Sunday Times 2
Golden jubilee celebrations for Kalutara lawyer
View(s):Independence, integrity and impartiality are among the qualities that judges should have, Supreme Court Judge Priyasath Dep P.C said this week. Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of senior lawyer Siri A. Perera at the Kalutara Bar, Justice Dep reiterated the importance of the role judges can play to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
Priyasath Dep P.C speaking at golden jubilee event for lawyer Siri A. Perera (far left)
He noted that judges follow a strict code of ethics as judgments they deliver have a bearing on the public.”Even various religions including Buddhism and Christianity have a deep understanding on the subject of judiciary. Sinhala literature texts too indicate the conduct of judges as impartial and honest without being influenced by external pressures. Not only in judicial life, but also in their personal lives they should bound by the morals, ” he said.
Noting that the Judicial Services Commission has a say over the lower court judges, while the executive has the power over higher courts, Justice Dep said in western countries there are no provisions in their law books to bring a no confidence motion against the judges because judges decide among themselves whether to remain on the bench or not.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) president Geoffrey Alagarathnam, referring to Mr. Perera said he has been an energetic person in his personal and professional life and commended the role he played at crucial times for the Kalutara Bar Association in the past.
“Fifty years in law practice is not a small period of time, we lose most of our lawyers when they reach their fifties,” he said.
Recalling the time when the Kalutara Bar faced many difficulties, Mr. Alagaratnam pointed out how the area Bar under the leadership of Mr. Perera faced those challenges and overcame them.
“Today the Kalutara Bar Association stands as a vibrant legal body with more than 160 active members. Mr. Perera not only witnessed the progress of the body through difficult times but also worked to restore the integrity of the Association and its service to the people,” Mr. Alagaratnam said.
“The challenge today before us is how we adjust to the changing times. Those days lawyers came from a few selected families with a legal background, but today most of the lawyers come from all over the country. The challenge is how we are going to maintain the standard of the profession,” Mr. Alagarathnam said adding that juniors could look upto and learn from Mr. Perera.
While stressing the fact that seniors should inspire juniors and be role models when it comes to ethics and morals, the BASL president urged Mr. Perera to share his experiences with his fellow juniors who can learn many things from him.
“Because the law is not only in the text books or in court proceedings, it is also a way of practicing life as a social science. Our profession is not a money making business. We owe a lot to society, we have to give it back to them,” he said.
While accepting the honorifics from his fellow lawyers, Mr. Perera acknowledged that he was able to spend the greater part of his life in the judiciary because of the support of his loving wife and family. Mr. Perera recalling the advice he got from the then constitutional law expert Colvin R De Silva, before he entered the profession, said he told him to always “study the judge”.
The event concluded with a power-point presentation that took the audience down memory lane and showed Mr. Perera as a young man entering the profession and going onto excel in his profession and inspire others.