Premil Ratnayake Reminisces....:

Lake House: Then and Now

Clarence Fernando: the tough street fighter Journalist

It was Mervyn de Silva who summed up the unconventional, unorthodox boisterous journalistic career of Clarence. 'Bua' Fernando.

"Clarry brought journalism to the streets." Mervyn was right. Clarence Fernando broke away from the highly snobbish, elitist, Colombo 7 realm of journalism, and put the newspaper habit within the reach of the common man, the so-called man in the street, the slum dweller, the downtrodden citizenry. Bua's writing was not esoteric, he did not go for the elegant phrase of the literati. Rather it was down-to-earth rabble lingo. The language of the masses, the jargon of the proletariat, the harbour worker.

Clarry also fought on behalf of the ordinary man. In his stories he highlighted their tribulations.

At one time when Colombo city was a total mess and the Colombo Municipality was slumbering over it, Clarence Fernando then acting Editor of the Daily News, called his pal Vincent Perera, the Mayor, and told him in no uncertain terms that the Daily News would go to town with the sordid scandalous story. He wanted Mayor Vincent Perera to summon his lackadaisical officials to an urgent meeting and give them an ear bashing. He would smuggle in a reporter to the highly confidential meeting to report the proceedings. I was the reporter chosen for the unenviable assignment. I sneaked in stealthily and sat with the officials fearing for the worst. Mayor Vincent Perera, in Clarry's words 'lambasted' the officials. Within 24 hrs. things at Colombo city were put to right. That was one example of Clarry Bua's intrepid 'Street Journalism'.

Aside this Clarry was a man brimming with cheeky humour. He possessed a puckish sense of humour. A very quiet, hard working production man from the down stairs press section, "The Stone" walked to the Daily News editorial looking for some reporter. He asked whether he could meet him. Clarry was in the Jolly Boys Club mood, extraordinarily cheerful craving for fun. "Yes, he is here, but I don't think he has the time for you!" Clarry wore a smirk. The man, a senior worker at Lake House was taken aback. "But Clarry, I am also part and parcel of Lake House.....". "Which part?" Clarry queried, "even the toilets, the lavatories, the dirty sewage are part and parcel of Lake House. To which part do you belong?"

The astounded man was completely helpless. Then Clarry, went up to the man, put his arm around his shoulder and assuaged him - "Don't get wild Sonna boy. I was only joking. You can't survive in this place if you have no sense of humour. I'll get the man you want to meet." The visitor was completely transformed. He thanked Bua and went away. Clarry only chuckled.

At the general cemetery in Borella they were burying another colleague who had died prematurely. We - Clarance Fernando, Dalton de Silva (who later succeeded Bua as Reuter's Bureau Chief in Colombo) and Bonnie Fernando were waiting for the funeral procession, Clarry walked up to me and whispered in my ear - "Dumak Thiyanawada? Have you got a smoke (a fag)?" I gave him a cigarette immediately. Dalton remarked: "Another journalist is dead". Laughing like hell, Clarry Bua said, 'Yes, this is a dress rehearsal for me." We all laughed, it was so funny.

But a few years later I walked into the Raymond Funeral Parlour, Clarry was lying in the Coffin, emaciated beyond recognition.

That was not funny at all.

To be continued.......