Web media accuses Yahapalana Government

Professional Web Journalists Association (PWJA) has accused yahapalana government of pursuing the policies of dictatorial Rajapaksa administration in respect of web-based media.

PWJA convenor Freddy Gamage alleged that the ruling UNP-SLFP coalition had conveniently forgotten the role they had played in ousting the Rajapaksas. According to Gamage, the battle against the Rajapaksas had been launched by web-based media.

Underscoring the pivotal importance of their contribution to help Maithripala Sirisena win the presidential election in January 2015, Gamage expressed concern over President Sirisena and several ministers taking on web-based media.

PWJA paid a glowing tribute to Lankaenews and Lankanewsweb for spearheading the media campaign against the Rajapaksas.

Gamage alleged that their repeated pleas for the government to create an environment for web-based media to operate freely had been ignored. The PWJA convenor pointed out that the government had also turned a blind eye to the plight of Chandima of Lankanewsweb previously targeted by the Rajapaksa administration seven years back.

Gamage said that the PWJA wouldn’t endorse Lankaenews editorial policy though it strongly believed in their right to operate. "We’ll unconditionally defend their right," Gamage said, alleging that the government had forgotten Lankaenews had adopted a similar strategy during the previous administration. Those who had been fighting the previous government hadn’t found anything wrong with Lankaenews at the time, Gamage said.

Claiming that PWJA had proposed on several occasions to establish a code-of-conduct for web-based media and also to do away with restrictions placed on websites, Gamage castigated the government for reneging on its promises.

Recollecting their plea to create a level playing field for web-based media, Gamage claimed that the government had absolutely failed to take tangible remedial measures.

PWJA alleged that President Sirisena hadn’t given them an opportunity to make representations to him though several attempts were made since the change of government. PWJA pointed that they had never been invited by President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe when they met journalists from mainstream media.

PWJA identified Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC as one of those responsible for ongoing campaign against web-based media.

Alleging that web-based journalists had been deprived of their rights and privileges, Gamage asserted that the government was eying the possibility of suppressing and regulating the media. The government should be ashamed of the current situation, Gamage said, vowing to do whatever its takes to ensure web-media operation.

Alleging that the government had paved the way for those responsible for targeting web-media during the previous administration to resume their sordid operations, PWJA said the organisation would stand firm in its commitment to overcome whatever challenges faced by the industry.

Vowing to go ahead with their campaign against the suppression of media rights, PWJA said that they expected the government to review its draconian policies.

Anura Kumara points to new form of Media suppression

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanyake said in parliament yesterday that media suppression has assumed a new form under the present government even though the white van culture had been ended.

He said there was no point in castigating the page one news stories in newspapers as they were on real incidents that took place in the country.

"The front-page carries the highlights of what happens in the country; they be accidents, crimes or other incidents. The front pages of newspapers mirror social reality. The proposal to rent vehicles for Parliamentarian at a cost of Rs. 700,000 each has now been halted due to public opinion against the move created by the media. If not, the government would have gone ahead with the proposal," MP Dissanayake said, participating in the third reading stage debate on budget 2017 under the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media.

Dissanayake said those responsible for the assassinations of journalists, attacks on journalists and media organisations over the past dark era should be brought to justice. He observed the media suppression had reached an all-time high during the previous regime.

"All media institutions are driven by political agendas. A considerable number of them are supportive of corrupt elements. For example, when we revealed about the Avant Garde, many media institutions except for one or two newspaper outlets did not carry it, but they carried the full page advertisements of Avant Garde. Thus some media organisations are protecting the corrupt. The capital of some media organisations which started recently came from those who misused public funds," he said.

He said the CSN channel was set up with the wealth of corrupt individuals and its land should be taken over by the UDA.

The government should pay urgent attention to salary issues of journalists, Dissanayake said.

He said media personnel including freelance journalists were mostly underpaid and had not even received the Rs. 2,500 salary increment.

50 cents compensation For Buddhika Pathirana

Ridiculing the compensation criteria for lands acquired for the extension of Southern Expressway, from Matara to Hambantota, UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana told Parliament yesterday that he, along with his sister, had been asked to come with two stamps of Rs 50 denomination to obtain a compensation of 50 cents.

He said that they had been called to receive the compensation through two registered letters sent by the Valuation Department.  

He said there was another letter sent by registered post, addressed to his father ,who died several months back, to come to obtain Rs 1.50 as compensation.

