Rajitha: Rajapaksa lost because of 'yes ministers'

At Thursday's weekly Cabinet briefing Minister Rajitha Senaratne was to give the reasons why former President Mahinda Rajapaksa lost the Presidential election in January.

Even if someone said the sun was rising because of President Rajapaksa no one raised objections at ministerial meetings. There were those who sang praises in songs dedicated to him. Others likened him to a god.

It was a case of "Yes Sir!, Yes Sir!!" . This is how the infallible Rajapaksa became inconsequential after the Presidential poll, Minister Senaratne said.

FAZEEL - SITHY HONEYA SAKKAF FAZEEL - Loved daughter of late A.S.H.M. Najmadeen and late Sithy Ayesha Najmadeen, daughter-in-law of late Hafiz S.L.M. Fazeel and Ayeshathull Kubra, beloved wife of late Sakkaf Fazeel (Postmaster, GPO), loving mother of Zalmi (Jeddah) and Zahara, mother-in-law of Maryam Hussain Barrie and Haniffa Sheriff, much loved grandmother of Ajmal and Zainab, Almaz and Nuha, and Ahmed, loving great-grandmother of Anam Layana, loved sister of Fauzee (Australia), Halima (Australia), Farook and late Iqbal, sister-in-law of Evelyn, late Samy, Fayroza and Roushan and the late Fakhir and Hatoon, late Mohideen, late Arifathul Hidaya Mohideen, late Zuhaira Marzook, Saheela Aziz, Relaya Uwais, Sithy Rahima Naseerdeen, Badiriya Khalid, Shadul Malahira Fathullah and Zeena, passed away peacefully on May 12 2015. Janaza took place after Asr on the same day at Dehiwela Muslim Burial Grounds. 1A, Boswell Place, Colombo 6 STM 296478

FERNANDO INDRANI (nee DE SILVA) - The death occurred of Kamala Indrani Fernando (Inland Revenue). Beloved wife of T. Learrny Fernando (Land Settlement Department), mother of Chandrika, Pradeep and Manoj, motherin-law of Saman, Jayathri, and Nayana, grandmother of Manuja, Senali and Rehan, sister of late Rupa, Lakshmi and Dheerasiri, sister of Sujatha. Funeral on Sunday 17th May at Rawatawatta Crematorium at 4.00 p.m. Cortege leaving residence, No. 12 C1 Centre Rd off Gunawardanarama Rd, Koralawella, Moratuwa at 3p.m. STM 297325.

GOMEZ-JOSEPH ROSARIO: At rest with Jesus. Dearly beloved husband of Late Mary Lourdes Gomez. Loving father of Bernard and Ajit. Father in law of Clair and Sushila, Brother of Rita Miranda, Fr. Stephen Gomez and late Ignatius Gomez. The funeral took place on the 14th of May 2015 at General Cemetery, Kanatte.

RETIRED LANCE CORPRAL (SLIMI) HARISON SENEVIRATNE - Beloved father of Anusha Seneviratne, father-inlaw of Harsha Kariyapperuma, grandfather of Pamith, Nelith, Yomith Kariyapperuma (Australia), brother of Doreen (Australia), Percy, late Lionel & Kingsley Seneviratne, brother-in-law of Kalyani, Srimathi, Padma Seneviratne. Funeral is at Jayaratne Funeral Parlour. Cremation will take place at Borella cemetery on Sunday the 17th May at 5.30 p.m. STM 297693.