Former Secretary General of Parliament and Ombudsman Sam Wijesinha passed away at the age of 93 last evening (Aug 31st) in Colombo.He also served as Chairman of the Human Task Force and the Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka.
Sam Wijesinha had a distinguished record of public service in a career spanning more than seven decades.Widely regarded as an accomplished and genial personalit Sam was considered as the ultimate authority on matters pertaining to Parliament and many matters of governance.
Sam Wijesinha hailed from Getamanna – a village located in the Hambantota District.
Being the youngest in a family of six, he received his early education at the village school in Getamanna. His father was a landed-proprietor D.A.S. Wijesinha.At nine, he joined Rahula College Matara. He was later educated at Ananda College and at S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia.
Wijesinha entered University College in 1941.He later passed his BA from the London University. Subsequently,he earned an LLM from McGill University, Canada with a specialization in civil aviation.He joined the Ceylon Law College, and also sat for the C. C. S. in 1945. After passing out as a Barrister-at-Law, he became a Crown Counsel in 1948.
He served in the Attorney General’s Department until he became clerk of the House of Representatives in 1964.
In 1972, under the new Constitution, he was appointed Secretary to the National State Assembly, and thereafter appointed Secretary General of Parliament in 1978.
He retired in 1981 and just six weeks later, was appointed as the first Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsmen). He served in this capacity for 10 years and retired for the second time in 1991 at the age of 70.He was later appointed Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Committee of the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka.
Sam Wijesinha married Mukta Wickramesingh the sister of Anglican Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe and Esmond Wickremesinghe father of Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in 1948.
Sam Wijesinha was the father of three, Medical doctor and Army officer Dr.Sanjeeva, Economist Anila and Member of Parliament &Academic Prof. Rajiva.
Last month the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka honoured Wijesinha with the Sepala Gunasena 2013 Award for defending press freedom in Sri Lanka. The prestigious award bestowed in memory of the late publisher of Independent Newspapers Ltd, was given to Mr.Sam Wijesinhafor his steadfast promotion of self regulation within the print media since 2003 and his consistent support for media freedom.