Sri Lanka’s cynical and jaded political culture experienced yet another first, or what feels like a first as far back as the mind can conceivably reach into the dismal annals of political yore.
Politicians making good on promises is rare. Even rarer is politicians making good on promises to resign when accused of what they are generally accustomed to being accused of. Rarer still is politicians resigning without any such public, societal pressure to do so, when they have not been directly implicated, in order to pave the way for an independent investigation into matters connected thereto. Rarest of the rare however is when all of this concerns government or ruling party politicians.
This is however what has happened.
Coconut, Kithul, and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing and Export Diversification State Minister Arundika Fernando has resigned.
The initial reports concerned the use of a vehicle belonging to the Coconut Development Authority (CDA) and the involvement of a driver attached to the said authority in an incident involving a pre-dawn attack on the male hostel of the University of Kelaniya’s Medical Faculty in Ragama and the assault of students therein, which had led to the hospitalisation of several students and one of the assailants, and the confiscation of a vehicle in which the group of attackers had arrived in.
Upon receipt of this information, Fernando told the media that he would not hesitate to take disciplinary action, upon the conclusion of an inquiry, against any officer connected to the state ministry or line institutions coming under the same for any involvement in the incident or of the same concerning anyone connected to him.
Going a step further, he said that if he is accused of direct involvement in or possessing prior knowledge of the incident, he would resign if a probe finds him guilty.
Hence, he requested the President to conduct a fair probe into the matter.
Subsequently, it came to light that State Minister Fernando’s son Avinda Randula Jehan Fernando had surrendered to the Police in connection with the incident and has since been presented before an identification parade, and remanded along with several others till today (7).
The incident itself, which according to the Police is believed to be the result of the intervention of a third party into an internecine clash between two undergrad medical students factions, is not newsworthy and would most certainly not have received the kind of attention it has if not for the involvement of a high-profile figure’s progeny. State Minister Fernando claims that one of those assaulted is a friend of his son who had sought help from the latter who had then arrived, according to the State Minister, together with five others including two drivers, in two vehicles (with the son travelling in the second vehicle), with the first vehicle being one obtained from the CDA.
Arundika Fernando, while rightfully chalking up the incident to youthful folly and not approving or justifying the same, has however admitted that it was wrong for the CDA vehicle to be used for the purpose.
He added that upon the Police informing him of his son’s involvement, he had himself taken his son to the Police.
The State Minister then elaborated that he had met the President in this regard and informed the latter that since someone could feel that him continuing to remain a State Minister, while the matter is being probed, would or could influence the investigation, he would step down until the completion of the said probe.
He further mentioned that he hopes that he would be given the opportunity to serve in the position via reinstatement in the post of State Minister in the event the inquiry finds him to be innocent of any involvement.
Certain quarters privy to political goings on have noted that there was much behind the scenes pressure exerted upon the State Minister including in no uncertain terms by and on the part of the so called “One Country, One Law” President himself for Fernando to resign (with the State Minister himself acknowledging the difficult position this situation has placed the President in).
Regardless, in a country that has no culture of resignation on the part of politicians (and yes, one need not look too far back into the past as certain prisons and prisoners related incidents involving the incumbent Gem and Jewellery-Related Industries State Minister Lohan Ratwatte and his resignation from the Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation state ministerial portfolio which came only in the wake of intense social and political pressure, comes to mind and would suffice to illustrate the point), Fernando being the exception to the norm, regardless of the circumstances – be they entirely or only partially volitional or non-volitional, is welcome, certainly praiseworthy, and a sight for sore eyes.
However, certain Opposition politicians, while praising the purported ordering of Fernando to step down, have raised concerns of familiar double standards, specifically querying as to why the same has not been asked and done in the case of the controversial criminal enterprise and unofficial militia, the Avant Garde Security Services (Pvt.) Ltd. company, and specifically its Chairman and presidential crony, Nissanka Senadhipathi, whose company employees have been implicated in the recent eggy attack on a political rally of the Opposition’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power. Is it because, some muse, in the high stakes world of politics, one party is more personally and/or politically expendable while the other is less so?
In the end, one must not forget that values and principles, and morality and ethics, of both individuals and political entities, are governed by many imperatives including those ranging from financial to non-monetary such as familial bonds, white collar power and blue collar influence, and also subject to the gamut of human nature, and in this case of Fernando’s resignation and Senadhipathi’s non-resignation, the temerity of vainglory on a personal level, and on a public level, the perpetual fate of abject resignation to the (a)pathetic state of political affairs within the country.Rare resignation, welcome precedent
06 Feb 2022
Rare resignation, welcome precedent
06 Feb 2022
Sri Lanka’s cynical and jaded political culture experienced yet another first, or what feels like a first as far back as the mind can conceivably reach into the dismal annals of political yore.
