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| Friday, 26 March 2004 |
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The Secretary, Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, Tilak Ranaviraya referring to the editorial comment in 'The Island' of March 24 titled 'Elections Commissioner needs help, not obstructions' states: "I wish to inform you that I met the Commissioner of Elections on my own initiative on two occasions when I assured him of my fullest cooperation in carrying out his duties I am grateful to the Commissioner for withdrawing the first set of guidelines dated February 27 that he issued to the state media after I pointed out to him certain discrepancies in those guidelines. Subsequently he issued fresh guidelines dated March 8 to both the private and state electronic media after I had explained the need for the private media too to have proper guidelines with regard to the current election campaign in order to ensure some balance in the media coverage of the campaign. I agreed to follow these new guidelines. In the event of any violation of any of these guidelines by any state electronic media institution I requested the Commissioner to kindly bring it to our notice. This was in order to enable views of the institution concerned to be placed before him prior to his taking any action. However, most surprisingly even after my meetings with the Commissioner which were always cordial and the assurances given by me the Commissioner informed me by letter dated March 19 that both SLRC and SLBC had violated the guidelines issued by him and that he was considering the appointment of a Competent Authority to these two institutions. It was under these circumstances that I wrote to the Commissioner of Elections that he was denying the state media institution natural justice by not stating what the specific violations of the guidelines were . The Island as a newspaper may have its own view of whether the Address to the Nation by the President on the state electronic media is political propaganda or not as well as with regard to other programs of SLRC and SLBC. However it is necessary that the Commissioner of Elections in performing the very important duties he is entrusted with, keep us informed of any specific infringement or violation of the guidelines issued by him to both sections of the media before he takes any precipitate action. Similarly it is my duty to draw his attention to this fact. Further I am well aware that sections of the private media have been pursuing a campaign to ensure the appointment of a Competent Authority to the State electronic media. With regard to the media the function of a Competent Authority is invariably one of a censor. I certain do not believe that any section of the media should be censored particularly during an election campaign. It was therefore necessary for me to draw the attention of the Commissioner of Elections to the legal background with regard to the appointment of a Competent Authority. I would have failed in my duty had I not done so." |
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