitiya Siddhartha Vidyalaya
and secondary education at Nalanda Vidyalaya, Colombo. Then he entered
the Law College and passed out as a senior Counsellor.
He received a training under Dr Colvin R de Silva. He mostly appeared
in Court cases on behalf of ordinary people.
He engaged in left politics.
He contested 1970 General Election under United Front and entered
Parliament. He contributed to develop transport, health and education in
the country. He lived with the people. He dedicated his time, wealth and
labour towards economic, social, political and religious well-being of
the country.
He served 71 years and expired November 29, 2006. We got to know that
his wife who was to visit Parliament to see the debate today has also
passed away accidentally. I propose to sent this motion to express
grievances to be sent his children and relations.
Joseph Micheal Perera (UNP):
I have worked with him for a short period. He was a member of the
left movement and followed leftist ideology.
The exemplary life he led gives us several examples. During
Parliamentary debates he presented his ideas to the point.
Even though the ideologies were different, we were able to work in
harmony.
Justice Minister Athauda Seneviratne:
He hailed from an educated and respectable family in the area. He was
the eldest of the family. All the members of his family entered
politics.
He was a humble person. He worked for the betterment of ordinary
people in the area.
Today the country is moving forward with the changes they brought to
the country with the left movement.
Vasudeva Nanayakkara (UPFA): He was another strong member from
Lanka Sama Samaja Party. Both he and I entered the Parliament together
in 1970. During the time he spent at the Law College he joined the left
movement on behalf of people.
He was a very honest person and worked according to his conscience.
Weerasinghe was a very sensitive person, but when facing challenges he
was very strong. He intervened to achieve rights of the ordinary people.
We salute him and express our condolences to his family members.
Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Deputy Minister Gamini Wijith
Wijithamuni de Zoysa: As schoolboys we worked together in youth
activities. He dedicated himself to usher a new era to the country
through the left movement.
Today there is no MP in this Parliament from Balapitiya. This is an
unfortunate situation. He made an enormous effort to develop regional
productions such as handlooms.
Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister D E W Gunasekere:
First we express our condolences over his death. Often we met him at Dr
Colvin R de Silva’s house.
When 1970 United Front Government was established, many youth entered
Parliament including Weerasinghe.
He had been close to poor. During social changes took place, he
contributed a lot.
We extend our condolences to his relatives through the Speaker.
Gunaratne Weerakoon (UPFA): Weerasinghe was a giant who
contributed towards changes made by the left movement.
He supported cinnamon cultivation in the area to reduce poverty. I
express my condolences to his relatives.
Technology and Research Minister Tissa Vitarana: Today we
recall a hero that joined Lanka Sama Samaja Party during his youth. He
came forward to fulfill the wishes of ordinary people and gave
leadership to their struggles.
He married the daughter of Colvin R de Silva and practised as a
Senior Counsel. He contributed a lot for the development of the country.
By representing Balapitiya seat he developed facilities in schools in
the area.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said he will order to send copies of this
motion to the relatives and the family members of Weerasinghe.
Water Supply and Drainage Minister and Chief Government Whip
Dinesh Gunawardena: I present the condolence motion of ex-MP V
Navaratnam to this House. He passed away in Montreal, Canada. He was an
Attorney-at-Law. In 1961 he became the General Secretary of the Federal
Party and was a close associate of S J V Chelvanayagam.He organized a
march from Trincomalee to Jaffna to voice for the problems of the Tamils
in 1956. In 1963 he entered Parliament receiving 10,000 votes. In 1965
he was reelected to Parliament. He was expelled from the Federal Party
in 1968. He formed Tamil Arasu Kachchi Party as a result. He had five
children and later settled in Canada. He expired in December 2006. I
propose the condolence motion to be sent to his family members.
Mavai Senathirajah (TNA): He started the Tamil Arasu Kachchi Party.
He was a very talented lawyer. He played a vital role in his party. As a
young boy I have observed he was taking part at Parliament debates and
speaking at various rallies.
He talked on behalf of the Tamil people. Chelvanayagam’s house was
close to my house and I had the opportunity to hear and see the
activities going on there. We saw how Navaratnam joined in them. Even
being in Canada, he was very keen on Tamil people’s problems.
Chandra Kumar Murugesu (UPFA): Even though our political
idealogies were different, I admired him a lot.
Even today, I respect him. Some member had the practice of
criticising the Government always, but he did not do so. He was keen on
winning the rights of the people.
Deputy Chairman of Committees Murugesu Chandrakumar takes the Chair.
