By Gamini Jayaweera –
“Credibility, like virginity, can only be lost once and never recovered.” – Charley Reese
Mr Harin Fernando, MP from the Samagi Janabalawegaya Party (SJB) has now become a cabinet minister in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party (SLPP) government headed by the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He has claimed that the reason for his change of mind and joining the Rajapakse government is to save the country from its current political and economic crisis. Harin Fernando was an up-and-coming young MP in the SJB before joining the Rajapaksa regime. It is important to highlight Harin’s political position to find out whether his claim for joining the Rajapakse regime is credible or not.
Most politicians and the public have considered this young MP as a “loose cannon” because of his erratic behaviour and the short temper he has exhibited during his political career. When he is angry, the use of foul language and his undignified behaviour as a public figure inside and outside the Parliament is shameful and disgraceful. Most recently the public has witnessed the use of his foul language against a father figure like Field Marshal and the Chairman of the SJB, Sarath Fonseka over some minor disagreement. But despite Harin’s questionable conduct, he has somehow managed to convince the public that he is worthy of representing them in Parliament by winning his seat in two general elections. In the last (2020) general election he was awarded a seat in the Parliament as an elected member of the SJB by its Leader Sajith Premadasa.
For the last few years Harin has been very critical of the Rajapaksa clan for mis-using public funds and the way they were governing our country. The day after he and the other deserter of the SJB, Manusha Nanayakkara were chased out by the protestors near the Parliament, Harin stated that he was going to sleep and spend his time at the Galle Face to support the young people who were demonstrating against President Rajapakse. The main demand of these young people at the “GotaGoGama” is that Gota must go before they have any discussions with the government to end their campaign. Harin wholeheartedly then supported the demands of the young people to implement a “system change” to end the corrupt policies practiced by majority of the old politicians. If so, isn’t it fair and reasonable to question the credibility of Harin’s change of mind to join the Rajapaksa regime?
Harin has demanded eight conditions to be fulfilled by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe before the two of them take up the ministerial positions in the Rajapakse regime. The reply from the Prime Minister has not given any concrete undertakings to almost all the demands requested by Harin. The way Ranil has drafted his response is in a manner which fails to provide any indication of a time frame to implement any or all those eight demands.
Harin’s Demands
For the main demand that Gota must go, Ranil says he will hold discussions with the party leaders over the matter and he will agree to a decision by the majority of parliament. What is patently obvious even to a small child is that the majority decision will always be in favour of the President, since the SLPP still enjoys the majority in the parliament, unless there is a big crossover of MPs from the SLPP to the Opposition. Is Harin expecting SLPP MPs to cross over during the coming three months to oust the President? Has Harin not witnessed the fate of SJB’s female nominee for the post of Deputy Speaker? Is it credible for Harin to join the Rajapakse regime at the request of Ranil who himself has also voted with the SLPP to defeat the SJB’s female candidate? Isn’t there a credibility gap in Harin’s previously expressed thoughts and his current decision making?
Bringing the people who are responsible for the Easter attack to justice, the Prime Minister says an independent police investigation is underway. He does not say anything about What has happened to the Report produced by the Special Commission set up by the former President. I wonder whether Harin or any other Member of Parliament can rely on independent police investigations on any recent incidents because it appears that the police has been politicised by the Rajapakse regime during the last three years.
It is evident from the statement made by the Inspector General of the Police that out of the 184 Police officers appointed to the post of Officer-In-Charge (OIC) during the period of 1 January 2021 to 3 November 2021, by the Rajapaksa regime, a total of 120 had not even appeared for an interview. He further he stated that three officers who participated in the interview and were not recommended for the post of OIC, had subsequently been appointed to the post. Can any decent person join a regime which practices illegal, unethical, and a deceptive way of politicising the country’s law enforcing body? Is it fair to say that the politicians who join and support that kind of a regime have sold their principles and credibility in hasty and ungentlemanly exchanges for ministerial positions?
