Governor of the Eastern Province, Austin Fernando on Wednesday rejected allegations leveled against him by the Eastern Province Chief Minister, Nazeer Ahamed who claimed that Fernando was undermining his authority.
Governor of the Eastern Province, Austin Fernando
“I have not done any such thing. I can’t imagine why he said that, as far as I am concerned we work together without issues, even though there maybe differences of opinion,” Fernando told the Colombo Telegraph.
His comments came after Ahamed accused Fernando of undermining his authority and also interfering with his duties. Ahmed also tried to defend his outburst at the Naval Officer, who was the compere at a school function at the Sampur Maha Vidyalaya last week, where he admonished the officer telling him to ‘get out, you idiot,’ by blaming the Governor for not knowing protocol and for not informing the compere that Ahamed was the Chief Minister.
“My job is not to introduce the Chief Minister to the compere,” Fernando said.
The Governor added that if the Chief Minister had a problem with him, then he should have taken up the matter with President Maithripala Sirisena, or made a complaint to the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Rauff Hakeem.
“But, that clearly was not the time and place to take it up. It was a school function and he should not have acted like that. If he had a problem with me, he could have made a complaint to President Maithripala Sirisena,” Fernando said.
According to Ahamed, he was not officially acknowledged by the compere, and when he had tried to get on stage after being invited by the governor, the compere had stopped him, and hence he had lost his temper. “The governor should have told the organizers I was the Chief Minister. It’s his fault,” he reportedly said.
The Governor went on to add that as in any provincial council, there can be differences of opinion between a Governor and the Chief Minister. “Even in our case if there was something I did not support, I would tell him so, and that is normal. But, you can’t go around acting like that,” Fernando added.
Meanwhile, Navy Commander Ravindra Wijegunaratne has requested Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi to take action against Ahamed for insulting the naval officer. Hettiarachchi had also met Sirisena to given him a detailed report about the incident, just before Sirisena’s departure to Japan for the G7 summit. ( By Munza Mushtaq © Colombo Telegraph)
WalaGemba Raja / May 26, 2016
The problem with our country is that we give undue reverence to politicians, prominence to clergy and unwanted attention to a military uniform. All this is blindly devoted patriotism that should be done away with. Over the years, the deterioration of everything in Sri Lanka is a result of politicizing or militarizing our establishment. Indiscipline is rife in every sphere. How could Mr. Austin Fernando claim that “I have not done any such thing. I can’t imagine why he said that, as far as I am concerned we work together without issues”. The issue is a good example that the CM was not invited and ‘allegedly’ discriminated. If these issues are resolved as claimed by Governor Fernando, then the correct thing for him to have done is to have called out Mr. Ahmed to step outside, and then to have amicably settles their differences before shaming the country in the presence of a foreign dignitary. Mr. Ahmed should also be sent on no pay leave until he learns basic etiquette, discipline and “protocol”. These Muslim politicians from the Eastern province think no end of themselves and expect everyone else to genuflect before them. We badly need a leader like Sir John Kothalawala who would have sealed their buttocks if caught behaving like peevish, petulant and incorrigible brats.
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Paul- Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 26, 2016
These Muslims in the east hijacked the CM position and the government from the Tamils who are still the largest community in the east, despite the killings and the large scale ethnic cleansing of Tamils in the east at the hands of the Muslim home guards the STF and the illegal Sinhalese settlers who were only settled by various Sinhalese governments in the past 50 years on stolen Tamil lands.
The TNA individually got the highest amount of votes and the largest amount of seats and should have been first asked to form a government, however these eastern Muslim SLMC instead of supporting the TNA hijacked the process forming an alliance with these illegal Sinhalese settlers and are now very busy marginalising the eastern Tamils who are the real owners of the east and busy stealing their lands as well the east for a future Salafist haven.
Due to their blind hatred for the Tamils,the Sinhalese are joining hands with these eastern Muslim to marginalise the eastern Tamil population but will very soon learn a good lesson.
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Peacefullankan / May 26, 2016
Who is this Nazeer ?
