Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) had its second Consultative Committee Meeting on ‘Environment and Integrity’ on 26th November 2007 at Regency Room, Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo, from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm. Mrs Gareesha Wirithamulla, Programme Manager of TISL chaired this meeting.
The seminar brought up the issues relating to the Environment sector of Sri Lanka. Ms Samanmali Sirimathi and Ms Shalika de Silva, two village community leaders presented a research report on gravel excavation and its adverse environment impact. This presentation revealed mass scale political corruption attached to the issue. The audience actively responded to the research finding and possible remedies to redress the situation were discussed. Ms Nishara Mendis, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo delivered a useful lecture on ‘Public Trust Doctrine and Integrity in Environmental Decision-making’. Mr Rukshana Nanayakkara, Deputy Executive Director-TISL delivered a speech on ‘Transparency, Integrity and Accountability in Environment sector’. The two presentations provided wide frame work for identifying integrity issues and possible way forward in dealing with such issues in the environment sector.
The Consultative Committee Meeting was a live discussion on issues in environmental sector of Sri Lanka. Participants were diverse as law lecturers, university students and researchers in environment sector of Sri Lanka. The outcome of the meeting will be published in a booklet with the idea of promoting policy reforms in the sector. Transparency International Sri Lanka will organize the next consultative committee meeting on ‘Poverty Alleviation and Corruption’ on 30th January 2008.