Funeral Today : The funeral of former Minister Tyronne Fernando will be held at 5.00 p.m. today at the General Cemetery, Borella. His remains will lie at his private residence No. 37/5, Egoda Uyana, Moratuwa till 2.00 p.m. today.________________________________
by Sisil Gunasekara
(February 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I knew Tyronne Fernando for a long period of time even before he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. My association with him got closer while working with him during his tenure as the Minister.
Tyronne Fernando was born in August 8, 1941 to Shelton Fernando and Edna Fernando. He was a descendent of Veera Puran Appu.
He was educated in Royal College, Colombo and later had his higher education in University of Oxford and Gray’s Inn, UK.
While in Oxford he was the President of Asian Society of Oxford University Labour Club, Member of Standing Committee of Oxford Union Society and special correspondent of “ISIS” Undergraduate Magazine, where he had the opportunity to interview Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
Back in Sri Lanka he practised as a Criminal Lawyer for about six years, during which he was a Crown Counsel with the Attorney General’s Department where he followed the famous Pauline de Croos murder trial and later wrote the book “Trial of Pauline de Croos.”
His entrance to political arena was in 1974, as the Secretary to a Young Professional Group affiliated to UNP during the leadership of Late President J. R. Jayewardene. Three years later he was elected as the Member of Parliament in Moratuwa electorate.
While working as a Member of Privileges Committee of Parliament, in 1979 he was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
From there onwards until 2001 he held the portfolios of Minister of Justice, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Chairman of the UNP committee on National Integration and Human Rights and Secretary of the Inter Parliamentary Union under various Prime Ministers and Presidents, and then was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During this period he was nominated for the position of Secretary General of UN. He was able to get support from many powerful countries, due to the unstable political situation in Sri Lanka and to our misfortune we have loss that golden opportunity.
As the Foreign Minister he visited many countries leading many delegations. His tours were carefully selected and only the most essential and beneficial to the country were undertaken.
He made it a point to spend the least amount of hard earned foreign currency during his tours and selected very modest hotels. Political opponency was never an obstacle for him when it came to place the appropriate person in an important position as in his support for the campaign of Late Kadirgarmar for the election as the Secretary General of Commonwealth during 2003 in Nigeria.
Writing about Tyronne Fernando will be incomplete if there is no mention about his enormous contribution to cricket. During the period 1991 to 1994 he was elected President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka when we built up the team to win World Cup in 1996.
His support to the re-entry of South Africa to International Cricket Arena was recognised by South Africans by naming him as a “Top quality cricket administrator”. Modern Moratuwa Stadium which became the 67th Test Cricket Venue of the World was his brainchild.
Apart from “Trial of Pauline de Croos” he has written and published many such as “100 Days in Sri Lanka 87” (ethnic crisis and terrorism), “Kings of Cricket”, “Action in Opposition”, “Alien Winds Across Paradise” and the latest being “Ginidel Medin” a Sinhala publication.
He tried his hands in drama world by producing films such as “Colomba Sanniya”, “Veera Puran Appu”, and giving advice and consultation to the stage drama “Mandela Mandela”. National Film Development Fund and University of Air and Radio were his creations.
Development of Private Electronic Media was one of his dreams while he was the Minister of Media under President D.B. Wijetunga. His political maturity was shown once again when he pioneered the broadcasting of opposition news in State TV.
In general as a highly experienced politician he brought down the age of Majority to 18 from 21 years, launched Mediation Boards for people to settle dispute without litigations.
In appreciation to his appointment as the Member of Parliament from Moratuwa, he developed Moratuwa into a modern city, built 8km of New Galle Road in Moratuwa and 12 km Coast Conservation Bund. He wanted to dedicate a section of Colombo Museum for Veera Puran Appu.
During the last days of his exemplary life he was the advisor on International Affairs to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and was appointed as the Ambassador to France.
