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Sri Lanka to strengthen courts in North-East
LAcNet Special Correspondent in Colombo,
4.15pm SLT, Wednesday January 15,2003.
Sri Lanka’s judicial arm yesterday initiated a move to
strengthen the administration of justice system in the
North East provinces with Chief Justice Sarath N.
Silva laying the foundation stone for a four-storied
courts’ complex in Trincomalee and another proposed
for Jaffna.
All the judicial officers there participated in the
ceremony, but not the local LTTE political leaders,
police said.
The proposed complex will house six courts – two high
courts with one handling commercial cases, two
magistrate's courts, a district court and a labour
tribunal when the Rs.71 million International
Development Association funded project is completed
early next year.
Foundation stone for the Jaffna courts’ complex,
estimated at Rs. 92 million, will be laid late this
year, sources said.
Samantha Wijesundera, Project Engineer of the Legal
and Judicial Reforms Project of the Ministry of
Justice said that the proposed Trincomalee complex
would be provided with modern facilities while the
Batticaloa court building is to be renovated at a cost
of Rs.7 million would commence late this year.
The LTTE operate their own judicial system and a law
college in Tiger held areas, but the chief justice had
maintained these courts were not consistent with the
Sri Lankan Constitution and cannot exist under the
present hierarchy.
“It is easy for someone to maintain, create courts.
But what is important is the proper functioning of
them. We have functioning courts. They are open and
anyone can walk in and watch the proceedings,” the
chief justice has said.
Published: Wed Jan 15 05:19:19 EST 2003
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