Who he thinks he is .. He has been betraying all the good muslim folks.
Where is that colombo young MP – who finds every hair in the bowl- has to take action against this bugger – Nazeer – he is even worst than that former MP who licked the bones of Rajaakshes for anything.
Being unable to behave on a stage. How can he represent good muslims… good respectful minority folks?
These men simply dont belong to conesensula politics. How dare they behave ? Man – the message being sent to the world is very bad…. even if current rulers are patient – they have to take actions against the kind of men like Nazeer promptly. Muslim ministers should make NAZEER very clear, … that he first has to learn to behave publicly then to work as chief minister… basta
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Celeo / May 26, 2016
Looks like the Governors of North & East provinces are acting like ‘Sinhala Viceroys’ all out to lord over the Subjects under their control more than the Elected Representative Chief Ministers of the respective provinces.
No Wonder one CM had to vent his anger against Sinhala Viceroy by reminding him about ‘Protocol’…LOL!
BTW, under what ‘Protocol’ did this Sinhala war criminal in uniform attend a school function along with the ‘Sinhala Viceroy’?
Most of the time this ‘Sinhala viceroy’ is seen with the Sinhala war criminals in uniform to remind others of their Power.
Well done the Eastern province CM… we respect your courage… ask these jokers to apologize for what they did to you…
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Henry / May 26, 2016
Shame! Shame! Disgrace! Disgrace! This video is enough evidence to punish and get ride of this Chief Minister. The way he was behaving and insulting a uniformed officer in public is really disgusting. Non would tolerate such bad behavior from the elected officials.
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Rohan / May 26, 2016
Even if the ‘person concerned’ had made a mistake, the CM should have had behaved professionally.
An open apology by the CM is in order.
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Bunjappu / May 26, 2016
How the bugger became the chief minister ?
Are people that stupid ?
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thrishu / May 26, 2016
It shows that the Chief Minister is an uneducated, uncultured, nincompoop that has no manners,and no idea of protocol or decent public behavior.
He is nothing but thinks that he is a Hitler; he believes that people voted him to become a demi-clay god. This is what happens when we have bird-brained of this elk as our political leaders.
President Sirisena please teach some manners and tolerance that you have so well cultivated and demonstrated by example to this Chief Minister from stone age. Failing your efforts, please lock him up and throw the key into Trincomalee Harbour
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Sama / May 26, 2016
Thrisu, this is the reality of our country – they have big mouths, but when it goes to do some work, it is really hard.. unlike the realities you experience in the UK .. and I experience in Germany – basics of the basics have long lost in such charactors. This man must make an apology for his behaviour. Else, he cant stay as a chief minister… even tamed animals would do the job well… but these idiots have failed.
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BBS Rep / May 26, 2016
Needless to say this is the outcome of overblown egos.
Both are at fault. Austin Fernando who tried to be the cynosure of the function and was petty minded in ignoring the need to introduce Ahamed. Nazeer Ahamed for his overreaction to the slight committed by the compere.
And now there is a third dimension. Hettiarachchi getting into the fray and taking action against Ahamed for dismissing his man unceremoniously.
Also the question that begs an explanation is what is a naval officer doing in a school function. Was it organised by the Navy. Or was the naval officer taking part in a civilian capacity. If so why is Hettiarachchi getting into such a fit.
What a clash of egos.
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Justice & Fairplay / May 26, 2016
BBS Rep, aren’t you trying to deflect the blame from its primary miscreant with your questions?
Isnt Hettiarachi justified in getting into such a fit? Was this a mere occurrence, a slip up? Was it so minimal?
The fact remains that men in the Public eye, paid with our tax money, CANNOT behave this way, whatever the time, wherever the place and definitely not in a school. Asking questions as to what the Naval Officer was doing there is irrelevant, senseless and neither here nor there.
The focus of all of us should be on the behavior of this Ahamed fellow. And in one voice we need to deride him for that and demand his removal.
