Role of media personnel in development process

New policies and new projects are being launched for the national development of Sri Lanka. It has become necessary to lure the people's support for these projects and policies and inculcate an attitudinal change among them. If this requirement is appropriately carried out, it would also in turn assist the government in reaching its targets.

Although there had been several programmes launched with this objective in the past, it is not possible to quantify the success of these programmes properly. In view of this, the Government Information Department has launched a new programme to enlighten the masses through provincial journalists on the development activities of the government in each district and to get their cooperation towards the rapid development process after gaining peace by ending 30 years of terrorism.

The first seminar of the series was held at the Uva Management Training Centre in Badulla recently. The inaugural session was held with the participation of Badulla District parliamentarian and Irrigation and Water Resource Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Uva Province Chief Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that under the Mahinda Chintana programme, development projects are being implemented throughout the country spending millions of rupees. He said that to get these projects properly implemented and to divert the benefit of these projects to the masses, the role to be played by the media personnel is very essential.

He said huge amounts are being spent for carpeting and renovation of roads, to provide water and electricity supplies, for the development of schools, and for the development of infrastructure in the Badulla district. It is the responsibility of the media personnel to keep the people informed of these developments and highlight the shortcomings and the requirements of the people, said the minister.

He said that his ministry has taken action to develop irrigation facilities and to provide housing and land for the landslide victims in the district. He said that it is being planned to construct a sports complex with all facilities in the district.

Uva Province Chief Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa said that he goes through newspapers daily focusing special attention on reports about shortages and problems in the province and takes action to rectify these shortages and problems.

Planning Director of the Secretariat Office of the Badulla district P M Jayakody Muhandiram, Director General of Government Information Professor Ariyaratne Atugala, Director of the Media Centre for National Development Ariya Rubasinghe and Director of Government Information Wasantha Priya Ramanayake also attended the seminar.