D. E. W. Gunasekera
Honourable D. E. W. Gunasekera MP |
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---|---|
ඩී. ඊ. ඩබ්. ගුණසේකර | |
Minister of Constitutional Reform | |
In office May 2004 – April 2010 |
|
Preceded by | G. L. Peiris |
Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms | |
In office April 2010 – November 2010 |
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Succeeded by | Chandrasiri Gajadeera |
Senior Minister of Human Resources | |
In office November 2010 – 12 January 2015 |
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Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for National List |
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In office 2004–2015 |
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Personal details | |
Born | Kivula, Ceylon |
4 March 1935
Political party | Communist Party of Sri Lanka |
Other political affiliations |
United People's Freedom Alliance |
Alma mater | Vidyalankara University |
Occupation | Civil servant |
Religion | Buddhist |
Don Edwin Weerasinghe Gunasekera (born 4 March 1935) is a Sri Lankan politician, former Member of Parliament and former cabinet minister. He is the current leader of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL), a member of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA).
Early life
Gunasekera was born 4 March 1935 in Kivula in southern Ceylon.[1][2] He was educated at Rahula College in Matara.[3][4] After school he joined Vidyalankara University in the 1950s, graduating with a degree in economics.[2]
Gunasekera joined Ceylon Law College in the early 1970s but was expelled for attempting to cheat.[5]
Career
After Vidyalankara Gunasekera worked at the Inland Revenue Department for many years.[2]
Gunasekera joined the Communist Party of Ceylon in 1958.[2] He wrote for the party's newspaper Mawbima and was a youth leader.[2] He later became a member of the party's central committee and eventually the party's general secretary.[2]
In 1988 the CPSL, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), Nava Sama Samaja Party and Sri Lanka People's Party formed the United Socialist Alliance (USA).[6] Gunasekera was one of the USA's candidates in Matara District at the 1989 parliamentary election but the USA failed to win any seats in the district.[7][8] On 20 January 2004 the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) formed the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA).[9] The CPSL and LSSP joined the UPFA in February 2004.[10][11] Gunasekera was appointed as a UPFA National List MP in the Sri Lankan Parliament following the 2004 parliamentary election.[12] Gunasekera was put forward as the UPFA's candidate for Speaker but was defeated by opposition candidate W. J. M. Lokubandara after three dramatic rounds of voting in Parliament.[13][14][15] Gunasekera was appointed Minister of Constitutional Reform in May 2004.[16] He was given the additional portfolio of National Integration on 28 January 2007.[17][18]
Gunasekera was re-appointed as a UPFA National List MP following the 2010 parliamentary election.[19][20] He was appointed Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms after the election.[21][22] He was promoted to Senior Minister of Human Resources in November 2010.[23][24] He lost his cabinet position following the 2015 presidential election.
At the 2015 parliamentary election Gunasekera was placed on the UPFA's list of National List candidates.[25][26] However, after the election he was not appointed to the National List.[27][28]
Electoral history
Election | Constituency | Party | Votes | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1989 parliamentary[8] | Matara District | USA | 2,735 | Not elected |
References
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- Articles with hCards
- 1935 births
- Alumni of Rahula College
- Alumni of Vidyalankara University
- Cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka
- Communist Party of Sri Lanka politicians
- Living people
- Members of the 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Members of the 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- People of British Ceylon
- Sinhalese civil servants
- Sinhalese politicians
- Sri Lankan Buddhists
- United People's Freedom Alliance politicians