News

News

Habeas corpus: Where's the Independent Committee?
A search for what has turned out to be a mysterious "independent committee" that went into the names of newly-appointed President's Counsel drew a blank yesterday when the President's Office gave The Sunday Times two names, but one of them denied involvement and the other could not be reached.

According to the President's Office, the two known names comprising this "independent committee" were a cabinet minister and a former UN ambassador -- both President's Counsel themselves.

A Presidential Secretariat release on Friday announced the names of eight new PCs who have been picked by President Chandrika Kumaratunga with effect from May 14.

The eight so named were Dr. Jayantha de Almeida Gunaratne, Nihal Fernando, Nigel Hatch, Mohan Peiris, Harsha Soza, A.R. Surendran, Senaka Walgampaya and Tirantha Walaliyadde.

The release then proceeded to state that "this is the first time that selections have been made for appointments by an Independent Committee according to guidelines formulated by a Committee of Senior Legal Persons ".

When asked by The Sunday Times who constituted this Independent Committee, Presidential Spokesman Harim Peiris said he was unaware of its composition, but Presidential Secretary W. J. S. Karunaratne told The Sunday Times that Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar PC headed the Committee and H.L de Silva PC was a " key figure " in it.

No other names of persons comprising this "Independent Committee" were mentioned. However, when The Sunday Times contacted Mr. de Silva he said, "I am not aware of any Committee that sat. As far as I am concerned these appointments were made by the President". Mr. Kadirgamar was not available for comment.

Top

Back to News