Statue of NU coming up

By Himal Kotelawala

State land has been allocated to erect a statue of the late one-time Central Bank Governor N.U. Jayawardene opposite where he lived at Thurstan Road, Colombo 7.

Former Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner Dr. Jayantha Liyanage confirmed that the proposal was approved by Western Province Chief Minister Reginald Cooray two weeks ago.

The proposal was brought by the N. U. Jayawardena Foundation headed by the late Governor's grandson Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda.
President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga too had requested Dr. Liyanage to go ahead with erecting the statue and plans have already been drawn up by the CMC engineers, Dr. Liyanage said.

Mr Jayawardena, better known as ‘NUJ’ among the business sector and the public was the founder chairman of the Merc Group of Companies which includes the now defunct finance company, Mercantile Credit.Mr. Jayawardena passed away on March 25, 2002 at the age of 94. A stamp was issued at Temple Trees to mark his centenary on January 24 this year.