Clifford Ratwatte
Clifford Senaka Ratwatte was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Food, Co-operatives and Fisheries in 1964 Member of Parliament for Balangoda, Chairman of the State Plantations Corporation and the Sri Lanka Tea Board.
Early life
Ratwatte was born to a prominent Radala family, who were descended from Ratwatte Dissawa, Dissawa of Matale, a signatory on behalf of the Sinhalese to the Kandyan Convention of 1815. Ratwatte was born on 19 March 1927 in Balangoda, one of six children to Barnes Ratwatte Dissawa and Rosalind Mahawelatenne Kumarihamy, daughter of Mahawalatenne Rate Mahatmaya of Balangoda. His eldest sister was Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who was the 7th Prime Minister of Ceylon and the modern world's first female head of government.Ratwatte had his primary school education at St. Agnus’ Convent in Balangoda and his secondary school education at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. He married a distant cosine, Mallika Ellawala and began his career as a tea planter in Balangoda.
Political career
In 1954 he was elected as a Councillor to the Balangoda Town Council. In 1957 he became the president of the Balangoda Urban Council until he resigned in 1968.Ratwatte was elected to Parliament in March 1960, from the Balangoda electorate. He was subsequently re-elected at the general election in July. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. However, he was unseated in 1965 in an election petition. His wife Mallika Ellawala Ratwatte contested his seat in the by-election in 1966 and won and was re-elected in 1970. But was defeated in 1977.