August 20, Colombo (LNW): Former Minister Harin Fernando has been named Presidential Advisor on Sports, Lands, and Tourism by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, exercising powers under Article 41/1 of the Constitution.
Fernando, originally an MP from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), aligned with the Government to back President Wickremesinghe, leading to his appointment as Minister for Tourism, Lands, Sports, and Youth Affairs.
However, his decision to side with the Government resulted in the SJB terminating his party membership. The Supreme Court later upheld the party’s move, leading to the loss of both his parliamentary seat and ministerial post.
Despite this setback, the new advisory role marks Fernando’s continued influence within the Government, allowing him to contribute to key sectors where he held prior ministerial experience.
The appointment signals an effort by the President to leverage Fernando’s expertise, even as political tensions continue within the broader opposition landscape.