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timbuttu / May 26, 2016
“” Asking questions as to what the Naval Officer was doing there is irrelevant, senseless and neither here nor there.””
ananda bakkamoena rabble rouser,
and if he was a tamil or white compere? Pathalaya Kotiya??
event activity- the appointment of marine was military might wagging tail.-primary relevance before you, booo.
kim jung un.
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Raja / May 26, 2016
Who is the bloody naval officer, paid servant of the people to stop the first citizen of Eastern province. Is it not an attitude of occupation army. Is that Hetti is thinking. Does this not indicate the war was against minorities and not against LTTE.
How can bloody officer determine where the CM can go or not go Can he tell that to Sinhalese CM. Will he dare to.
Long before LTTE Amirthalingam then opposition leader was man handled by an SI. He was promoted. No wonder LTTE was created. Now we want to create a jihad
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sach / May 26, 2016
It is organised by the Navy to donate a lab and school aid by the navy to school kids
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / May 26, 2016
It is only in northern and eastern provinces that the governers are coming into conflict with the Chief ministars. This is not happening in any of the other seven provinces, even if they were not ruled by the party in power. Therefore there is something radically wrong.
Governer appointed to a province should be a goodwill ambassador and not a viceroy. The behaviour of all the governers so far appointed to northern and eastern provinces go to prove that Sinhalese have not yet come out of their supremacist mindset in dealing with minorities.
Chandrakanthan the past chief minister of eastern province had made several complains against the governers of unnecessary interference in the conduct of affairs of the eastern provincial council. Now the present chief minister is also complaining of the same attitude.
Wigneswaran the chief minister of northern province has made several complains of the past and present governers of interference in their function and the way the government is tolerating it rouses suspicion that even the present government wants to sabotage power sharing.
Unless and until Sinhalese are honestly committed to allow minorities to manage their own affairs, this will continue. This incident of the chief minister scolding naval officer has precipitated a crisis and the governer must answer why no civilian was engaged to compere.
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Rohan / May 26, 2016
Whatever the situations in the other complaints, I thought the CM made a donkey out of himself in this case.
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sach / May 26, 2016
wigneshwaran does nothing in his capacity as CM, just releasing racist statements
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Noor Nizam / May 26, 2016
The behaviour of the Eastern Province Chief Minister at the Sampoor School function was arrogant and NOT called for. Moreover, as an important political representative of the district, the Chief Minister’s actions have to be condoned severely. The worst part is, the manner in which the Chief Minister addressed the Navy Officer who was supposed to have been the compere, calls for severe disciplinary action at the highest level. If President Maithripala Sirisena will fall back on this, just for the purpose to make sure that the Chief Minister has a large Muslim vote bank (which he does NOT have in Trincomalee district) in the East/Trincomalee district, then we Muslims will NOT vote for the President any more, because, the behaviour of the Chief Minister towards the Navy Captain is a DISGRACE to the Sri Lanka Muslim Community in at large and especially that of the Eastern Province. The Navy should also set-in-motion “civil action/legal proceedings” against the Chief Minister for disgracing and abusing a government official and that too an armed forces officer in public and claim at least Rs. 10 million in damages for his pain of mind. To us, the Naval Officer (Captain) is a “HERO”. Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Sri Lankan Muslim Community, THE MUSLIM VOICE wish to tender our sincere APOLOGIES to the Navy Officer (Captain) and the Sri Lanka Navy and are very proud of the officer’s discipline in maintaining PATIENCE and CALM throughout the episode, in front of foreign dignitaries and a large local gathering whom the Navy Officer has been making his “YEOMAN” service in Sampoor. Did NOT this IDIOT of a Chief Minister know, that if NOT for the great sacrifices made by the Navy and the triforces, where the hell would he have been today, just an ordinary businessman living in Borella, Colombo. Let me also add here that Mr. Austin Fernando is a wonderful Public Service Administrative (SLSA) Officer and has discharged his duties to the very best satisfaction of his superiors during his period of service in the public service. He was much respected and knew his “PROTOCOLS” accordingly. I have had the opportunity to meeting with him a few times on official matters when I was the District Development Advisor to the Hon. District Minister – Mannar District and Project Director – FPC Aid Project, Ministry of Fisheries 1977/80 period. In recent times, I had personally met with the Governor to sort out matters regarding an important development Project been initiated in the Trincomalee District. His capacity and talents of interpersonal-relations and administrative practices were of the highest standard. A man of word and precision, Governor Austin Fernando knew his Protocols in and out very well. CM Ahamed Nazeer’s allegations are just political.