Harin Meeting The President
After taking oaths as a Minister in the Rajapaksa regime, Harin addressing a media conference with Manusha, stated that he did not even look at President Gotabaya when he accepted the ministerial appointment in utter disgust. But within hours there were photographs in the newspapers showing Harin with a big warm smile on his face looking directly at a smiling President, while receiving his ministerial appointment papers from the President. How can a person shamelessly and unconscionably tell such a big lie in an effort to cheat the public in order to get their support for his underhand deal with the ruling party to become a Minister? Can the public believe you for what you have said in the recent past and what you are saying now? This shameless act reminds me of a famous Sinhala proverb which says that “ලැජ්ජා නැතිකම මහමුදලි කමටත් වැඩිය ලොකුයිලු” (“Being shameless is worse than getting the post of Muddliarship”). This clearly describes how some opportunist politicians sell their moral values for political gains. Is it fair for us to thus assert that Harin has lost his credibility?
Harin and The “Deal Agent”
Most of the population is demonstrating against the whole Rajapakse family for the mismanagement of the economy which has led to extreme hardships especially for the poor and middle-class families. They are demanding that the President and his government must resign and hand over power to an interim government led by the members from all other parties. Instead, it appears that the desperate and confused President Gotabaya Rajapakse has done a “secret deal” with the “Deal Agent”, Ranil Wickramasinghe and appointed him as the Prime Minister, a person who has been rejected by the people during the last general election. In return Wickramasinghe has appointed some same old politicians who served in the last SLPP cabinet but merely changing their portfolios, like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. In utter desperation, as no other party members are willing to serve in a government led by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe cleverly persuaded Harin and Manusha from the SJB to join his cabinet. This reminds me of the late President of the USA, Ronald Regan’s estimation of the opportunistic politicians’ behaviour, who bury their principles to join another party.
“Someone once said that politics is the second-oldest profession. I’m beginning to think it bears resemblance to the first.” – Ronald Regan
Conclusion
The Aragalaya” has been organised and conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner by very concerned, selfless, and patriotic young people who are demonstrating to change the corrupt system established and finetuned over the years and practiced by the same old politicians in our country. It appears that Harin has betrayed not only the “Aragalaya” but also his party and his political principles. By doing so, has Harin lost his credibility and honour for supporting a corrupt regime and its leaders to continue the same old practices? No wonder then the President’s media unit has released the photo with the President and Harin together to expose Harin’s double standards. I conclude this brief article with the following verse written by a well-known Buddhist priest in the past to remind all those people who support and enable immoral and corrupt regimes to continue their illegal and unethical activities at the expense of destroying our beloved country.
දියෙයි යන දණ්ඩට
පිහිටක් වෙතත් පෙර සිට
දුදනන් හට පිහිට
නොවව් යන බස සැබෑ කලෙ මට
(Although it is deemed fit to rescue a drifting plank in the water, I am convinced that that one should not support immoral and corrupt people at any time)
RBH59 / May 23, 2022
Has Harin Fernando Lost His Credibility?
Because of the aragalaya power it was forced to resign and Ranil got any move is filled with secrets
and he wantes and Ranil wants to justify his move, and now Harin says if Basil pulls by the leg he return so he him self is in doubt that signals double minded The worst enemy to credibility is self-doubt
/
Dinuk / May 23, 2022
Harin Fernando is an American asset and brianless. He spread the US FBI story that the Master Mind of the CIA’s ISIS claimed Easter Sunday Bombing in 2019 which targeted Chinese owned Shangi-La Hotel was an Internet BOT named “Sonic Sonic”!!
Sonic is the code name, a front for the American-ISIS “Mullahs on the Mainframe” from Rand corporation. The FBI has removed the Easter Bomber’s cell phones pretending to be assisting the investigation but actually to cover up the real fellow agency culprits and deleted the data and came up with Bot Sonic – sound waves for- Harin Fernando who is a Moron to swallow and then parrot that story in the Parliament of clowns and morons!!.. Harin and Manushya are American assets in the Sri Lankan Parliament, like Ranil Wickramasinghe is Washington’s Manchurian Candidate to sell the IMF narrative and the US hedge Funds asset stripping of Lanka to the public!
/
Dinuk / May 23, 2022
Also he has been appointed Minister of Lands and tourism to hand over all the coastal lands and islands – from Mannar, Kalpitiya, in the West and Eravur in the East to foreign entities to monitor and surveille the Indian Ocean Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) .
He is to promote US Digital and physical colonialism, occupation and asset stripping of Lands which was planned under the MCC project.
