During the recently
held Victorian Parliamentary State election, Sri Lankan Jude Perera won the
Cranbourne seat and got elected to represent Cranbourne electorate in the
State Parliament. Jude defeated the Liberal party candidate Gary Rowe, who
held the Cranbourne seat for the last ten years and Jude successfully ended
the political career of the Liberal strongman. Cranbourne is a traditionally
held Liberal seat, therefore, Jude’s victory is important for the labour
party. Jude Perera is the first Sri Lankan to hold a seat in the Lower
House of the Victorian Parliament and by winning this seat Jude Perea created
a remarkable record.
The suburb of Cranbourne, a Liberal strong hold is situated
in the South Eastern Province of the State of Victoria, 50kms. away from
the capital Melbourne. The conservative Liberal party man Gary Rowe represented
the regional seat in the Victorian Parliament for the last ten years and
Jude Perera was able to topple the Liberal stronghold, is to be considered
as a great victory for the Labor party.
Considering the ethnic Background and the composition of the Cranbourne voters,
80% of the voters, come from Anglo Saxon backgrounds and the balance 20%
comes from the non English speaking European migrants, mainly from Greece
Italy and Eastern European countries. Jude had only a very negligible number
of Sri Lankan voters in his constituency. Considering the total number of
voters, Sri Lankan community is only .58% and not even 1% of the voting roll.
So, considering the ethnic background of the voters, as a Sri Lankan, Jude
gaining control of the Cranbourne seat is very remarkable. According to Jude Perera, Cranbourne voters did not find his ethnicity as a concern and voted
for him to eliminate the dominant Liberal presence in the Cranbourne area.
Jude Perera migrated to Australia in 1988. Since then
he was interested in Australian party politics and became a member of the
Labor Party in 1992. He unsuccessfully contested in the previous parliamentary
election and since then Jude worked in grass root levels, aiming to win the
Cranbourne seat.
In the event of Jude entering Victorian Parliament and main stream politics,
I think it is appropriate to compare the way Sri Lankan and Australian elections
are conducted. First and foremost, Australian elections are held under an
extremely peaceful atmosphere, but in Sri Lanka the election day is a day
of violence and the whole island will have the environment of a battlefield.
This situation is unbelievable and to be frank, Sri Lanakns should forget
all the political differences after declaring the results for the best interest
of the whole nation. Further, in our country, party politics and political
differences prevails for generations, which is ruining the progress of our
country. Unlike in Sri Lanka, in Australia the election day is not a public
holiday but the voting is compulsory, and defaulters are liable for a fine
of A$50.00 (Rs.2500.00) The Australians cast their votes without any fear
or influence, and if interested read the newspapers for results on the following
day. Hence, Australians are not very much concerned about party politics
as Sri Lankans, so, politics have no any bearing or influence on day to day
life. Considering these facts, as Sri Lankans we have very many lessons to
take from Australian politics and also on the way how the elections are conducted.
In Australia, the election campaign is mainly limited
to mailing policy documents to voters and also to inserting leaflets in the
letterboxes of the residents. The electronic media is well a used source
to propagate the policies of the respective
parties. In Sri Lanka, the mass election meetings and processions are very
common but in this country election meetings and precessions never take place
and in isolated cases candidates hold small pocket meetings to meet the voters.
Jude Perera is hailing from Katana and received his primary and secondary
education from Maris Stella College, Negombo. From Maris Stella, he entered
the university and graduated in science (Bsc) Jude is a proud Maristonian,
on the election night the members of Maris Stella College Old Boys Association
of Australia were celebrating the Christmas and during the mid night Jude’s
victory was announced, then the crowd of the audience burst into cheering
and applause acknowledging his victory.
Jude from his small days had political influence from his family. His
father Edmond Perera was a member of the Katana Village Council and unsuccessfully
contested Devlapitiya seat during 1977 general election. He was the LSSP
candidate. Jude actively participated in party politics with his father and
was a member of LSSP. later he joined hands with late Vijaya Kumaranathunge
and joined SLMP.
Maris Stella College, in Negombo is a renowned Catholic educational institution
in the island which had produced many eminent Parliamentarians and most of
them have served as cabinet ministers in both UNP and SLFP regimes. Considering
the politicians produced by Maris Stella, from negombo electorate, the retired
magistrate T.Quintin Fernando represented Negombo seat in two terms in the
Parliament. He served as the chairman of the parliamentary committees under
Dudley Senanayake government. Afterwards, Denzil Fernando won the Negombo
seat and at the time of his retirement from politics, he held the portfolio
of the Minister of Industries under late President Jayawardana. Prior to
Denzil Fernando, Late Priminister Sirimawo Bandaranaike appointed Maristonian
John Rodrigo, as an appointed M.P. to represent Baratha community in the
House of Representatives. After Denzil Fernando, Late Sarath Gunaratne was
elected to represent Negombo seat in the Parliament. After changing the Westminster
system of elections by Late President Jayawardane, Negombo seat lost the
identity and came under Gampaha district.
The controversial speaker Late Hugh Fernando, who represented Wennappuwa
electorate from SLFP, also studied at Maris Stella College. Lately he crossed
over to UNP and became the Minister of Trade and Commerce under Dudley Senanayake
governmnet. Also from the North Western Province, S.D.R.Jayaratne, the member
for Chilaw, too a Maristonian and served as the Minister of Fisheries under
SLFP cabinet. The prominent lawyer Harold Herath, is also a Maristonian and
he represented Nattandiya seat in the House of Representatives. He was the
Minister of Coconut Industries and Junior Minister of Finance under Jayawarnada
cabinet. From North Western Province to Southern Province, the LSSPer, Beddagama
M.P. Niel De Alwis is too a proud Maristonian.
The SLFP stalwart, P.B.G.kalugalla came all the way from Kegalle and
stationed in Negombo to study at Maris Stella College. He held many portfolios
under Sirimawo Bandaranaike Governments and represented Kegalla electorate
in the Parliament.
The popular and smartly dressed Late Paris Perera, is also a Maristonian
and he represented Ja-Eala seat for United National Party in the House and
present speaker of the Parliament Hon. Joseph Michel Perera succeeded Late
Paris Perera.
With regard to the Katana electorate, UNP strongman Maristonian Wijayapala
Mendis, happened to be the youngest mayor of Sri Lanka. He started his political
career as the Mayor of Negombo and afterwards from local politics, he moved
to Katana seat and represented Katana electorate for many years. He was a
powerful Minister of successive UNP governments and held many portfolios.
Also Wijayapala Mendis was the leader of the House of Representatives. The
eminent lawyer Late K.C.de Silva, also a Maristonian and served as the member
for Katana. The former Minister of UF government and the present member for
Gampaha district Jayaraj Fernandopulle is too a Maristonian, whom we can
boast about. The new member for Gampaha district, Olitha Premathiratne, who
won a seat for United National Party during the last general election, is
also studied at Maris Stella College.
Following the footpath of the above politicians produced by Maris Stella,
Sri Lanka Jude Perera went into record books by entering into the Parliament
in a foreign country and we wish him all the success in his political endeavors.
Also, as maristonians we pay Jude Perera a tremendous tribute for his notable
achievement.
By- Lionel Fernando ACA.
Writing from Melbourne, Australia.