Noor Nizam. Peace and Political Activist, Political Communication Researcher, Former SLFP District Organizer, Trincomalee District and Convener – The Muslim Voice.
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Wicky / May 26, 2016
Noor Nizam “SLFP Stalwart ” riding his high horse as usual while living so far away.Blind Noor in the dark!Go complain to you God Mahinda R.
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Noor Nizam / May 26, 2016
Mr. Wicky,
Let me tell you that I am a MUSLIM and my RELIGION is ISLAM.
My God is GOD ALLMIGHTY ALLAH on whom I have put my FULL FAITH AND SUBMISSION OF BELIEF.
ISLAM is a WAY OF LIFE and provides the LIGHT towards the RIGHTEOUS PATH IN LIFE and PEACE.
When you are in the DARK, it is you who have to look/search towards LIGHT.
I am making these statement/writing this content as MY RIGHT OF REPLY, Mr. Wicky.
Noor Nizam. Peace and Political Activist, Political Communication Researcher, SLFP Stalwart and Convener – The Muslim Voice.
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CK Prahalad / May 26, 2016
Another pseudo Muslim liberal who want to appease the majority. This issue has blown out of proportion as the CM is coming from minority. How about Gnasara’s outburst against police and other abuses carried out by Mervin Silva, Wimal Weeravansa. It appears Government using this incident as a distraction strategy to avoid facing the criticisms of their inadequate actions of recent disaster management.
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Paul-Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 26, 2016
You are the same Noor Nizam who regularly contributes the Sinhalese extremist site Lankaweb constantly running down the island’s Tamil population and urging and agreeing with all the Sinhalese extremists on that forum about denying the island’s Tamils self rule and rights.
There is nothing peaceful about you. You are typical backstabber. Your Immigrant Dravidian converted Indian Tamil Muslim ancestors only came to east a few centuries ago begging for refuge fleeing Portuguese discriminations along the western coast and later Sinhalese violence in the central parts of the island. You were only settled in the east thanks to the benevolence of a Tamil Naicke king who was ruling Kandy and the Tamil Vanimanai chiefs of the east who gave you land and womenfolk. Now like a typical backstabber you connive with the Sinhalese, contribute articles for a virulently Tamil hating website called Lanakweb want to steal our lands in the east. Disgusting.
Peace Political Activist indeed. How is peace achieved? Posting articles running down the Tamils who gave you refuge for an extremist Sinhalese we site and urging them not to grant just Tamil rights? You are no better than the rest of the backstabbers
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CK Prahalad / May 26, 2016
Noor Nizam, another Rajapakse [Edited out]
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shankar / May 26, 2016
paul
“You were only settled in the east thanks to the benevolence of a Tamil Naicke king”
muslims were settled in the east by king senerat,bfore the naikar kings.
Also naiker kings were actually of telugu origin,not tamil,though they were living in tamilnadu.During the vijayanagar empire nayakar were the tax collectors of the empire in other parts other than their home country andrapradesh.
Bandaranayaka/pandaranayakar also telugu,not tamil.
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Paul / May 27, 2016
The Naicker of Tamil Nadu were of Telugu origin but had lived in the Tamil country for centuries by they time they arrived in Kandy and considered themselves Tamil and spoke Tamil. It was Tamil and not Telugu that was the court language of the Kandyan kingdom, during the Naicker era and also one of the official languages of the Kandyan kingdom.
Even before the arrival of the Naicker the Kings of Kandy use to marry Tamil princesses from the Pandyan Royal family and it was their eldest born male who became the king of Kandy. Only after the demise of the Pandyan kingdom they started to take Naicker brides from Thanjavur or Madurai, as their queen consorts. King Senarath would have only been nominally Sinhalese by name but in reality spoken Tamil as his ancestry would have been basically Pandian Tamil.