S. Adeikalanathan (TNA): V Navaratnam’s thoughts and feelings
are respected by us as members of TNA. Today our Party TNA is following
his footpath.
Murugesu Chandrakumar (Deputy Chairman of Committees): I also
join the condolence motion and instruct the General Secretary of
Parliament to send the copies of the motion to the family members of V
Navaratnam. Now we take up the condolence motion of ex-MP E
Ratnasabahpathi.
Douglas Devananda (Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise
Development Minister): E Ratnasabahpathi passed away in 2006. He
represented the people of Jaffna District.
Ratnasabahpathi always believed that the power of words are more
powerful than the bullet. He guided his people and always fought for the
rights of Tamil people.
He respected all the communities alike.
When the struggle for the rights of the Tamil people became a
terrorism of single person Ratnasabahpathi worked in the opposite way.
He maintained that the war will bring only the destruction to the
Tamil people and stated the only way for peace was democracy.
Mavei Senadhirajah (TNA): He was born in Inuvil area in Jaffna
and was a good orator. He had left ideas and later established EROS.
I knew him and his family very well. His father was a school
principal.
Murugesu Chandrakumar, (Deputy Chairman of Committees): I
instruct the General Secretary of the Parliament to send copies of the
condolence motion to the family members of E Ratnasabahpathi. Now the
condolence motion of ex-MP H Chandraman de Silva is taken up
R Yogarajan takes the Chair.
Maithripala Sirisena (Health Minister):
I move the condolence motion of ex Kandy Parliamentarian H Chandraman
de Silva. He was born in 1949 in Gampola area. He received his primary
education from Andrew’s College. He joined his family business when he
grew up and held the post of Secretary of the Gampola UNP Youth
Association for nearly 20 years. He later became a Member of Parliament
in 1988 through the list. In 1989 he was elected to the Parliament from
the Kandy District. He married Anula de Silva and had four children. He
also represented Sri Lanka in an international conference in Barbados.
He passed away at the age of 58 on January 20, 2007.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara (UNP): Chandraman de Silva joined
politics from the UNP and rendered a great service to the party for its
success. He entered Parliament in 1988 from the UNP list and later
elected to the Parliament in 1989 from the Kandy District. He raised his
voice to solve problems in the Gampola area.
Murugesu Chandrakumar (Deputy Chairman of Committees):
I instruct the Secretary General of Parliament to send copies of the
condolence motion to the family members of H Chandraman de Silva.
The Parliament was adjourned until October 5.
Election Commission will be established
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will establish the Election Commission,
once the members were appointed to Parliamentary Council according to
the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, said Water Supply and Drainage
Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at Parliament yesterday.
He said that the Election Commission can be established only after
the appointment of Parliamentary Council.
He mentioned that the Elections Commissioner has retired from his
post on January 28, 2002. He rejected the fact that there was a human
rights violation in retaining the Election Commissioner in his post
further. According to a letter of Presidential Secretariat the Elections
Commissioner was re-appointed to the post from January 29, 2002 onwards.
The Minister was replying to a question raised by UNP MP Dayasiri
Jayasekera.
Speaker defends MP’s privileges
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday that he will take
action against anyone who violates MP Sarath Fonseka’s privileges by
preventing him from attending Parliamentary Sessions.
The Speaker made these remarks in response to questions raised by
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera and
DNA MP Vijitha Herath with regard to preventing Fonseka from Parliament
proceedings.
[ At adjournment]
Malaria will be eliminated by 2014
Deputy Health Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told Parliament yesterday
that the Health Ministry is taking measures to control the Tsunami-fly
menace in Matara District while controlling the Dengue and Malaria in
the country.
He was responding to an adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Buddhika
Pathirana. Amaraweera said that the Health Ministry has taken measures
to control this menace. This fly is identified as “minjans”. It is 3mm
to 4mm long and black.
The Health Ministry expects to eliminate Malaria from the country by
2014. We imported BTI bacteria from Cuba. It will be further
investigated and carefully analyzed by the MRI to check whether it would
cause any damage to the environment.
After completion of investigations, we will utilize it to curb the
Dengue.
Buddhika Pathirana (UNP): I think the House should pay
attention to the tsunami flies plague in the Matara District.
It is reported that these flies are abundant in Rakwana area in
Ratnapura as well.
In Matara District it has become a serious menace. It has spresd to
Akuressa, Pitabeddara, Veherahena, Kotapola and Deniyaya etc.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara (UNP): This menace will affect public
health and children’s education.
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