Comment on opinion piece by J.C. Weliamuna

Wednesday, 2 January 2013 00:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Nihal Sri Ameresekere’s work in the public interest at his own cost, unlike NGOs, is known. Some of his actions include the Tax Amnesty, Debt Recovery Law, Appropriation Bill 2008, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and Lanka Marine Services privatisations, the hedging deals and the recent Expropriation Law, which was approved by the CJ behind the back of affected parties, without affording any opportunity to them of being heard and thus denying natural justice to such parties and in violation of Article 123 (3) of the Constitution.

On the other hand, CJ had a full month to answer. Hilton Case is not a public interest action but his own business, as prominently displayed in the double page advertisements today in the Daily Mirror, Daily FT, Lankadeepa, and Mawbima. He is entitled to be compensated, since the Government cannot enrich itself by his actions. Guarantees given in the promotion of Hilton was paid by him, contrary to what Minister G.L. Peiris being affected by the action had falsely stated. Courageous Justice Sarath Ambepitiya struck out the answer of Minister G.L Peiris for his duplicity and gave Nihal Sri Ameresekere an ex-parte trial in a District Court Case. At paragraph 26 (iii) of CJ’s Affidavit dated 19 December 2012 to the Court of Appeal, she has admitted that G.L. Peiris had backed her for her appointment as the Supreme Court Judge.

The Sunday Island had reported that you had opposed the appointment of CJ and that she should not hear political cases, which had been upheld by the Supreme Court presided by Justice Mark Fernando – one of the charges. Why did you not take up such objections when you appeared before her in political cases? Weliamuna, why did you not have the courage to name Nihal Sri Ameresekere?

There is a chapter on Transparency International and its duplicity in his book – ‘United Nations Convention Against Corruption – to Combat Fraud & Corruption – a Cancerous Menace – with Mere Rhetoric Subverts UN Convention’.

Gayan Jaye