Like I stated earlier the Naicker ( Naidu, Nayagam, Kappu, Naik, Nayak)originally may have had a Telugu origin, however when their rule spread they moved into Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Maharashtra and became part and parcel of these areas. The Naicker of Tamil Nadu now do not consider themselves Telugu but Tamil. Many of the stalwarts of the Dravidian movement were and still are Naicker. The father of the Dravidian movement Periyar was a Naicker whose mother tongue was not Telugu but Kannada. The ardent Tamil nationalist and Sri Lankan Tamil supporter Vaicko is a Naicker and most probably very closely related to many of these Kandyan Radala famililies. Vijayakant is a Naicker. Famous Tamil/Bollywood actress Sridevi belongs to the Naicker/Kappu caste her mother tongue is Tamil. The Tamil movie star/film producer Pakiaraj is a Naicker.
Around 10% or more of the present Tamil population in Tamil Nadu have a Telugu origin. Just like more than 50% of the present Sinhalese population, many now beating the anti Tamil drum like Ramona have a recent Tamil origin
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Noor Nizam / May 26, 2016
[Edited out]
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Noor Nizam / May 26, 2016
[Edited out]
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Mallaiyuran / May 26, 2016
They all will be ok. They all are powerful people One from from Navy, one is Old King’s Appointment as CM to EPC even though SLMC did not win the election, and an Ex Defense Secretary(He may be the weakest but he is King’s appointment).
There was a small girl(Looks like a Tamil one)looks like the victim of this fight. She was hit by the idot Nazeer Ahamed. He did not even say sorry but shouting loud about protocols.
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Paul / May 26, 2016
Not only the young female student but everyone on that state look very Dravidian and Tamil. The CM the governor the naval officer and the rest. No one remotely resembles an Arab or an Aryan
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bernardkdasa / May 26, 2016
I really cannot understand what was the breach of protocol Ahmed fellow is shouting about. Austin Fernando knows nothing about Protocol. Remember, as Defence Secretary he carried a bag of Apples to the hospital where a Tiger Leader is being treated and addressed him ‘Machan’. added to this background is the problem of the mindset of Muslims in the East who think they came to this country even before Vijaya. They have forgotten the fact that they are descendants of illegal immigrant nomads who came here uninvited for trade. May Big ‘A’ fck them
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Kettikaran / May 26, 2016
The uncouth behaviour of this CM/EP is unforgivable. By this crass display he has shown the visiting US Ambassador what sort of dirt climb into positions of responsibility in this country in this business of “the largest number of voters” The Navy should insist on appropriate action to mitigate the slight.
A mere apology, written or verbal, from this uncultured man will not do.
The visiting US Ambassador must take the trouble to learn how the influential post of CM/EP went to a Muslim – in a Province where the Tamils have always been in the majority.
The Province and the country should get ready to see many more re-runs of this
unpredictable man. Wearing an European suit in the baking-hot sun does not make a gentleman is the lesson here for the CM. The cultured and experienced Governor Austin Fernando is quite capable of teaching this swollen-headed CM some basic lessons in how to behave in public – particularly in the presence of visiting foreign VIPs.
Kettikaran
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sach / May 26, 2016
LOL fishing in troubled waters?
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Paul-SIva Sankaran Sarma / May 26, 2016
It was deliberately given to them in order to marginalise the eastern Tamils. This is the reason the east was separated and delinked from the north by the Rajapakse regime. Once this was done it was a cakewalk to marginalise the eastern Tamils and steal their lands from them. Now these Muslims are doing a very good job of this and have already started to crow that the east is their land.
People who came here a few centuries ago seeking asylum are now chasing the real owners of the land who gave them refuge and claiming it as their with the help of the Sinhalese who were settled there in the past 50 years by successive Sinhalese governments, just for this purpose.