It is unfortunate that we have lost such an honest, dedicated and intelligent politician. May he rest in Peace.
(The writer is Ex Media Adviser to the Foreign Minister)
by Sisil Gunasekara
(February 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I knew Tyronne Fernando for a long period of time even before he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. My association with him got closer while working with him during his tenure as the Minister.
Tyronne Fernando was born in August 8, 1941 to Shelton Fernando and Edna Fernando. He was a descendent of Veera Puran Appu.
He was educated in Royal College, Colombo and later had his higher education in University of Oxford and Gray’s Inn, UK.
While in Oxford he was the President of Asian Society of Oxford University Labour Club, Member of Standing Committee of Oxford Union Society and special correspondent of “ISIS” Undergraduate Magazine, where he had the opportunity to interview Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
Back in Sri Lanka he practised as a Criminal Lawyer for about six years, during which he was a Crown Counsel with the Attorney General’s Department where he followed the famous Pauline de Croos murder trial and later wrote the book “Trial of Pauline de Croos.”
His entrance to political arena was in 1974, as the Secretary to a Young Professional Group affiliated to UNP during the leadership of Late President J. R. Jayewardene. Three years later he was elected as the Member of Parliament in Moratuwa electorate.
While working as a Member of Privileges Committee of Parliament, in 1979 he was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
From there onwards until 2001 he held the portfolios of Minister of Justice, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Chairman of the UNP committee on National Integration and Human Rights and Secretary of the Inter Parliamentary Union under various Prime Ministers and Presidents, and then was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During this period he was nominated for the position of Secretary General of UN. He was able to get support from many powerful countries, due to the unstable political situation in Sri Lanka and to our misfortune we have loss that golden opportunity.
As the Foreign Minister he visited many countries leading many delegations. His tours were carefully selected and only the most essential and beneficial to the country were undertaken.
He made it a point to spend the least amount of hard earned foreign currency during his tours and selected very modest hotels. Political opponency was never an obstacle for him when it came to place the appropriate person in an important position as in his support for the campaign of Late Kadirgarmar for the election as the Secretary General of Commonwealth during 2003 in Nigeria.
Writing about Tyronne Fernando will be incomplete if there is no mention about his enormous contribution to cricket. During the period 1991 to 1994 he was elected President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka when we built up the team to win World Cup in 1996.
His support to the re-entry of South Africa to International Cricket Arena was recognised by South Africans by naming him as a “Top quality cricket administrator”. Modern Moratuwa Stadium which became the 67th Test Cricket Venue of the World was his brainchild.
Apart from “Trial of Pauline de Croos” he has written and published many such as “100 Days in Sri Lanka 87” (ethnic crisis and terrorism), “Kings of Cricket”, “Action in Opposition”, “Alien Winds Across Paradise” and the latest being “Ginidel Medin” a Sinhala publication.
He tried his hands in drama world by producing films such as “Colomba Sanniya”, “Veera Puran Appu”, and giving advice and consultation to the stage drama “Mandela Mandela”. National Film Development Fund and University of Air and Radio were his creations.
Development of Private Electronic Media was one of his dreams while he was the Minister of Media under President D.B. Wijetunga. His political maturity was shown once again when he pioneered the broadcasting of opposition news in State TV.
In general as a highly experienced politician he brought down the age of Majority to 18 from 21 years, launched Mediation Boards for people to settle dispute without litigations.
In appreciation to his appointment as the Member of Parliament from Moratuwa, he developed Moratuwa into a modern city, built 8km of New Galle Road in Moratuwa and 12 km Coast Conservation Bund. He wanted to dedicate a section of Colombo Museum for Veera Puran Appu.
During the last days of his exemplary life he was the advisor on International Affairs to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and was appointed as the Ambassador to France.
It is unfortunate that we have lost such an honest, dedicated and intelligent politician. May he rest in Peace.
(The writer is Ex Media Adviser to the Foreign Minister)
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