Harin Fernando is a very dangerous fool and US puppet!
/
Ajith / May 23, 2022
Even Mahinda, Gotabaya and his family told us that they are the only people who are patriotic to this country and all others are just animals. It is also applicable to Harin Fernando. If he does n’t join the ministry, Sri Lanka is out. It is pathetic that Tamils in Tamil nadu to feed Sri Lankan Sinhalese. Not a single Sinhalese diaspora who came to vote for Gotabaya bothered about fellow Sri Lankans are suffering for their meal.
/
Eagle Eye / May 23, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Eagle Eye / May 24, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
old codger / May 24, 2022
“In the last (2020) general election he was awarded a seat in the Parliament as an elected member of the SJB by its Leader Sajith Premadasa.”
He wasn’t awarded a seat. He won it. There is a difference, you know.
/
MyView / May 23, 2022
Dear GJ,
I am indeed not surprised you left out the other scumbug, Manusha from the analysis. Possibly that would require too much space to list his crossovers.
/
Captain Morgan / May 23, 2022
It was a big betrayal of the ‘Aragalaya’ when Ranil Wickremasinghe accepted the prime minister post in this if not illegal, at least morally bankrupt government. Now I am shocked and appalled by the action of the two renegades Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara. Most people had a good opinion of both of them but now they have shown their true colours. This shows that you just cannot trust any politician!
/
Sinhala_Man / May 24, 2022
Dear Captain Morgan,
.
You know me to the extent that you have, in times past, commented favourably on what I have said.
.
You have said, “This shows that you just cannot trust any politician!”
.
I freely exchange views with people whom I meet. Many are deplorably reticent themselves, but many say that all politicians are crooks. I myself have voted for Harin Fernando, but I wouldn’t now.
.
It’s a worldwide problem that young people don’t vote. That is the response of the lazy. Please don’t provide justification for such action.
.
I find the three NPP members in Parliament, and others like Harsha de Silva and Shanikyan Rasamanikkam excellent people.
.
Panini Edirisinhe
/
leelagemalli / May 24, 2022
CM/
I consider Harin as maverick politician. Same should be the case with Manusha, albeit his former boundless with mlechcha Mahinda animilistc politics. These both are rich long before they entered politics.They might have thought need of the hour is to do something for nation because the danger before the country/ nation was deliberately kept away by Cabral the stupid man who emptied the central bank reserves irrespective of the repeated warnings made by Dr De Silva and honourable Eran wickramaratne. All these are public secret. And Akd s utopia is no longer incomprehensible to anyone with sanity at this critical turning point of the country.🐃😎😶🤔🐃🐃😎🐃😎🐃😎🐃
/
leelagemalli / May 24, 2022
His former boundness to MR Mr mlechcha politics
/
SarathP / May 23, 2022
If Harin said he would serve without ministerial salary and perks, he could have retained some credibility.
/
old codger / May 24, 2022
Haven’t these new ministers said they wouldn’t take ministerial salaries?
/
Eagle Eye / May 23, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Sinhala_Man / May 23, 2022
I have met this guy a couple of times and he’s a great talker. That he was extremely popular in the Badulla District up to about five years ago is true. It is also said that he is no longer in a position to contest in this District.
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harin_Fernando
.
I’m not going to say more without checking. However, this much I know; he knows how to say things without meaning any of it. The first time that I met him he was the Chief Guest at the Uva Thomian (Bandarawela vs Gurutalawa) cricket match. He said that his own alma mater, S. Joseph’s was very much second to S. Thomas’. Weren’t all the spectators ecstatic!
.
Next he visited the Bandarawela School, with Ranil Wickremasinghe, in January 2017, the 75th Anniversary of the school of which I’m an Old Boy. The school, is one of four privately administered by a Board of Governors. It had tried to get the government to build a swimming pool, but had failed. Harin made a rousing speech in which he pledged one million rupees of his own money to start the fund.
.
Tbc
/
Raj-UK / May 23, 2022
Aren’t all these current politicians shameless self-serving opportunists?
Isn’t this the guy who boasted that he was aware of the Easter bomb threat but didn’t do anything about it? He didn’t go to church but did he at least warn the cardinal of an impending disaster? He was stupid enough to shoot himself in the foot by his boasts, so what more is needed to confirm him as just another stupid yob? Did he have any credibility at all?
