The Hon. Ajith P. Perera

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, these Bills before us are timely and important. At the Sectoral Oversight Committee, we expressed support and provided our views, and accordingly, Amendments have been brought. With those Amendments, we extend our consent and thank the Government for bringing these timely Bills.

¶ 02 It appears the Government is interested in suppressing drugs. However, there is a problem. Before preparing for this speech, I sought information from several major police stations and courts in Kalutara District. Regrettably, all sources indicate that heroin and “ice” are available as before. The Deputy Minister, Hon. Sunil Watagala, is here—ask whether heroin and ice are not available in Matugama. They are. We have seen price spikes at times when supply is tight, but today there is no such scarcity in Kalutara; this is a public health issue. No matter how much you seize, there is no shortage on the ground. I am not saying the seizures are false—you are seizing large consignments—but still heroin and ice are available at previous prices. Either unknown sources continue to bring them in or what is seized is re-entering the streets.

¶ 03 Therefore, while not challenging your intent, I say the Government has, so far, failed to suppress drugs. I hope you will succeed. Do not be prematurely satisfied; there is no practical impact yet felt on the ground.

¶ 04 A prime example you yourself mentioned: in Boossa Prison there is a jammer installed to block mobile phones, yet it is not functioning—by the will of prison officials, catering to the wishes of underworld racketeers. Yes, you seize phones weekly, but phones also enter weekly; transactions continue; from inside Boossa and other prisons, underworld and drug racketeers run crimes nationwide. The international drug trade is conducted safely from within prisons, under the umbrella of the State’s security. If a Government cannot operate a jammer, what else can it speak of? If it cannot safeguard seized drugs, what else can it claim? Do not be pleased with illusions; though your interest is appreciated, there is a systemic problem.

¶ 05 I am a policeman’s son; I respect the Police; I have lectured at the Police Academy; I am a practicing lawyer. But we saw on TV yesterday: when a gunman fired in Colombo city, police officers nearby, with a service vehicle and arms, ran away, afraid of the underworld. What kind of policing is this? Senior officers too. You can thump tables before the President at task force meetings, but they fear the underworld’s guns and drug racketeers. This law is important, but practically we also need stronger measures to suppress drugs and deliver justice.

¶ 06 The Police need complete reorganization—leadership, administration, and drug control suffer from deep problems. A former head of the Police Narcotics Bureau was jailed for selling seized drugs. Clean it up and appoint responsible people. Distinguished officers have been sidelined and now work on contract; we do not know what happened to that history. The Police’s efficiency has dropped; only rhetoric remains.

¶ 07 Prosecution is vital to curb drugs, bribery and corruption. You say special courts will be set up. That is important. Under Act No. 9 of 2018, I led the effort to establish three permanent Trial-at-Bar High Courts to try corruption. When those from the previous regime challenged it, Dr. Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne and I went to the Supreme Court as private petitioners, argued and won, and we established the court near the Law College. Your Government has been in power for over a year, but not a single new case has been filed there. I know you have an interest, Hon. Minister, but please understand: these proposed “special courts in Ministers’ residences” talk is rhetoric. In reality, today, in the Easter Sunday attack trial, defendants lack legal representation—an extremely serious matter. Under Article 106(1) of the Constitution, proceedings of every court shall be held in open court. Today the Trial-at-Bar proceedings relating to the Easter attacks are not open to victims; the media is also excluded. Victims who try to observe are denied entry. Do not deprive citizens of their right under Article 106(1). On one hand, defendants lack counsel; on the other, citizens and victims cannot observe. We are kept in the dark; the media is not allowed. Why? Why is open court being denied?

¶ 08 I propose that the now-vacant buildings previously used temporarily by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal at Hulftsdorp be allocated to these new courts, or relocate the Commercial High Courts to those premises and establish the new courts in their place.