SL readies to adopt Commonwealth Latimar House Principles for health relationship among three branches of Govt. With Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma declaring his readiness to work closely with newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena as the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, the new government is expected to bring in far reaching constitutional amendments in accordance with Commonwealth Latimar House Principles. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, yesterday told The Island that the adoption of Latimar House Principles would not be an issue under the new government. Responding to a query, Rajapakshe said that the Commonwealth issue, too, would be taken up soon after the government accomplished prioritised subjects in President Maithripala Sirisena’s 100-day programme. Commonwealth Latimar House Principles govern the relationship among the three branches of government and constituted a cornerstone of Commonwealth values. The UNP strongly pushed for Latimar House Principles in the run-up to the impeachment of 43rd Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake in January 2013. The former government made several allegations against her, including financial impropriety and interfering in legal cases, all of which she has denied. The previous government ignored the then president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s call for a panel of international judges from Commonwealth countries to inquire into allegations against Dr. Bandaranayake in accordance with Latimar House Principles. Justice Minister Rajapakshe pointed out that the former government had refused to adopt the Latimar House Principles even in its capacity as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office. Sri Lanka hosted Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 regardless some members, including Canada boycotting the three-day event. Commonwealth Latimar House Principles had been included in the constitutional reforms package of year 2000. Justice Minister Rajapakshe said that the then government sought to accommodate Latimar House Principles as it realised the importance of the reforms. Although Sri Lanka had not ratified the Latimar House Principles, the government had sent judges twice for impeachment hearings in member states. The then UNP lawmaker and present Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, too, had been strongly pushing the Commonwealth to compel the previous government to adopt Latimar House Principles. BASL President Upul Jayasuriya yesterday told The Island that his association, too, had called for Commonwealth Latimar House Principles. Jayasuriya said that adoption of such values would ensure that there would not be further controversies as regards judicial appointments as well as removal of judges. India is among the countries that had ratified Commonwealth Latimar House Principles. The BASL remains committed to the adoption of Commonwealth values. By Shamindra Ferdinando
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:32:14 +0000
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