Lakshman Kiriella
{{Short description|Sri Lankan politician and lawyer}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox MP
| honorific-prefix = Hon.
| name = Lakshman Kiriella
| native_name = {{lang|si|ලක්ෂ්මන් කිරිඇල්ල}}
{{lang|ta|லக்ஸ்மன் கிரிஎல்ல}}
| image = Lakshman Kiriella.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Kiriella in March 2015
| office = Chief Opposition Whip
| president = Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
| primeminister = Mahinda Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Dinesh Gunawardena
| predecessor = Gayantha Karunathilaka
| successor = Gayantha Karunathilaka
| term_start = 20 August 2020
| term_end = 24 September 2024
| office1 = Leader of the House
| president1 = Maithripala Sirisena
| primeminister1 = Ranil Wickremesinghe
| predecessor1 = Nimal Siripala De Silva
| successor1 = Dinesh Gunawardena
| term_start1 = 20 January 2015
| term_end1 = 2 January 2020
| office2 = Minister of Public Enterprise,
Kandyan Heritage & Kandy Development
| president2 = Maithripala Sirisena
| primeminister2 = Ranil Wickremesinghe
| term_start2 = 25 February 2018
| term_end2 = 22 November 2019
| predecessor2 = Kabir Hashim
| successor2 =
| office3 = {{nobr|Minister of Higher Education and Highways}}
| president3 = Maithripala Sirisena
| primeminister3 = Ranil Wickremesinghe
| term_start3 = 14 October 2015
| term_end3 = 25 February 2018
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 = Kabir Hashim
| office4 = Minister of Plantation Industries
| president4 = Maithripala Sirisena
| primeminister4 = Ranil Wickremesinghe
| term_start4 = 12 January 2015
| term_end4 = 17 August 2015
| predecessor4 = Mahinda Samarasinghe
| successor4 =
| president5 = Chandrika Kumaratunga
| primeminister5 = Ranil Wickremesinghe
| term_start5 = 12 December 2001
| term_end5 = 2 April 2004
| predecessor5 =
| successor5 =
| constituency_MP6 = Kandy District
| parliament6 = Sri Lankan
| majority6 =
| term_start6 = 1989
| term_end6 = 24 September 2024
| predecessor6 =
| successor6 =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|02|02|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Sri Lankan
| party = Samagi Jana Balawegaya
United National Party
| otherparty = Sri Lanka Freedom Party {{small|(1989–2001)}}
| occupation =
| spouse = Charmaine née Jayawardena
| partner =
| relations =
| children = 3 (Including Chamindrani Kiriella)
| residence = Pelawatta
| alma_mater = Royal College, Colombo
| profession = Lawyer
| rank =
| branch =
| unit =
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| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Lakshman Bandara Kiriella, (born 2 February 1948) is a Sri Lankan politician and lawyer. He is a former Member of Parliament from the Kandy District and former Leader of the House of the Parliament. He has also held office as Minister of Public Enterprises and Kandy Development and as Minister of Higher Education and Highways from 2015 to 2019.
Educated at Royal College, Colombo and Sri Lanka Law College, he became a practicing lawyer before entering politics. He has elected to Parliament in 1989, he has been a Member ever since. He has served as the Minister of Tourism and Sports and the Deputy minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2015, he was appointed as the Leader of the House of the United National Party government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/07/18/kiriella-speaks/|title=Kiriella Speaks {{!}} The Sunday Leader|last=Wickrematunge|first=Raisa|website=The Sunday Leader|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-07}}
He is married to Charmaine Jayawardena and they have two daughters, Kishanee and Chamindrani Kiriella, and one son, Dinuk L. B.
