Next generation politicians in the fray

by Jaliya WIJEYEKOON

It has been recorded in the political history of our country since independence that offspring of some politicians take to politics following the footsteps of their parents. This was quite evident from the very first Parliament and the trend has been continuing to date, uninterrupted amidst various objections, reservations and differences of opinion by some quarters of society.Whatever the general opinion may be, it is not possible to completely disregard or ignore the valuable services rendered by some of these politicians since they have left indelible impressions in the political arena, irrespective of the party they represented.

According to our parliamentary and electoral system, some members become very popular, powerful and affluent in their respective electorates and districts and they aspire to groom their offspring to carry forward the good work done by them and even the party supporters prefer the same. We have seen children of sitting Parliamentarians entering politics either at Local Government or Provincial Council elections. Sunday Observer contacted the General Secretaries of both main political parties to ascertain the number of candidates connected to sitting Parliamentarians, contesting this week’s Southern Provincial Council (SPC) elections. It is encouraging to see that there are two young candidates, namely Kanchana Wijesekera, son of Minister Mahinda Wijesekera and Randima Gamage, son of Minister Piyasena Gamage contesting the SPC elections from Matara and Galle districts respectively.General Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attanayake said that they have taken a policy decision not to field any relative of sitting Parliamentarians of the party for any election in future.

Kanchana Wijesekera, aged 26, is the eldest son of Minister Mahinda Wijesekera. He received his primary education at Trinity College, Kandy and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo from where he joined Asian International School to pursue his higher studies.

He has obtained a Diploma in Business Management from St. Monica University in California, USA and proceeded to Monash University, Australia to complete a degree program in Business Management. Presently he is a final year student reading for a degree in Economics.In 2008 he was elected with an overwhelming majority as the Chief Basnayake Nilame of Sri Vishnu Devalaya, Devinuwara.

Young Kanchana Wijesekera is quite confident of working for the masses of the Matara district with the political knowledge that he has accumulated by working closely with his father, Minister Mahinda Wijesekera, and with an inborn ability to feel the pulse of the younger generation.

Randima Gamage, who celebrated his 22nd birthday a few days ago, is the youngest candidate contesting the SPC elections.A product of Royal College, Colombo, at present he is reading for the finals of his LLB degree at Buckingham University in the United Kingdom. He has been in Sri Lanka for a short holiday, during which period the nominations for the SPC elections were called. The candidature was thrust upon him as the sitting member of the area, former Chairman of SPC, I. Wijewantha declined to contest the election.

Politics is in Randima’s blood as his father Minister Piyasena Gamage has been the Member of Parliament representing this area since 1989. Randima Gamage is the Chairman of Piyasena Gamage Foundation and has already taken various steps to enhance the living standards of the down- trodden people of the area.