Courtesy Hiru News

During yesterday’s (17) parliamentary session, MP Chamindranee Kiriella addressed allegations about her educational qualifications, posting a statement on her Facebook page in response to questions raised in Parliament.

Kiriella stated that recent social media allegations had made baseless and malicious claims about her qualifications, aiming to damage her reputation for narrow political reasons. She clarified her status as a barrister, explaining that she passed the bar exam at Lincoln’s Inn, UK, in 2000, and underwent 12 months of training (pupillage) with leading barristers in the UK, which allowed her to practice in any UK court. She emphasized that well-known figures, such as former British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, are also barristers from Lincoln’s Inn.

Kiriella further explained that in Sri Lanka, titles obtained due to foreign educational qualifications are accepted, citing examples like the use of “Dr” by individuals with a Ph.D. from abroad. She also clarified that the term “barrister” is not used in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, as the Sinhala translation of “barrister” is understood as “Adineethinga” in local language translations.

She reaffirmed her legal credentials, stating that she was sworn in as an advocate of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in 2003. Kiriella also provided details of her academic background, including her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Honours) from the University of Buckingham, UK, and a Postgraduate Diploma in International Finance and Law (LL.M) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

In conclusion, Kiriella reiterated her commitment to upholding the trust placed in her by the people of Sri Lanka.