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Walter Rajaratne / May 26, 2016
Hi Mr.Austin
Your decision not to take Mr.Nazeer on board, had a reason extremely horrendous in reminiscent. No matter the consequences of not giving him the joy ride in the chopper you flew from Kinniya to Sampur, because today you live to tell the tale. Memory, if right never fails us. The creator of exclusively Muslim League, the Congress, Mr.Asroff, boarded that fatal chopper ride but unfortunately, whoever allowed him to board did not live to tell the tale.
This and this alone would have given Austin the Survivor of many a ride with a white under belly since UNP/LTTE peace drama, had enough guts to make a bold and wise decision though he got bellyful later from Nazeer who calls himself a CM.
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The Oracle / May 26, 2016
Very poor show by the CM clearly showing his lack of refinement .
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Devaka Jay. / May 26, 2016
It was disgusting to see how ‘ Machan Puli’ reacted in the presence of such a Jihadist pig. Did he gate crash there ?
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Justice & Fairplay / May 26, 2016
Austin Fernando is absolutely right. It was not the place, time or occasion to behave in that way.
In fact, NO ONE holding public office can behave that way. It was uncouth, it was disgusting, it was shameful! Where was the ‘Class’?
Are these the types of people who are representing the public as Chief Ministers? My God! Why am I paying taxes? To keep such donkeys in high office?
Our long suffering, non acting, President will have to buckle up and read out the riot act one of these days. For starters, let us have this Nazeer fellow thrown out on his ear, never to be given such a post even again!
What a disgusting spectacle it was!!! Clearly a man who has NEVER had an education.
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Justice & Fairplay / May 26, 2016
… as an addendum let me say – FULL MARKS to the Naval Officer who showed such restraint and decorum throughout it all. FULL MARKS and four cheers!
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Pena Kiyanna / May 26, 2016
[Edited out]
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Hasantha Gunaweera / May 26, 2016
As per my understanding this is an externally dangerous development. Why the security forces engage in civil work by-passing legitimate bodies? Education is a devolved subject as per the constitution of this country. So the provincial council has the legitimate authority to do functions in the sector. The security forces have no right to by-pass the legitimate body.
Thus the original mistake is that.
Thus we should stand with the CM for the names of JUST and DEMOCRACY and DEMILITARIZATION of the society. The CM should NOT be blamed for his argument; only issue with the CM appeared to be his tone. But we should be able to understand his situation in this type of a serious political injustice in public.
So, Both the Governor and the Officer are to be blamed for their uppishness, ignorance and by-pass of the legitimate authority.
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goraka / May 26, 2016
What a egoistic donkey this Cheap Minister
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B Mackka / May 26, 2016
Illustrates the conflict between Governors appointed by the Executive / COC and the peoples elected representatives at PC level. Needs to be resolved by Yahapalana.
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Plato. / May 26, 2016
The Governor- Austin Fernando,was a senior member of the SLAS. He has held very senior positions in the Public Service.Therefore,he would know about Protocol etc.
The Chief Minister[CM],Of-course has hardly any experience either in Administration or Public relations.A bit of an upstart! He has been unable to contain his indignation in Public:
I get the impression,after seeing this video that he is too big for his shoes!
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shankar / May 26, 2016
why was the navy involved in the first place at a school function?
Are we going to be a thailand one day?The foundation has been set.
who asked the navy to be there?If it was austin he should resign.Can’t we do anything today without the army and navy?Their job is to fight a war only.
Also why is this CM going for a invitation given by the govrnor if he knew that he would be treated badly.Just to get the publicity and show the people his face too.Typical politician without any self respect.Wiggie would not have attended.
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sach / May 26, 2016
Because it was organised by the Navy. Navy built the school lab and Navy has organised the school aid event
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uncommon man / May 26, 2016
Why should the Navy get involved in building schools?Their job is on the sea and not on the land.That Navy officer is there with a sheepish smile with full knowledge that the establishment and chauvinists like Booruwansa will come to his assistance.They destroyed the very school and now claim credit for effecting some repair.These armed forces and Police expect everything free – free schooling for their children, admission to the so called leading schools,free medical treatment,free housing,free transport,free uniform,illegitimate and ‘hora’degrees from the Kotalawela Defence Academy.They bask in the glory of their war crimes but in reality they are made to do the cooly and scavenger jobs initiated by Gota.Their newly acquired prosperity is from the wealth plundered from Tamil people.All that glittering dress and jewellery worn by their women with fattened posteriors are a result of three decades of looting,rape, murder and mayhem committed on Tamil civilians.
