The Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today in Parliament we express our condolences on the demise of five political leaders who rendered great service to our country. As a Member of Parliament representing the Kandy District, I especially wish to say a few words about our dear leader among them, Hon. Lucky Jayawardana.

¶ 02 Born in Kandy as the third child of Mrs. S. A. S. Manike and Mr. D. A. H. Bandara of a prominent business family, he completed his higher education at Sri Rahula College, Kandy, and then obtained a diploma in Political Science, becoming a successful businessman. In 1991, he married Mrs. W. M. Achala Kumari Wijetunga. He was the beloved father of Attorney-at-Law Madhawa Jayawardana and Shyamal Jayawardana. He can be introduced as a gentleman politician who rendered an immense service to the Kandy District.

¶ 03 He was first elected to the Central Provincial Council in 1988 and thereafter held many positions there—Chief Organizer of the Government side, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition, and several Provincial Ministerial portfolios. Subsequently, he was elected to Parliament in 1994, 2000, 2001 and 2015, and as a State Minister rendered significant service to the people of the Kandy District.

¶ 04 I first met him in 2015. My father and he had been in politics together for a long time. After I began my political journey from Kandy in 2015, I met him. Hon. Lucky Jayawardana was truly a gentleman politician. As mentioned by previous speakers, he was an exceptionally pleasant and amiable person. Hon. Presiding Member, I never saw him speak harshly to anyone. From 2015 until his passing this January, he always advised and guided me on politics like a father. The people of Kandy still speak of his passing because he was a very fine human being.

¶ 05 I also wish to state that his beloved wife and two sons can be proud to have had such a loving husband and father. We see our Attorney-at-Law Madhawa Jayawardana working as the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Organizer for the Uda Nuwara electorate, following in his father’s footsteps very successfully. I firmly believe that Hon. Lucky Jayawardana would have been very proud of that. In a meeting with us last December, he told me that Mr. Madhawa Jayawardana would carry his political work forward. While his beloved wife and sons are in the Gallery today, I express my condolences, and those of the people of the Kandy District, on his demise.

¶ 06 Hon. Presiding Member, I also wish to mention Hon. Aberathna Bandara Herath Pilapitiya of the Ratnapura District. He was born in Kandy, studied at Ambatanna Baptist Missionary School, Kandy, and married Mrs. Maheshwari Pilapitiya. He had four beloved children: Mahendra Pilapitiya, Samanthi Aluwihare, Amali Senanayake and Sanjeewa Pilapitiya. He was elected as MP for the Kalawana electorate in 1960, 1965 and 1977. He served as Deputy Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, as Chief Minister of Sabaragamuwa, and as Governor of Uva Province. He is recognized as a gentleman politician who rendered great service to the Ratnapura District as well as the whole of Sri Lanka. He passed away in 2023. We express our condolences to all members of his family on his passing.

¶ 07 Former MP Hon. Malini Fonseka was loved by all of us, and especially rendered a great service to the arts. On her demise, we express our deepest sympathies to all her family members.

¶ 08 Likewise, I fall silent as I express condolences on the passing of our former Leader of the Opposition, Hon. R. Sampanthan, and former MP for Anuradhapura District, Hon. W. B. Ekanayake.

¶ 09 Thank you.