No Man Is Above The Law And No Man Is Below It
Upul Jayasuriya -BASL PresidentI could quote a few examples from the past. Dr. Colvin R De Silva as the Minister of Plantations he was on a tour in the Badulla Region. He heard over the radio that he has been stripped of his portfolio. He returned his official Car and returned to Colombo by Train. Minister of Finance UB Wanninayake who lived in Polgahawela used to travelled to Colombo by Train and was picked up at the Fort railway station by his official vehicle. When another Minister Mr. Vincent Perera passed away his body could not be taken to his home as there was not sufficient room in his humble home. When Mr. Dudley Senanayake, four times Prime Minister of Sri Lanka passed away with only Rs. 400 in his bank account. Sirimavo Bandaranaike Prime Minister lost all her husbands ancestral wealth, tens of thousands of acres, due to the Laws that they brought in.
It gives me great pleasure to speak today in commemoration of Hon. Al-haj M A Bakeer Marker. He was born on the 12 May 1917, in the hamlet of Maradana – Beruwala. His father was a Native Physician. He Had his early education at St. Sebestian’s College, Hulftsdorp and thereafter at Zahira College Colombo. He had the privilege and the benefit of being moulded by a first class educationist of Sri Lanka Hon. T B Jaya. Hon. Jaya was his mentor, Teacher and friend. He was called to the Bar in 1950. Even before Joining the Bar he was in politics. That was in 1949. He was welcomed by the doyens of the Kalutara Bar and later formed the partnership with Mr. NLR Fernando of Kalutara. He was later elected the President of the Kalutara Bar.
He entered the Parliament a decade after joining the Bar. He was elected the Deputy Speaker and later as the speaker of the Parliament in 1978 and a Minister in 1983. That was an era of Gentlemen in politics. He belonged to a rare creed and did not believe in nepotism even within the family. He was a rare example to the politicians of the past and present. In 1988 he bowed out of politics and made way for his son who was a lawyer himself with a natural flare for political leadership to fill his void. That was no favour for his son but a display of Love and affection to his dear constituents. Those were the good old days when He nor his leaders believed in family bandysm where father, brothers, children, cousins and even in Laws were all bundled in to the political arena creating a political heritage. Read More