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shankar / May 27, 2016
sach
can’t see any navy doing that in other parts of the world.This is a peculiar navy indeed.maybe the rest of the world too might follow suit.
why don’t we hand the country over to the army and navy lke in thailand and myanmar.I’am sure they will do a better job than our bloody politicians.Only thing is we will hae to forget any investment because investors will get scared off.Also we will not be able to protest at all.
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Justice & Fairplay / May 26, 2016
THis obnoxious behavior of this imbecile is too much for us to take.
Just too much. If this is what democracy brings about, people will very soon gladly settle for a dictatorship once again.
This country must have civilized people governing it. This idiot and his sponsor and their likes have no place in it. THis clown is at least 100 years out of date with his thinking. His ego and his sense of self importance is suffocating the learned people of this country. He is an insult to all of us.
Has this government got no one better than idiots such as this, to be foisted on us at taxpayers expense?
C’mon Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, we implore you in the name of justice and fairplay to see that this man be seen off for good!
Let there be punishment to follow, if miscreant action takes place. Accountability of those holding high office, should be a MUST!
If this fool is to continue in the job, he must publicly apologize to Mr Austin Fernando and that gallant, brilliant Naval officer.
The Army and the Police must also withdraw their security provided to this clown, if any, as a mark of their solidarity to the Navy colleague.
I have just heard the Navy will act, and so they must. They seem to have a backbone.
Having had enough of clowning by political animals during the last 10 years, we don’t need to suffer more, from the serfs of this government as well, do we?
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ballah / May 26, 2016
[Edited out]
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Arun / May 26, 2016
This incident and subsequent reaction on media needs scrutiny. The issues involved are
a) Protocol
b) CM abusing navy officer in public and use of the word idiot
c) The CM being prevented joining the stage
d) The reaction of the media and,
e) A military officer in uniform at a civilian function.
Protocol – CM cannot be sidelined at a provincial event in the district where he is the CM. Will anyone tell the same thing – not to get on the stage- to a CM of a province outside North and East?
CM abusing navy officer – Totally unwarranted but he should have maintained the decorum to be taken up subsequently whilst showing his displeasure where presumably governor could have intervened.
The CM being prevented joining the stage – Governor too, should have prevented this escalating by inviting the CM to join him.
A military officer in uniform at a civilian function with politician on stage – Civilian rule has returned and there is no role for military. Hope the service commander’s ban all service persons attending functions where politicians take center stage. They should not be allowed to compeer or sell vegetables. In peace time they should sharpen their core competencies and should only come out in aid to civil power or during calamities.
The reaction of the media – The reaction of the media is fuelled due to the ethnicity of the CM. Unfortunately, in a nation where politician’s assault and use of filth of barbaric nature and where politicians protect rapists and murderers, the CM’s act is nowhere close what we have seen both in the parliament and outside.
Governor has to take the major blame and CM could have maintained the stand avoiding use of the word idiot and the navy officer is entitled for an apology. The very conduct of the navy officer handling the issue on stage showed he is not an idiot.
Military uniform should be given the same sanctity as the robes of the clergy. The day clergy forgot this and entered parliament we saw what happened. Without even giving the respect to men in robes our elected political thugs assaulted and squizzed the genitals of a priest on the floor of the parliament and sending him to hospital. The robe was disgraced by the very priest who thought it fit to hold a political office. Hope, the same fate does fall on the military uniform.
MAY SERVICE COMMANDER’S BAR ALL MEN AND WOMEN INCLUDING THEMSELVES TO BE SEEN OR HEARD IN COMPANY OF POLTICIANS.
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Aryan Thunder / May 26, 2016
Who does this cheap Muslim politician think he is to insult a senior commissioned officer on duty?
