Qualities Of A True Judge
BASL President, Upul Jayasuriya
Your Lordship the Chief Justice and other Judges of the Supreme Court, your Lordship the Acting President of the Court of Appeal and other Judges of the Court of Appeal and other judges. As the head of the un-official Bar, i have the privilege of welcoming Your Lordship, Justice Buveneka Aluvihare,President”s Counsel as a judge of the Supreme Court. Bar wishes you well in fulfilling the onerous responsibilities that accompany high judicial office on the Apex Court. As Your Lordship take your seat on the court on this memorable day.
Your Lordship has done your almamater St. Sylvester’s College Kandy proud, with your appointment to the Supreme Court as the first ever student from that well respected College to have ascended the Apex Court. Your Lordship obtained your Master of Laws (LL.M) from (University of London, Queen Mary College 2004) You functioned as a Prosecutor in the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor,(UNTAET) dealing with War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and other grave crimes said to have been committed by the Indonesian Armed forces. You functioned as an Additional Solicitor General from June 2013. Your service to the Attorney General’s Department spanning over 30 years in all areas has given you the wide experience required, to take up the new responsibility that has been now conferred upon you.
Your Lordship was a sought after Lecturer at the Sri Lanka law college, from 2005 until you ascended the Supreme Court. Your appointment is undoubtedly a loss to the Law College at a time when much expected, far reaching salutary changes are being made in the field of legal education by the Council particularly with the appointment of a highly respected judge of this court as the Principal of Law College.
It is expected of every Judge anywhere that he or she discharge judicial functions as fair, balanced, strong and an impartial Judges receiving the acceptance and respect of the Bar. Judges and lawyers should always be men and women who do not compromise for their gain and who are not willing to trade their conscience and dignity, which are precious and priceless assets in the practice of the Law and the administration of Justice.
Let me quote from the iconic Lawyer, statesman Nelson Mandela who acquired global recognition as a roll model for lawyers and statesman during his life time;
“Our new order must therefore be based on constitutional democracy in which regardless of race, gender, religion or political opinion, the law will provide for the equal protection of all. It will be an order in which the government will be bound by a higher body of rules – an empire of laws – and will not govern at its discretion. We reject an empire of man; we require the rule of law, as opposed to what Aristotle called the “passion of men”
My Lord, the Chief Justice may I have your indulgence to also use this occasion to pay a tribute to a great judge of the Supreme Court, who retired in the past year having blazed a trail in our legal history. Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunga who bowed out a few months ago bequeathed an important legacy of judicial independence to his successors in office which we hope will inspire all others. I on behalf of the Bar wish him good Health and Happiness. Read More
