By Chanaka de Silva
ICT Lawyers Guild (ICTLG) Chairman, Dr. Sunil Abeyratne addressing the 3rd Annual General Meeting last week in Colombo, said “ The reason to form this guild, the mainly to be a supportive role to the legal community, including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.”
“Further last year we undertook to organize Law Asia hybrid conference on data protection under artificial intelligence by association of Sri Lanka, , on the request of the Law Association our guild undertook to organize that international event.”
“In the meantime, we wish to interact with official and unofficial bar and the judiciary as well. Further to interact with the police department and digital economy ministry and to give our input for the development of digital economy in Sri Lanka.”
Speaking further ICTLG Chairman, Dr. Sunil Abeyratne said, ” It is my duty to explain the primary reason for forming this guild, it is too mainly to give a supportive role to the legal community, including by association of Sri Lanka. Secondly that we can then share our knowledge with the legal community and the general public. Thirdly our objective is to provide in future legal aid to the people in this country”. We formed this guild to upgrade the knowledge of our members first and to this end we got down resource persons from overseas.
Also addressing the gathering the Chief Guest the Attorney General of Sri Lanka, Parinda Ranasinghe (Jnr.) Presidents Council said, “I have found that this a new requirement in a short time will very prominent in the cases heard in the country in the near future. To face up to the challenge ICTLG Chairman, Dr. Sunil Abeyratne Police Department has now its’ own Cyber Crimes unit. As more and more transaction are now taking place online the number of crimes committed online has also increased. Therefore the members being equipped those with the knowledge, which is required to face the challenge is vital. Hence the guild also aims to nurture the proficiency in future scientific and technology so that lawyers will be able to meet the country’s needs to act in the public interest and to contribute to enforcing the law in the ICT field as well.” Finally ICTLG Chairman, Dr. Sunil Abeyratne said “We look forward to seeing that the society will be actively participating in legal discussions on online, safety, regulations data, protection, laws, and cybercrime policies. Which will help shape digital framework in Sri Lanka.”