/
Eagle Eye / May 24, 2022
Raj-UK,
“He didn’t go to church…”
—-
According to my information none of the Catholic MPs or their relatives went to Church on Easter Sunday. If this is true, why they did not go to Church?
Can someone name any Catholic MP who went to Church on that day?
/
Raj-UK / May 25, 2022
Eagle Eye
As usual, you are missing the point in order to defend punks & yobs who bum suck your heroes. This guy said that his old man warned him from his hospital bed against going to church on Easter Sunday. Whether he is a regular church goer or not or if none of the other politicians also did not or do not go to church, is immaterial. This stupid yob said in public that he was aware of the impending disaster but actually did nothing. That’s the point.
Why don’t you take break from carrying the flag for the Rajapakses & their cronies? As the saying goes, birds of a feather stick together & by defending these punks, you are confirming that you are one of them as well.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 23, 2022
Continuing
.
About a year later, at an OBA ExCo meeting I asked the Headmaster, Rev, Christopher Balraj, (don’t be misled by the prefix; he’s not a man to be trusted, either!) what had happened to the million. “Oh, that was to come when work was started.”
.
At St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road, Maradana, he was my son-in-law’s classmate for four years. That seemed a natural way to introduce myself, and Harin acknowledged it. Subsequently my s-i-l has told me that whilst true, they were never close friends.
.
Our entire society is rotten to the core. If you want to know how badly our Thomian Schools are administered, please put these two words in your Google browser and see what I have exposed : “Thomian Pharisees”. As a country we get what we deserve because few have the courage, or the foolhardiness, to speak out.
.
I thank the nine who have commented so far; like them, I, too, use a pseudonym, but to enhance the credibility of what I say, I often give my identity, and if you google as suggested, you will even see my photograph.
.
Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela (NIC 483111444V)
/
Sinhala_Man / May 24, 2022
Dear Mr Gamini Jayaweera,
.
There are many things that I don’t know, but I want to take responsibility for what I say. For starters, I don’t know you.
.
You tell us a lot about yourself here:
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/american-hypocrisy-chinese-autocracy-sri-lankan-lunacy/
.
I’ve looked at other articles by you as well, and find that I have commented on them. Despite the fact that you have lived in England for many years, much of what you say is valid.
.
I’ve listened to almost two hours of Harin, virtually live:
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCUqI6RUHTs
That has been last night; it is I many hours after I submitted my other comments, which have yet to come on.
.
If these are the people whom we pick as leaders, our country will slide even more.
/
Black Lankan / May 24, 2022
Harin is a shameless AH. I once thoght that he is a great Sinhala patriot stnding for justice and fair play. The way this fellow attacked Gota and the way he humiliated, I thoght a graet patriot is born in SL. Now only I realise that he is another shameless, oppotunistic, greedy, power hungry Sinhala politician ever ready to cheat the foolish sinhala people. But this idiot did not realise that people are changing. The young ,educated, enlightened sinhla youth is entirely different. These type of rascals wont survive for long. The total loser, slimy Ranil appropriately apponted this Harin nariya as minister of tourism when there are no tourist and nariya Ranil informed foreign media asking the tourist not to come to SL. Now it looks that even this slimy Ranil has walked into a good trap. Gota has refused for the 21st ammendment. So wait and see what this slimy Nariya is going to do. But being a shamless soul he may hang on until being kicked out.
/
Mevan / May 26, 2022
Harin has shown that he is not only shameless but very shallow. He has lost all credibility and will never be able to win a seat again. Unlike in the past, the young “facebook”” generation in Sri Lanka are politically savvy and would have seen Harin for what he is – another political opportunist. This is the end of the political road for him
/
Thanga / May 27, 2022
This is the curse in Sri Lankan politics. You need a party to win the elections and then when elected you jump ship, The protesters at Galle Face have failed to send a strong message to these two turncoats.
It is said that a scoundrel’s last refuge is patriotism. Likewise saving the country from the current crisis is the excuse they both give.
The claim that Harid won the election, but the people primarily voted for the party. If not for the party nomination and the symbol he would not have entered parliament.
/