Full probe into assault on journalists
Mohammed NAALIR
COLOMBO: Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane said yesterday that
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the police to take immediate
action to nab the culprits who assaulted a journalist and an embassy
officer on Monday.
Addressing the media at the Media Ministry auditorium Minister
Abeywardane said that soon after being informed of the assault Media and
Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Transport Minister Dullas
Alahapperuma and himself visited the Apollo Hospital where they are
undergoing treatment to look into their grievances.
He said that the representatives of the committee established at
BMICH to look into the grievances of the journalists would be meeting
President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss further moves to be taken in
connection with the assault on the two journalists and to discuss the
ways and means to protect the journalists from such untoward incidents.
He said that no room will be left for such assaults on journalists in
the future.
Referring to the proposed strike campaign organised by the JVP on
July 10 Minister Abeywardane said no move will be taken to suppress the
strike but the Government is ready to face any strikes as it has done a
lot for the sake of public sector employees.
The JVP is going for a strike on July 10 as if no salary increment
was given to the public sector employees for long time.
But the Government has spent a huge amount of funds from 2004 so far
for salary increments.
He said that there are 1.2 million employees in the Government
sector.
The Government has spent Rs. 106 billion, Rs. 139 billion, Rs. 175
billion, Rs. 214 billion and 233 billion respectively from 2004 to 2008
on their salaries. He said the Government has to bear a huge expenditure
for the salaries including the salaries of armed forces in addition to
the Government sector employees.
Meanwhile Minister Abeywardene said that the Government has invested
funds for infrastructure development and economic development.
It has granted Rs. 30,000 million as housing loans.
The work on Matara Colombo Highway and Airport highway will be
expedited.
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