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| Sunday, 31 March 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Remembering
V.L. Wijemanne
by Laxman A. Wijemanne
My memories go back to the times when he and my father were practising as Attorneys at the Kalutara Bar. This duo treaded two different paths and the late Mr. V.L. Wijemanne chose the most uncompromising avenues of politics and the life of a pious devotee of Buddhism. His capacity to blend politics with the great teachings of the Lord Buddha was always visible in all his political activities. He led a full life in every sense of the word and true to the saying of Abraham Lincoln he had a great lady behind him and his success, and that was his beloved wife Mrs. Roslin Wijemanne (nee Gunatilleke). She was a great strength and an asset to him to scale the difficult strides up his career that dominated service to his fellow men, friendliness and equality was hall-mark in his dealings, be it politics or his professional work. Thus over the years his personality got shrouded in very conspicuous traits that appealed to the public eye. Consequently his entry to politics was not one that he sought after but was one that came to him effortlessly. Out of the ten years that he spent as a parliamentarian nine full years were devoted to perform the duties of a Deputy Minister of State in his specialised field of Plantations. During this tenure he manifested his zeal for public betterment by creation of an unprecedented amount of public amenities among which the following housing projects tower above all others. The flourishing housing projects of today viz. The Vijayagama, Ariyagama, Namalgama, Sumudugama, Walauwatta, Etagama Housing scheme, Kande-Kurunduwatta housing complex, Thekkawatta housing complex, Venivelketiya housing complex, Kopiyawatta housing scheme and the government servants housing scheme are among some of such arduous achievements. I am glad that I too had the occasion to get associated with him from my young age as his private secretary in achieving these onerous tasks and the lessons I learnt at his feet are many. In this politician we saw a pious and devout Buddhist. It was way back in 1951 that he joined hands with the late Sir Cyril de Zoysa in creating the Kalutara Bodhi Trust for the future preservation and development of the historic Kalutara Bodhi. He served diligently for its development until death took him away, He held the posts of Chairman and the Secretary of the trust as well. "In the wake of the national resurgence that emerged with the gradual liberation process from colonial rule, several great men of Kalutara joined hands to uplift Buddhist education. The late Sir Cyril Dr. Soysa and Mr. V.L. Wijemanne, with P.F.A. Gunathilake, H.A.D. Abrew, Allison de Silva Weerawardane, W.K. Wijemanne were the stalwarts among this group that started the Kalutara Vidyalaya, The Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya and The Tissa Central College. "The ravages of the second world war saw the introduction of the co-operative movement to Sri Lanka and here too it was the late Mr. V.L. Wijemanne with his erstwhile colleague P.F.A. Gunathilake who spearheaded the development of the Kalutara co-operative society system. His humility is amply described by a great saying 'The taller, the bamboo grows, the lower it bends' This was what the Late V.L. Wijemanne was. Today we reminisce his services to humanity in numerous ways. May he attain nibbana. |
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It was twelve years ago that Mr. V.L. Wijemanne bade goodbye to this
world after a fruitful lifespan of 81 years. I as his brother's son and
one time as his private secretary was blessed with the opportunity and the
liberty of being with him throughout a great length of my life.
