Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, today we debate the Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill presented by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure.

¶ 02 First, I must note that the Chairman of the Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB), appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has resigned. He has issued a statement. He was pressured by the Ministry Secretary to allocate circuit bungalows to associates and to distribute about 70 acres from the JEDB land at Pannala in Ganemulla/Pannala area to certain associates. The General Manager inspected, and the Chairman rejected these demands. This concerns plantations, not the Sports Ministry. The President-appointed Chairman has resigned due to such pressure. The President appointed him with Cabinet concurrence; now he has resigned citing undue pressure by the Secretary. This should be looked into.

¶ 03 We also debate Regulations under the Judicature Act. I must speak about the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. In 1977 and in 1988–90, it was said democracy was suppressed; yet courts delivered just decisions even then—for instance, restoring civic rights and allowing Rohana Wijeweera to contest in 1983. Today, however, public confidence in the judiciary is being eroded. In the case against Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and the Defence Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne at Mount Lavinia, the presiding judge was transferred. Judges are being transferred without proper criteria; some with lesser seniority are placed in key courts; around ten judges have reportedly had their work restrained. If the Government seeks to run the country by manipulating the judiciary, police, and Bribery Commission, it will only be for a short time. Interference—transferring judges, restraining them—must stop. In the Colombo High Courts 1–6, experienced judges were moved out and others placed; some judges are compelled to resign. This level of interference was not seen even in 1977 or 1988–89. It jeopardizes democracy. The Justice Minister is not in the House; I urge him to address this.