Dr. Hector Fernando worked for the marginalised

W.T.A. Leslie Fernando

The death anniversary of Dr. Hector Fernando, a champion of the underprivileged and a former MP for Negombo fell on October 21. The well-known physician, he was a veteran in the Leftist movement in Sri Lanka.

Hector Heronimus Fernando was born on September 30, 1903 at Katana an area known in the island for its riches. He was educated at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo and later went to UK for higher studies. He returned to Sri Lanka in 1931 as a qualified physician with a degree in Medicine from University Edinburgh.

He opened up a private dispensary in Negombo, which in due course blossomed into the first private nursing home and maternity clinic in the area. Dr. Hector Fernando was soon drawn toward the unfortunate and underprivileged.

In 1935, the first Marxist party in Sri Lanka, the Lanka Samasamaja Party was formed. In 1936, Warnakulasuriya Santiago Fernando, a teacher from Negombo became a member of the LSSP. The first Catholic in Sri Lanka to join the LSSP, he convinced many a Catholic to join the party.

Champion of the poor

The LSSPers in Negombo who wanted a branch of the party in Negombo were looking for a man of standing as their leader. They approached Dr. Hector Fernando who had earned a reputation by this time as a champion of the poor and the marginalised. He agreed to join them. In 1937, a branch of the LSSP was formed in Negombo with Dr. Hector Fernando as the President and Santiago Fernando as the Secretary.

Since then for many decades politics in Negombo was a struggle between landowners, businessmen, bus magnates and fish Mudalalis on one side and the LSSP on the other.

In Negombo which was called the ‘Little Rome’, the LSSPers were looked down upon, treated as outcasts and branded as agents of Satan. When they held meetings there they were jeered, hooted and stoned.

In fact in 1938, when LSSP leaders Dr. N.M. Perera, Philip Gunawardena, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva and Leslie Gunawardena went to the island of Duwas to discuss the problems of the fisherfolk, they were stoned by the fishermen themselves at the instigation of fish Mudalalis.

Secret conferences

During World War II (1939-45) the LSSP was proscribed by the British government, some of its leaders were imprisoned and others went underground. The LSSP cadres in Negombo put in all their efforts to maintain the continuity of the underground party organization.

It was in Negombo that some of the secret party conferences were held. They considered it a safe place because Negombo was so hostile to the Marxists and they knew that the authorities would never suspect party activities there.

They were organized by Santiago Fernando and Dr. Hector Fernando. Santiago Fernando acted as the Secretary of these secret conferences.

Fishing industry

A striking feature of Dr. Hector Fernando career was his patience. He entered the arena of local politic in 1936 and contested different wards in the Negombo UC at almost every election. But it was only in 1962 that he was elected to the upgraded Negombo Municipal Council. But Dr. Hector Fernando fought clean elections, and even in defeat could say, “I offered my services to you. If you do not want it, it’s your decision.”

In the 1952 Parliamentary elections Dr. Hector Fernando was the LSSP candidate for the Negombo seat. There he lost heavily to the UNP rival by over 13,000 votes.

An English Bard in mediaeval times had said, “My head is bloody but unbowed” over beating and torture he had to undergo. Dr. Hector Fernando was a man of such calibre.

He was not disheartened and carried his political activities with evenmore enthusiasm and vigour.

In 1956 the strong UNP fortress fell and Dr. Hector Fernando a Marxist was elected the MP for Negombo. In that election he polled over 20,000 votes and defeated the UNP candidate by 3,800 votes.

In Parliament Dr. Hector Fernando backed P.H. William de Silva the Minister of Fisheries in the MEP government (1956-59) for the mechanisation of fishing industry. He also did a lot for the improvement of the fishing community. He was also the shadow Minister of Health in the Opposition.

In 1960s Katana was carved out of the Negombo seat. In 1960 and in 1965, Dr. Hector Fernando contested Katana from the LSSP and lost.

In 1965, when the swing was in favour of the UNP, he lost Katana by a small majority. However in 1970 the LSSP exchanged Katana for the Balapitiya with the LSSP and Dr. Hector Fernando lost a sure chance of winning the Katana seat.

Nationalist and patriot

Dr. Hector Fernando’s political activities extended from Wattala to Puttalam on the coastal belt. He also organized a strong Trade Union movement in the surrounding districts in the plantation sector. Whenever a worker in the area was unjustly dismissed or victimised Dr. Hector Fernando was there prepared to take up the case if called upon. Dr. Hector Fernando was also a nationalist and patriot. He used to wear an immaculate white national costume which was a rare sight among the doctors in our country.

Dr. Hector Fernando placed his entire career for the cause of the downtrodden and the underdog. He passed away on October 21, 1976. At the time of death, he was the Chairman of the Negombo South Co-operative which was the largest co-operative project in South East Asia.

Dr. Hector Fernando was born with the silver spoon in his mouth. He also made a fortune as a reputed physician in the area. He used all his wealth for the cause he espoused. He died comparatively a poor man and the only property he had at his death was the house in which he lived. Yet in another sense he died rich-rich in his service to humanity.

The writer is a former High Court Judge and Vice President of Neman Society Alumni Association