The father had been asked to come with two stamps of Rs 25 denomination to receive the Rs 1.50 as compensation. MP Pathirana, raising a supplementary question, said: "Paying compensation to those who lost land because of the extension of the Southern Expressway, from Matara to Hambantota is hilarious. Recently, we received a letter asking my father to come with two Rs 25 stamps to obtain compensation of Rs 1.50. There were two other letters addressed to me and my sister asking us to come with two Rs 50 stamps to obtain 50 cents compensation. All these letters had been sent by registered post. At least Rs 20 is charged to register a letter. These jokes should be brought to an end."

Highways Minister and Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella responded: "We do not value the lands. It is done by the Valuation Department. It belongs to the Finance Ministry."

MPs allowances to double soon

The Government was mulling an increase the office rent allowance up to Rs. 100, 000 per month each on offices maintained by 225 Members of Parliament.

The allowance for attending Parliament, which was now Rs. 500 would also be increased to Rs.2,500 for days of their attendance to Parliament meetings.

The new move has been introduced, instead of the earlier move to pay Rs.75, 000 as office rent allowance and Rs.5,000 attendance allowance for committee meetings.

The new move is due to be presented in Parliament soon by the Ministry of Parliament Affairs, it is learnt. The relevant Cabinet Memorandum had been signed by the minister on Friday according to the sources.

Accordingly a Parliamentarian is entitled for a total allowance Rs 20,000 per month on eight day’s attendance in Parliament meetings.

It is also learned that steps were being taken to increase insurance coverage offered to an MP and already negotiations have begun with an Australian Insurance Company.

When inquired about the decision to increase the MP’s allowances, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka said the matter was now being considered and a decision would be taken next week about presenting it to the Cabinet.(Dayaseeli Liyanage)

Two year-old girl left in three-wheeler

A two-year-old girl was found crying in a back seat of a three-wheeler at a carnival at the Sri Pada Vidyalaya ground. The owner of the three wheeler found the girl in the morning and had taken the child to the Hatton police.

The police had made an announcement at the carnival ground about the lost girl but nobody had responded.

Around midnight, the girl’s mother and some relatives had come to the Hatton police looking for the child. They said the child's aunt had left the little girl in the back seat of a three-wheeler to sleep and gone back to the carnival.

On her return, the aunt had found the three-wheeler gone. Agitated, the aunt had then contacted the child’s mother.

The Hatton Police OIC cautioned the parents to be more concerned and responsible of their child. The Police and the parents extended their gratitude to Sunil Silva for bringing the child to the Police station.

HIV/AIDS Virus hits schoolgirls

Schoolgirls are also among patients infected with HIV/AIDS Virus while most HIV patients among males are homosexuals, said specialist in sexually transmitted diseases at the Kurunegala hospital Dr. Nihal Edirisinghe.

He said Kurunegala district has the third highest number of HIV patients among districts in the country.

As such, parents and elders in the district should pay more attention towards safeguarding their children from contracting the disease by keeping tab on their behaviour and movements.

He said he has already carried out a public awareness campaign on the disease and educated nearly 15,000 persons including 300 school principals about this threat.

Gnanasara Thero turned back at India’s Airport

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara who went to India on November 25, had been turned back at the Airport by Indian Immigration Authorities. The Ven. Thera had been back in Sri Lanka due to a problem with his Visa,” a BBS Spokesman said.

He enplaned to India on November 25 to attend the literary festival, but due to problems with his Visa he returned on November 26.

“Ven. Thera was in India from October 3 to 15 at the Isipathanarama in Varanasi, participating in its Katina Puja,” he said.

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 6 wickets in the finals

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 6 wickets to win the Tri-nation ODI series against the hosts and the West Indies.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Zimbabwe got off to a shaky start losing both their opponents for just 19 runs.Tarisai Musakanda was the top scorer for the Zimbabweans with 36 while Sean Williams scored 35.

Zimbabwe were bundled out for just 160 runs in 36.3 overs as seven of their batsmen failed to pass the 15 run mark.Asela Gunaratne ended with figures of 3 for 10 while Jeffrey Vandersay bagged 3 wickets for 50 runs.

Chasing their target to win their first ODI tournament since 2014, Sri Lanka lost opener Dhananjaya de Silva cheaply in the first over for a duck.Niroshan Dickwella was the next batsman to fall as he was dismissed for 16. Vice Captain Kusal Janith Perera was dismissed for 14.

Kusal Mendis stepped up yet again for the Sri Lankans with his 7th ODI half century before being dismissed for 57.

Skipper Upul Tharanga scored the winning runs for Sri Lanka with a six down the ground to remain unbeated on 57.Sri Lanka reached their target comfortably in 37.3 overs.

Kusal Mendis was presented with both the man of the match and man of the series award.