Ratnapura legal Society branch opened

Deraniyagala Roving Corr

Legal Aid Commission President S.S. Wijeratne opened a branch of the Society in the precincts of Ratnapura Magistrate's Court, recently.

Addressing on the occasion he said 40% of the Wage earners draw less than Rs. 6000/- a month. As such they are unable to retain lawyers and pay their charges nor they are able to retain prominent counsel to appear for their cases.

In order to help such persons that the Legal Aid Society has opened a branch office in Ratnapura. He is confident that such persons will exploit this opportunity.

As regards Law being not taught in schools, Wijeratne said, though late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, C.W. Kannangara and George R. De Silva were responsible for introducing free education to Sri Lanka. They have forgotten about introducing free legal aid.

In order to fulfil this aspiration that the Legal Aid Society has pledged its service to the under-previledged and people below poverty line. He was hopeful the Ratnapura Branch would serve and discharge its responsibilities to the satisfaction of litigants.

For the poor who cannot meet high legal expenses, he is certain that the aid scheme will be a boon to them, the President said.

Ratnapura Magistrate and District Judge, N.T. Karunatilleke said that non inclusion of law as a subject in the school curriculum is a drawback, for the students and ordinary litigants to understand its pros and cons.

Some come shabbily dressed to Courts because they cannot afford to be nattily dressed, some, he said are unable to retain lawyers as poverty does not permit them to do so or retain prominent counsels due to lack of funds.

To such persons the free legal aid scheme will benefit a lot. He also said he hoped the educational authorities will attempt to include or propagate among the rural masses the value of knowledge of country's law.

Former Judge and Free Legal Aid Commission Director General Hector S. Yapa, former Bribery Commissioner Nelum Gamage and several others spoke.