Colombo Central Electorate (three member seat) in parliament and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Social Services, T. B. Jayah. In May 1948, he succeeded Senerat Gunewardene as Minister without Portfolio and Chief Government Whip, when Gunewardene was unseated in an election petition. From July 1948, he received the portfolio of Minister of State and served until April 1952. He contested the 1952 parliamentary election and polled fourth in Colombo Central, losing his seat in parliament. Ambassador to Burma and Indonesia In 1954, he was appointed Ceylon's Ambassador to Burma and Indonesia succeeding Sir Velupillai Coomaraswamy, where he served till 1956 when he returned to Ceylon to contest the 1956 parliamentary election and polled sixth in Colombo Central. Death and legacy A. E. Gunasinha; prominent freedom fighter, social worker, advocate of the poor, politician and trade union leader is remembered today as the father of the country's Trade Union Movement. This national hero died on 1 August 1967, and was carried through the streets of Colombo by workers, to the cemetery, where he was laid to rest in peace. Gunasinha's devoted disciple and follower, the President Ranasinghe Premadasa, converted Price Park and the environment in Pettah, as "Gunasinhapura" as a tribute to this leader of the workers. Price Park was where Gunasinha and held the trade union and political meetings led by him, and where large crowds gathered to listen to the eloquent speeches of Gunasinha and other contemporary leaders. This area is now renamed as "Gunasinha Park". As a mark of honour; his statue has been erected at the entrance to Gunasinha, depicting him with a hammer in hand breaking rock stones for Civil Disobedience in not paying Poll Tax. This statue is garlanded every May Day. See also List of Sri Lankan non-career diplomats References 1891 births 1967 deaths Alumni of Dharmaraja College Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Indonesia Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Myanmar Chief Government Whips (Sri Lanka) Mayors of Colombo Members of the 1st Parliament of Ceylon Members of the 1st State Council of Ceylon Members of the 2nd State Council of Ceylon Parliamentary secretaries of Ceylon Politicians from Kandy Prisoners and detainees of British Ceylon Sinhalese politicians Sri Lankan prisoners and detainees Sri Lankan trade unionists Ceylon Labour Party politicians