Desmond clarifies.....

COLOMBO: Desmond Fernando PC in a letter to the Daily News Editor has clarified the BASL position in respect of his statements to the media and the BASL secretary Anoma Goonetilleke's statement.

"I wish to clarify a statement attributed to Anoma Goonetilleke, Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) carried in the Daily News of February 8.

"Firstly I wish to make it clear that the statement was originally issued not as the statement of the Executive Committee but as my statement as President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and I did not attribute it to the Executive Committee of the Bar Association.

However, I am happy to state that the statement was endorsed by a majority of the members of the Executive Committee including very senior lawyers of high standing and repute.

As a follow up measure, the Executive Committee decided by a majority to call for the views of the two Judges who had resigned and whether they responded or not, to refer the matter to Parliament for inquiry".