Draft:Narendra Fernando - 6th Serjeant - at - Arms; Parliament of Sri Lanka

Narendra Mihindukumar Fernando was the Sixth Serjeant – at – Arms of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from 30. 08. 2018 to 30. 01. 2024. He served under Speaker Hon. Karu Jayasooriya and Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. Succeeded Anil Samarasekara (5th Serjeant – at - Arms) SA Department (talk) 11:01, 19 February 2024 (UTC)

Early Life

Narendra Mihindukumar Fernando, Born to Mr. W. S. M. Fernando and Mrs. S. M. Samarasooriya Fernando on 31st January 1964 in Wellawatta. His Farther was a Deputy Hansard Editor in Parliament of Sri Lanka and beloved mother is a housewife. He studied at Isipathana College Colombo from 1969 to 1981. He played for the 1st XI Cricket Team and represented the Club Level in Cricket; Represented the School in Athletics with National Level achievements.

Education:

B. Com Degree in Human Resource Management, India. Attachment Training Programmes in the House of Commons, UK; the House of Representatives and the Senate, Australia; State Legislature of New South Wales, Australia; Lok Sabha, India. Study Tour to Peoples Republic of China with a Parliamentary Delegation

Personal Life

Narendra Fernando is married to Mrs. Thushanthi Fernando, Dual Citizen of Australia and Sri Lanka; Professionally Qualified Accountant, ACMA (UK) and CPA (Australia); Work as an Accountant for an Australian Company at present. He is also the beloved father of Anuja Imantha Fernando; Dual Citizen of Australia and Sri Lanka; Double Degree Holder, (BBus, SITS 1st Class Honours) in Information Technology and Systems and Business and Commerce, Monash University Australia, Employed in Australia as a Director at Deloitte Australia.

Achievements/ Challenges

He is the only officer who served in the Parliament Administration for 42 years which is a record. He had the privilege to work in the old and new Parliament Buildings. Served under Ten (10) Speakers and Six (06) Secretaries General of Parliament.

In Office as Serjeant – at – Arms faced many challenges during the "52 Day Government Change" in 2018. Create history in escorting the Speaker, under his plan, to the Chamber from a side door with Police escort and conducting the session under difficult circumstances, thus having protected the Parliamentary Democracy.

Achieved success in vaccination programme for the staff, MPP, ex Staff, Parliament Journalists. Thus protected the staff from Covid 19 the epidemic and ensured the holding of the sessions uninterruptedly. Sessions conducted having open doors/ windows for the first time in the history. A Strong Security System was established by eliminating the weaknesses observed in the Parliamentary Complex and a joint security operation in the Parliamentary Complex was conducted for the first time in the history under his leadership. This prevented the possible threat to the Parliamentary Complex on the day of Easter bomb attack.

Apart from that, he took timely preventive measures to strengthen security to protect the Parliamentary Complex, Hon. Speaker’s Official Residence and MPP Quarters at Madiwela during the Aragalaya period, which threaten the Parliamentary Democracy.

As the Serjeant-at-Arms he provided the maximum support to the Secretary General of the Parliament in the process of electing a President within the Parliament for the first time in history,

He was responsible in making all arrangements within one day relating to the Oath Ceremony of the Honorable President in the Parliamentary Complex, which happened for the first time in the history, under his excellent organizational skills.SA Department (talk) 11:01, 19 February 2024 (UTC)

Career

Joined the Parliamentary Service in December 1981 as a Grade II Clerk. Promoted as an Assistant Director (Administration) in 1998. During his career in the Administration Department, he also served as a Committee Officer; Deputy Principal Officer and Principal Officer and served in the Committee Offices, Table Office, Supplies and Services Office, Bills Office and the Office of the International Relations and Protocol (As the Head of the Division). He was appointed as the Personal Assistant of Late. Hon. E. L. Senanayake, then Speaker.

Appointed as the Assistant Serjeant – at – Arms of the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 2000. Promoted to the Post of Deputy Serjeant – at – Arms in 2006. Appointed as the Serjeant – at – Arms on 30th August 2018.

Functioned as the Chief Conference Coordinator to the Annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences held in Colombo in 1995 and 2012

Extra-Curricular Activities

Charity and Social Services work; Singing; Cricket; was the immediate Past President of the Dozen Group Charitable Organization, a registered charity in Sri Lanka.

References

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