Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament

¶ 01 [9.37 a.m.]

¶ 02 Hon. Speaker, I first move the Vote of Condolence on the demise of Hon. Rukman Senanayake, who represented the Dedigama seat in the Kegalle District and was elected to Parliament under the United National Party in 1973, rendering service to his district and the country. I also warmly welcome his family members present in the gallery, on behalf of Parliament and yourself.

¶ 03 Born in 1948 to Mr. Robert Parakrama Senanayake and Mrs. Swarna Neela Senanayake, Hon. Rukman Senanayake studied at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, and later at South West London College in the United Kingdom.

¶ 04 He first entered Parliament at the 1973 Dedigama by-election held after the demise of Mr. Dudley Senanayake. Under his leadership, a new party, the United Lanka People’s Party, was formed in the 1980s; it was later dissolved and he rejoined the United National Party. In 1994, he re-entered Parliament from the Polonnaruwa District, and thereafter, at various times up to 2010, served as an MP for the UNP.

¶ 05 He served as Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in the UNP Government of 2001. A firm believer in democratic politics, he was elected Chairman of the UNP in 2007 and Deputy Leader in 2008. He was the founder and Chairman of the Senanayake Foundation, and later its Senior Advisor.

¶ 06 Having served in Parliament for nearly 19 years, he passed away on 24th August 2024 at the age of 76. We pray that he attains the supreme bliss of Nibbana according to his religious beliefs, and request that the condolences of this august Assembly be conveyed to his beloved family.

¶ 07 As a note of appreciation, during his tenure as Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in 2001, upon my representations regarding large-scale destructive clay mining in the Dankotuwa–Puttalam area, he ensured a challenging field inquiry through his officials and took decisive action to stop illegal mining by powerful, wealthy actors, including cancellation of licenses. His service in that regard should be remembered.

¶ 08 Next, I move the Vote of Condolence on the demise of Hon. Sirinal de Mel, who was elected to Parliament from the Colombo District under the UNP in 2000 and rendered service to his district and the country. We welcome his family members present today.

¶ 09 Born in 1941 at Lakshapathiya, Moratuwa, to Mr. Oor de Mel and Mrs. Johanna de Mel, he studied at Moratuwa Maha Vidyalaya and Darmaraja National School, Hanwella, before entering politics. He was a prominent trade union leader and long-serving General Secretary of the UNP-affiliated National Employees’ Union. In the 1977 General Election, trade union members contributed significantly to the UNP’s five-sixths majority. He married Mrs. Lakshmi de Mel in 1979 and was a beloved father of one son.

¶ 10 He passed away on 13th June 2024 at the age of 83. We pray that he attains the bliss of Nibbana according to his religious beliefs, and request that the condolences of this Assembly be conveyed to his family.

¶ 11 I also move the Vote of Condolence on the demise of Hon. A.A. Reginald Perera, elected under the UNP in 1989 from the Gampaha District and who rendered service to his district and the nation. We warmly welcome his family members present.

¶ 12 Born in 1947 in Wattala–Mabola to Mr. Edwin Perera and Mrs. Charlotte Jayawardena, he received primary education at St. Mary’s College, Wattala, and secondary education at St. Anthony’s College, Wattala. He was elected as a Councillor of the Wattala–Mabola Urban Council in 1983, later becoming its Chairman. A businessman by profession, he first entered Parliament in 1989 as a UNP National List MP and was subsequently elected from Gampaha in 1994. He married Mrs. D. Thusitha Perera in 1976 and was the loving father of three daughters and one son.

¶ 13 Having served around 11 years as an MP, he passed away on 08th October 2024 at the age of 77. We pray for Moksha according to his religious beliefs, and that the condolences of this Assembly be conveyed to his beloved wife, children and relatives.

¶ 14 Finally, I move the Vote of Condolence on the demise of Hon. (Dr.) I.M. Ilyas, elected to Parliament in 1994 from the Jaffna District under the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and who rendered service to his district and the country. We welcome his family members present today.

¶ 15 Born in 1945 to Mr. Mohideen Pitchai Idroos and Mrs. Mohammadu Beebi, he studied at Zahira College, Puttalam and at Pembroke Academy, Colombo, obtained his medical qualification from the Colombo Ayurvedic Medical College, and began his professional career as a physician. In 1988, he entered politics as a member of the North Western Provincial Council representing the SLMC, and in 1994 he was elected to Parliament. Married in 1974 to Mrs. Abdul Cassim Siththi Fathima, he was the beloved father of two daughters and one son. In 2024, he submitted nominations as an Independent Presidential candidate, but passed away before the election.

¶ 16 Having served around six years as an MP, he passed away on 22nd August 2024 at the age of 79. We pray for heavenly bliss according to his religious beliefs, and request that the condolences of this Assembly be conveyed to his beloved wife and family.