'Karunajeewa's demise a great loss to SLFP'

The death of W Karunajeewa member SLFP Central Committee and Chairman People's Bank and People's Leasing caused me deep shock and grief. It was only last week that the two of us were seated next to each other at the SLFP Central Committee Meeting held at Temple Trees on January 22.

I had my first acquaintance with Karunajeewa in the 1970 decade as a young political activist. Today he is departing as a specialist Banker. Karunajeewa succeeded in steering the People's Bank towards a new vista effectively. But he displayed much more efficiency in his political life.

Born on November 20, 1946 he had his education at Bowala MV and Dharmaraja College, Kandy. After graduating from the Peradeniya University he started his professional career as a teacher.

From his youth he was known as a progressive minded person with people oriented policies. He was a person woven into SLFP policies. In 1976 he was appointed SLFP Administrative Secretary by the late Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike at the age of 27 since then he had been a member of the SLFP Central Committee who laboured hard for the progress of the party during both victory and defeat.

As Chairman of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation he was instrumental in setting up fisheries villages in the country's interior regions and improving the livelihood of the fishery community.

Karunajeewa who worked behind the scenes to ensure the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa always shunned publicity.

Man of simplicity he lived in the modest Anderson Flats throughout his life until his demise.

This is ample proof that he never went after special privileges.

He has never held out false promises or engaged in political fraud.

He represented the SLFP image very clearly.

If we are to repair the great loss created by his death to the country and nation others should work hard taking his life and character as an example.

His demise is a great loss to the SLFP in particular. May be attain Nibbana.