He added that statues of leaders are erected in order to appreciate their exemplary personal qualities and leadership and many leaders of that era had such qualities and were great leaders.

President made these remarks addressing a ceremony held yesterday in Borella  to unveil the statue of late Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake and to rename the General Cemetery junction. The event was participated by the religious representatives, Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, ministers, and MPs.

President Maithripala Sirisena unveiled the statue of late Prime Minister Senanayake and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe renamed the junction as Dudley Senanayake Junction.

Born on 19 June 1911, Dudley Shelton Senanayake became the second Prime Minister of Sri Lanka after the death of his father (First Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake). He went on to become Prime Minister two more times. Dudley Senanayake received his secondary education at S. Thomas' College. He went on to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge to read for Natural Science Tripos and later was admitted to Middle Temple as a Barrister. He passed away on 13 April 1973.