MEETING WITH US COAST GUARD LEGAL EXPERTS IN SCRUTINIZING SLCG LEGAL FRAMEWORK

On April 26, 2023, the United States Coast Guard and Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) members met with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) officials to examine the SLCG Act, operating legislation, and maritime law enforcement manual.

In order to place the SLCG in a sound law enforcement framework on par with other international Coast Guard agencies, the SLCG sought advice from the USCG and DIILS. A scrutinising meeting was held after the initial drafting of the SLCG Act, SLCG operation law, and maritime law enforcement manual. The discussion had been presided over by SLCG's Deputy Director General, Commodore LN Hewawitharana. It was attended by Director Operations Captain Prasad Vithanage, Director Training Captain Charitha Gunawantha, Officer in Command Advanced Training Centre Lieutenant Commander Prashan Perera, and Legal Officer Lieutenant Ramesh Maduranga. Commander Rob Stiles, the Deputy Director of the DIILS Operations Department attended the meeting with USCG Captain Ben Karpinski, the Staff Judge Advocate for the First Coast Guard District in Boston.