'Bar should be treated with dignity'

Sarath Malalasekera

The Bar should be treated with dignity. No person would be permitted to dictate terms to the Bar, said Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva. The Chief Justice was addressing the 34th Annual Convocation of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and the induction ceremony of the new BASL President W. Dayaratne at the Ceylon Continental Hotel, Colombo on Saturday.

Attorney General C.R. De Silva PC inducted the newly elected BASL President W. Dayaratne. Newly elected Appeal Court President Chandra Ekanayake, Solicitor General Priyasath Dep PC. Newly elected BASL Deputy President Mohan Peiris PC, Secretary Udaya Rohan de Silva, Treasurer M.U.M. Ali Sabir were at the Head Table with Chief Justice and other dignitaries.

The results of the newly elected BASL members were announced by Solicitor General Priyasath Dep PC.

"Today, we are confronted with a situation of diminishing professional standards, a lack of care for the cause of persons who come in quest of justice to these portals and at times ruthless exploitation of such persons. Compassion, kindness, commitment and professional dedication seem to be receding to the distant horizon," the Chief Justice said. New BASL President Dayaratne has a formidable task of keeping his flock together.

He has a duty cast on him to look into the welfare of the young lawyers who joined the Association, the Chief Justice said. "I am satisfied that there is sufficient work for the 8000 strong attorneys in the country," he said.

Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva emphasised that the members of the profession should offer more and more legal aid to the people. Legal Aid Commission Chairman S.S. Wijeratne is opening LAC Centres countrywide and assisting the underprivileged to obtain legal aid.

"We should appreciate the work by the LAC Chairman," the Chief Justice said. The vote of thanks was delivered by Shehan Gunawardene.