In October 2018, the Asgiriya Chapter of Siam Nikaya conferred the title of Shasanamamaka Jana Prasadini on Kiriella, in recognition of his service to Buddhism and society.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/10/22/local/166199/shasanamamaka-jana-prasadini-title-minister-kiriella|title=Shasanamamaka Jana Prasadini title for Minister Kiriella|newspaper=The Daily News|date=22 October 2018|access-date=22 October 2018}}
Controversies
=[[E04 expressway (Sri Lanka)|Central Expressway]] Construction=
Central expressway of Sri Lanka (E04 expressway) planned to construct in four phases to link Kadawatha to Kandy. However, the construction of phase one and phase three were delayed as Chinese and Japanese loans weren't receiving on time. Phase two of the project (Mirigama to Katugastota) funded by the Sri Lankan government and construction carrying out by local constructors. There are some allegations that phase two construction carrying out by companies attached to Kiriella.{{Cite web|url=https://visitsrilanka.com/news/the-tale-of-lakshman-kiriella-the-sinners-trying-to-destroy-the-expressway-project/|title=The tale of Lakshman Kiriella the sinners trying to destroy the expressway project - VisitSriLanka.com|last=Lanka|first=Visit Sri|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-06}}{{Cite web|url=http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/55917|title=Cabinet Colleagues In Heated Argument With Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella Over Potuhera to Galagedara Construction in Central Expressway Project|last=Administrator|date=2017-10-16|website=dbsjeyaraj.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-06}} COPE decided to investigate tender procedure of central expressway project due to allegations of misappropriation of public funds.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hirunews.lk/171791/cope-investigates-central-expressway-tender|title=COPE investigates Central Expressway tender|website=Hiru News|language=en|access-date=2019-12-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2017/09/20/ags-department-investigate-central-expressway-tender-process/173061/|title=AG's Dept to investigate central expressway tender process - Sri Lanka Latest News|date=2017-09-20|website=Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst|language=en|access-date=2019-12-06}} And MP. Anura Kumara Dissanayake mentioned in parliament recalling a statement by former president Maithripala Sirisena that tender procedures has been violated while offering contracts.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Central-Expressway-s-construction-work-will-go-ahead-PM/108-136267|title=Central Expressway's construction work will go ahead: PM|website=www.dailymirror.lk|language=en|access-date=2019-12-06}} Responding to media, minister of parliament Wimal Weerawansa blamed that former minister Kiriella and his daughter converted central expressway project into their money making venture.{{Citation|title=Central Expressway Project : The new money-maker for MPs and Ministers?| date=4 September 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84i2cyPOcOU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/84i2cyPOcOU |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-12-06}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/09/04/central-expressway-project-the-new-money-maker-for-mps-and-ministers/|title=Central Expressway Project : The new money-maker for MPs and Ministers? - Sri Lanka Latest News|date=2019-09-04|website=Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst|language=en|access-date=2019-12-06}}
=Recruiting Political Supporters to RDA=
Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing corruption in good governance (Yahapalana) government conducted inquiry on backdoor appointments given by former minister to UNP supporters. He was accused for recruiting UMP members as public liaison officers and consultants to the Road Development Authority (RDA) without conducting interviews, checking qualifications and assigning duties.{{Cite web|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=211127|title=Minister Kiriella justifies backdoor appointments for party supporters|last=Kuruwita|first=Rathindra|date=24 September 2019|website=www.island.lk|access-date=2019-12-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://srilankabrief.org/2016/07/minister-kiriellas-deception-exposed/|title=Minister Kiriella's Deception Exposed {{!}} Sri Lanka Brief|date=23 July 2016|website=Sri Lanka Brief|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-07}} Former minister denied allegations that those recruitments cost Rs. 62.87 million to government.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100324200248/http://www.parliament.lk/directory_of_members/ViewMember.do?memID=75 Biographies of Member of Parliament]
- [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/rcob.html Right Royal rally of old Royalists in the Sri Lanka Parliament]
{{Sri Lankan Sports ministers}}
{{Members of 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 11th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 15th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka}}
{{Members of the Sri Lankan Parliament from Kandy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kiriella, Lakshman}}
Category:Sports ministers of Sri Lanka
Category:Samagi Jana Balawegaya politicians
Category:United National Party politicians
Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo
Category:Alumni of Sri Lanka Law College
Category:Members of the 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 11th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 15th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Category:Higher education ministers of Sri Lanka
{{CentralLK-politician-stub}}