BOOK LAUNCH – “Global Trade and Sri Lanka: Which Way Forward?”
Dr. Naazima Kamardeen, a senior lecturer attached to the Department of Commercial Law in the Faculty of Law, launched her book titled “Global Trade and Sri Lanka: Which Way Forward?” at the Faculty of Law on the 23rd November 2016, amidst a large and distinguished gathering representing academia and the legal community. The Chief Guest at the event was Hon. Justice K T Chitrasiri, Judge of the Supreme Court. The book was introduced by Mr. K. Kanag-Isvaran, PC. Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, Vice-Chancellor, Mr. N.Selvakkumaran, former Dean, Faculty of Law and Dr. Shanthi Segarajasingham, Acting Dean, Faculty of Law, also made speeches at the launch. Hon. Jayantha Jayasuriya, Attorney-General also graced the occasion, which was attended by members of the Official and Unofficial Bar, Deans of faculties, Heads of Departments, Members of the Council of the University and senior academics and policymakers.
The book deals in detail with the role of the WTO, its guiding principles, and its impact on Sri Lanka. It analyses the key “covered” agreements that come under it, most importantly the agreement on trade in services (GATS) and the agreement on trade in intellectual property (TRIPS). There is also a discussion on the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO.
The last chapter is devoted entirely to “Global Trade and Sri Lanka” with fresh insights into the impact of global trade rules, the Generalised System of Preference scheme, Foreign Investment Agreements , and the impact of the proposed Indo-Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Framework Agreement. The impact of the recently passed legislation on the Right to Information is also discussed.
Dr. Kamardeen is the Director of the course in International Trade Law, which is a subject taught exclusively at Master level at the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo.
She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Colombo and proceeded to Georgetown University USA as a Fulbright Junior Scholar, where she completed the Master of Laws Degree in International Legal Studies, focusing on the areas of WTO, Trade and Intellectual Property. She subsequently completed her Doctoral Studies at the University of Colombo, specialising in the impact of the WTO on the collective rights to traditional knowledge. She is also an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. She has published widely in a number of areas, including intellectual property law, WTO law, environmental law and trade and investment law.
The book is published by Stamford Lake and is now available at Lake House bookshops islandwide.
Speech of Hon. Justice K T Chitrasiri