Politicians making good on promises is rare. Even rarer is politicians making good on promises to resign when accused of what they are generally accustomed to being accused of. Rarer still is politicians resigning without any such public, societal pressure to do so, when they have not been directly implicated, in order to pave the way for an independent investigation into matters connected thereto. Rarest of the rare however is when all of this concerns government or ruling party politicians.
This is however what has happened.
Coconut, Kithul, and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing and Export Diversification State Minister Arundika Fernando has resigned.
The initial reports concerned the use of a vehicle belonging to the Coconut Development Authority (CDA) and the involvement of a driver attached to the said authority in an incident involving a pre-dawn attack on the male hostel of the University of Kelaniya’s Medical Faculty in Ragama and the assault of students therein, which had led to the hospitalisation of several students and one of the assailants, and the confiscation of a vehicle in which the group of attackers had arrived in.
Upon receipt of this information, Fernando told the media that he would not hesitate to take disciplinary action, upon the conclusion of an inquiry, against any officer connected to the state ministry or line institutions coming under the same for any involvement in the incident or of the same concerning anyone connected to him.
Going a step further, he said that if he is accused of direct involvement in or possessing prior knowledge of the incident, he would resign if a probe finds him guilty.
Hence, he requested the President to conduct a fair probe into the matter.
Subsequently, it came to light that State Minister Fernando’s son Avinda Randula Jehan Fernando had surrendered to the Police in connection with the incident and has since been presented before an identification parade, and remanded along with several others till today (7).
The incident itself, which according to the Police is believed to be the result of the intervention of a third party into an internecine clash between two undergrad medical students factions, is not newsworthy and would most certainly not have received the kind of attention it has if not for the involvement of a high-profile figure’s progeny. State Minister Fernando claims that one of those assaulted is a friend of his son who had sought help from the latter who had then arrived, according to the State Minister, together with five others including two drivers, in two vehicles (with the son travelling in the second vehicle), with the first vehicle being one obtained from the CDA.
Arundika Fernando, while rightfully chalking up the incident to youthful folly and not approving or justifying the same, has however admitted that it was wrong for the CDA vehicle to be used for the purpose.
He added that upon the Police informing him of his son’s involvement, he had himself taken his son to the Police.
The State Minister then elaborated that he had met the President in this regard and informed the latter that since someone could feel that him continuing to remain a State Minister, while the matter is being probed, would or could influence the investigation, he would step down until the completion of the said probe.
He further mentioned that he hopes that he would be given the opportunity to serve in the position via reinstatement in the post of State Minister in the event the inquiry finds him to be innocent of any involvement.
Certain quarters privy to political goings on have noted that there was much behind the scenes pressure exerted upon the State Minister including in no uncertain terms by and on the part of the so called “One Country, One Law” President himself for Fernando to resign (with the State Minister himself acknowledging the difficult position this situation has placed the President in).
Regardless, in a country that has no culture of resignation on the part of politicians (and yes, one need not look too far back into the past as certain prisons and prisoners related incidents involving the incumbent Gem and Jewellery-Related Industries State Minister Lohan Ratwatte and his resignation from the Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation state ministerial portfolio which came only in the wake of intense social and political pressure, comes to mind and would suffice to illustrate the point), Fernando being the exception to the norm, regardless of the circumstances – be they entirely or only partially volitional or non-volitional, is welcome, certainly praiseworthy, and a sight for sore eyes.
However, certain Opposition politicians, while praising the purported ordering of Fernando to step down, have raised concerns of familiar double standards, specifically querying as to why the same has not been asked and done in the case of the controversial criminal enterprise and unofficial militia, the Avant Garde Security Services (Pvt.) Ltd. company, and specifically its Chairman and presidential crony, Nissanka Senadhipathi, whose company employees have been implicated in the recent eggy attack on a political rally of the Opposition’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power. Is it because, some muse, in the high stakes world of politics, one party is more personally and/or politically expendable while the other is less so?
In the end, one must not forget that values and principles, and morality and ethics, of both individuals and political entities, are governed by many imperatives including those ranging from financial to non-monetary such as familial bonds, white collar power and blue collar influence, and also subject to the gamut of human nature, and in this case of Fernando’s resignation and Senadhipathi’s non-resignation, the temerity of vainglory on a personal level, and on a public level, the perpetual fate of abject resignation to the (a)pathetic state of political affairs within the country.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!