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| Wednesday, 21 July 2004 |
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| State media needed to counter private media mudslinging - Anura by Ranil Wijayapala Industry, Tourism and Investment Promotion Minister Anura Bandaranaike said yesterday that the Freedom Alliance Government will use the state media a thousand times better than former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe did during his two-year regime. Speaking at the UNP sponsored adjournment debate on the use of media, Bandaranaike said the UNP has no right to act like babies bringing a motion like this without making even a semblance of an effort to create a free media in the country. "Why didn't Ranil Wickremesinghe bring this motion during his two- year regime?" the Minister questioned. "If we are using the state media, so be it because the entire private media is against us," Bandaranaike added. All television stations, except Rupavahini and ITN, are on the side of the UNP. "You have complete control of television stations, and the print media," the Minister added. "UNP MPs Lakshman Seneviratne and Hemakumara Nanayakkara defended their leaders. But the way they spoke gave the impression that they had suddenly awoken," Bandaranaike added. "Why is the UNP talking about Lake House when J. R. Jayewardene, R. Premadasa and Ranil Wickremesinghe failed to hand back Lake House to Ranjit Wijewardene," he said. "We are not ready to make Lake House independent and allow all the private media to sling mud at us," Bandaranaike said. The Minister said the Freedom Alliance Government will use the state media as was done by J. R. Jayewardene and Ranasinghe Premadasa and thousand times better than it was used by Ranil Wickremesinghe. He charged that Wickremesinghe wanted all media institutes in his pocket. "He has control over Sirasa TV, run by the Maharaja Company, Swarnavahini where there is a semblance of independence and managed by Soma Edirisinghe and TNL run by Wickremesinghe's brother. Wickremesinghe also has control over Wijaya Newspapers managed by his uncle Ranjit Wijewardene, the Divaina newspaper and the Sunday Leader, Bandaranaike said. He said it is better that less is said about the Sunday Leader, a rag sheet. The Minister said: "It is the UNP leader Wickremesinghe who is helping Lasantha Wickrematunga to sling mud at us." "But Ranil Wickremesinghe should beware of Wickramatunga who conspired against him to throw him out of the UNP leadership," the Minister added. Bandaranaike said it was up to the people to decide whether the Government is right or wrong. "But we are not ready to fall into UNP tactics and abide by these proposals," the Minister added. Bandaranaike said Ranil Wickremesinghe who was defeated in 12 elections in a row should leave the UNP leadership. "He should win or depart following the motto of Royal College, 'Learn or Depart'," Bandaranaike added. He said Ranil Wickremesinghe does not have the right to talk about appointments at state media institutions. He appointed his media secretary Saman Athaudahetti, the acting chairman of Rupavahini, his close associate and UNP media consultant Dhammika Ganganath Dissanayake, as Chairman of Rupavahini, Gairuka Perusinghe who handled his media campaign at Divaina as chairman of ITN and Nalin Ladduwahetty as Chairman of Lake House. "So I advise, don't upset skeletons in the cupboard by bringing motions of this nature," the Minister added. |
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