Hemantha Warnakulasuriya Library & Research Centre: A dream come true

by Sarath Malalasekera

The "Hemantha Warnakulasuriya Library and Research Centre" and the "Website'at the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court premises was declared opened by the Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Ms. Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena yesterday in the presence of senior and junior members of the Colombo Magistrate's Court Lawyers' Association.

Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Namal Bandara Balalle, Colombo Additional Magistrates Gihan Pilapitiya, Mohamed Irzadeen and Sujeewa Nissanka were associated with the Chief Magistrate at the ceremony.

President's Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya said that the "Website" at the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court will provide all the important cases in Sinhala. All members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) will benefit from this Website.

Warnakulasuriya had spent his own funds to rebuild the library and the research centre, for the use of members of the Association.

Warnakulasuriya addressing the gathering said that opening of the library and the research centre for the Colombo Magistrate's Court Lawyers Association is a dream come true for him.

He was planning to set-up a library and a research centre for the Association for the last several years, since the time he joined the Bar about 35 years ago. "Today it was fulfilled", he added.

Warnakulasuriya said that it was a privilege to invite the Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Ms. Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena to open the library, research centre and the "Website".

This is the first time in the history of the legal arena that all important cases will be translated into Sinhala and will be stored in the Website for the benefit of all members of the BASL, Warnakulasuriya PC announced

Names and contact numbers of all the members of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka will be in the "Hemantha Warnakulasuriya Library and Research Centre" Website in the near future. This Website will also benefit law students. Senior and junior members of the Colombo Magistrate's Court Lawyers' Association also participated at the ceremony.

President of the Colombo Magistrate's Court Lawyers' Association Ranjith Shantha and Secretary of the Association Pathmapriya Ranawaka also spoke.