Chief Justice opens Trincomalee court complex

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 September 2004, 00:19 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva Sunday declared open the Trincomalee modern court complex constructed at a cost of about 79 million rupees under the World Bank funded Legal and Judicial Reforms Project of the Ministry of Justice. Trincomalee Bar Association President Mr.O.L.M.Ismail presided the opening ceremony.

Chief Justice Mr.Sarath Silva and Attorney general mr.kamalsabeyson honoured with golden shawl by Trinco lawyers Mr.A.Jegasothy (extreme left) and Mr.R.Thirukumaranathan (extreme right) at the opening event

"This is a modern multi-story building with 36,000 sq.ft of floor area and visibly the best and most prominent building not only in Trincomalee but probably in the north and eastern provinces," said the Chief Justice addressing the gathering after the ceremonial opening.

He added, "In this respect, Trincomalee court complex would be surpassed only by the new courts complex, that is now being constructed in Jaffna in which we started construction work on the 14th July this year.

"The northern and eastern provinces of our country have been specially affected by the protracted conflict, war and bloodshed that has plagued us for nearly two decades. In this sad period of our history, our achievements and failures have been measured by the destruction caused and casualties inflicted. Our strengths have been measured by the military hardware that we control. Valuable lives have been lost and billions of rupees of damages have been suffered, relegating our small country to the lower end of the scale of developing countries.

"We from the judicial sector are happy to state that we have contributed meaningfully to strengthen conditions of peace and order. Our courts are functional from Pottuvil at the lower end of the eastern province to Kayts and Point Pedro at the upper end of the northern province. Many new buildings have been constructed in then northern and eastern provinces especially in Vavuniya and Mannar," Mr.Silva said.

Mr.Sarath Silva cutting the ribbon. (L-R) Judges Mr.M.Ilancheliyan, Mr.M.Ganeshamoorthy and Mr.Anton Balasingham

Attorney General Mr.K.C.Kamalsabeyson speaking at the event

Attorney General Mr.K.C.Kamalasabeyson, President of the Sri Lanka Bar Association Mr.Ikram Mohamed, Trincomalee High Court Judge Mr.Anton Balasingham, Trincomalee District Court Judge Mr.S.Thiayagendran, Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.M.Ganesharajah, Kantalai Magistrate Mr.M.K.A.M.Masinghe and Justice Ministry Secretary Mr.Sugatha K.Gamlath spoke at the ceremony.

Association Secretary Mr.Abdul Sattar proposed vote of thanks.

Earlier the Chief Justice Mr.Sarath Silva and Attorney General Mr.Kamalasabeyson were taken in a procession to the new court complex with Tamil Innniyam band music of Trincomalee Koneswara Hindu College, Sinhala band music of Trincomalee Sinhala Maha Vidiyalayam and Western band music of Trincomalee Methodist Girls College.

Later police guard of honour was accorded to the Chief Justice.

Two Trincomalee lawyers Mr. A.Jegasothy honoured Mr.Sarath Silva and Mr.Kamalasabeyson and Mr.R.Thirukumaranathan honoured Mr.Sarath Silva and Mr.Kamalasabeyson by covering them with golden shawls at the event held later in the new court complex.

A souvenir titled "A dream comes true" was released at the event. Trincomalee Bar Association President Mr.O.L.M.Ismail handed over the first copy of the souvenir the Chief Justice.



Trinco Koneswara Hindu College Tamil Inniyam band team receives (l-R) Attorney General Mr.Kamalsabeyson, Chief Justice Mr.Sarath Silva

Octogenarian President of Trincomalee Bar Association Mr.O.L.M.Ismail hands over the first copy of the souvenir "A dream comes true" to the Chief Justice

Seated at the head table during the opening of court complex in Trincomalee (L-R) Mr.Abdul Sattar (Trinco Bar Assn Secretary), Kantalai Magistrate Mr.Masinghe, Trincomalee High Court Judge Mr.Anton Balasingham, Chief Justcie Mr.sarath Silva, Trinco Bar Assn President Mr.O.L.M.Ismail (hidden behind flower vase), Attorney General Mr.Kamalasabeyson, Justice Ministry Secretary Mr.Sugada K.Gamlath, Trincomalee District Judge Mr.Thiagendran and Trincomalee Magistrate Mr.Ganeshamoorthy