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Maxpayne / May 26, 2016
So are Tamil and Sinhala politicians superior and clean hand while Muslim politician is cheaper?Why are you using the word muslim here? Why are you looking this matter with racial eye Aryan?
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Aryan Thunder / May 26, 2016
I should add that the insulting politician was not even invited. He gatecrashed the event to meet the US Ambassador and disgraced Sri Lanka in front of a foreign country. he cannot talk about protocol as he was a gatecrasher. Military personnel should have simply arrested him.
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Vibhushana / May 26, 2016
I think all governors and Chief Minsters need to take the President and the PM as their role models. The relationship between Prez – PM is identical at provincial level with the Gov – CM.
The Gov cannot be overbearing and need to give CM breathing space. The CM is a political animal needing public exposure for his well being.
The Gov on the other hand is not. He does not need any public engagement since has been appointed. The Gov always need to be in the background overseeing without interfering unless things are getting out of hand.
There will be clash of egos. Although manage the co-habitation well without ruining each others reputation.
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Adams / May 27, 2016
Vibhushana,
“”There will be clash of egos. Although manage the co-habitation well without ruining each others reputation.”
exactly kudos!!.
incompetent governments from independence!!.
An inherent inability to chart a course whichever way the wind blows, whichever way the media encourages the people to go, you follow.
It all goes bonkers when villagers come to power, sociopaths, reluctant speakers of local dialects, narrow minded to the core.
power in: from stick and stones to aerial bombardment, one speaks tamil the other speaks sinhala but both are the `same` except one that speaks both are the reasonably `sane` ones from the city.city-slicker.
why is the village the sole proprietor of culture?
democracy is not for villager louts who come to city looking for better life. because:
We have to lock up people, without trial, whether they are communists, whether they are language chauvinists, whether they are religious extremists. Since we don’t do that, the country is in ruins- it just went up the garden path from plantation workers independence.-1948.
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Karikalan Saravanan / May 26, 2016
Mr. Chief Minister
Forget about protocol. Please answer this fundamental question. What was the Navy Officer doing at a school function? Why was he compering? It was Sampur Mahavidyalaya funcion – NOT a military Academy function. The Minister of Education is missing. Principal of the school is missing. The unelected Governor is calling the shots. Navy Officer acting as compere. What is going on? These are the basic questions you must raise and find an answer Mr. Chief Minister. Protocol is secondary. Sort out the primary issues. Really confusing.
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radish.S / May 26, 2016
This is yet another incident which shows how a Chief Minister of a Provincial Council installed under 13A is treated even by a low ranker in the Armed Forces in Sri Lanka. What audacity this person had to treat him like that.If they behave like this during the peace time under the so called ‘good governance’ one could imagine how they would have behaved with ordinary people in the Northeast during the civil war period. Hon. Wigneswaran, C.M.of the NPC gets some respect from most of these morons because he is an ex Justice of the Supreme Court and he does not suffer fools.This incident shows clearly the place of the ‘minorities’ even if he is a Chief Minister.
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Truth / May 26, 2016
Governor Austin,
Please treat this as an occupational hazard. You are not the first governor who faced a similar situation.
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sam / May 26, 2016
This governor is also an idiot why is asking the Navy officer to step back he has attended a function organised by the navy he should have put the CM in place. THis Governor’s conduct also ha dnot been good in the past he has been kow towing to the LTTE to the tune of Ponil
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Deshapremiya / May 26, 2016
Why is the Navy getting involved in civil matter like opening a lab in a school? This school is not attached to national defense or training academy. If the Navy is involved in the construction, supplier or equipping the lab, then why is the Navy chosen for this when there are other government, non-profits, NGOo’s, private enterprise or social organizations to carry out these activities? If the Navy is donating this lab with 100% Naval funding, then that should be transparent through a grant and a project charter as to why the Navy is involved, how the money is raised and how funding is being spent with proper audits. The military should not be engaged in business. We had several articles published in the CT and in the mainstream media questioning whether its ethical for a military to get involved in business? Several parliamentarian’s raised similar issues as recorded in the Hansard. What is your point?
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