Parliament

Media freedom not curbed by government - Minister Yapa

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

The Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presided when Parliament met at 1.30 pm yesterday.

After the presentation of papers and oral questions the House took up Private Member's Bill moved by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake.

Ravi Karunanayake (UNP): I am tabling my Private Member's Bill asking to publish the names of defaulters of loans taken from state banks.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody takes the Chair.

I suggest this Parliament resolves that legal provisions be introduced in Parliament to publish names of defaulters who have borrowed over Rs 100 million from state banks. Among the state banks, the People's Bank, Bank of Ceylon and Lankaputra Development Bank facilitate loans. However, these banks suffer a huge financial burden due to non performing loans.

I stress the government should introduce a mechanism to publish the names of the defaulters. It is the duty of the government.

Dr Harsha de Silva (UNP): Most rich people and institutions take loans concealing the real purpose of the loan but giving other reasons to the banks. They take the loan with the intention to default and we call it Moral Hazard in economics.

Now, the names of loan defaulters need to be divulged. But in my view it is not sufficient just publishing the loan defaulters' list we have to go further.

Our Stock Market is said to be the best in the world. But today our Market is the lowest.

Human Resources Minister DEW Gunasekera: Ravi Karunanayake's suggestion is to divulge the names of the loan defaulters. But according to the Bank Act it cannot be done as banks are bound to keep confidentiality of the customers. To divulge the names we have to amend the law. So his suggestion cannot be accepted at the moment.

A H M Azwer (UPFA): I emphasize that the people who take loans need to settle them. There are many ways to urge them to settle their loans. The Bank Act says banks should guarantee the confidentiality of customers' dealing with them.

Large sums of money flow into NGOs in the country and they are misused. These incidents should be investigated. There are incidents of money laundering and they should also be investigated.

Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem: The banks are bound by conditions to protect the confidentiality of customers' accounts under the Bank Act. The suggestion by Ravi Karunanayake infringes the laws that prevent the banks from divulging the facts with regard to the loans taken by customers.

The defaulters of loans could be disclosed on limited occasions. So the motion moved by Ravi Karunanayake cannot be accepted.

Mass Media and Information Acting Minister and Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena yesterday said in Parliament the objective of the motion moved by the Opposition was to support the international communities that move resolutions against the country.

He made this observation in response to an adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella.

Lakshman Kiriella (UNP): I move this adjournment motion to suggest that an independent commision be established to implement the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.

The right to information of the public should be guaranteed, and if not none of the elections would be free and fair. Even the Human Rights Commission has urged Sri Lanka to guarantee the right to information.

Ravi Karunanayake (UNP): Our objective is to protect the image of this country. Absence of war is not the beginning of peace. This is the time that we make or break the country.

LLRC Report is one of the government. The international community wants the government to implement its recommendations.

Economic Development Deputy Minister and Acting Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeygunawardena: For whom does the Opposition move this motion. This is not a motion for the people. It is a motion moved to support the international community that moves resolutions against Sri Lanka. People should know that. The members spoke of media freedom and right to information. But the media in Sri Lanka is in the hands of the private sector and not in the state sector.

The UNP is afraid of facing elections. The UNP wants to avoid elections. The Opposition talks about media freedom. Today, there are only four government media institutions. However, there are an overwhelming number of private media organisations.

There are only two state television media institutions, two state radio stations and one state print media institution. Media freedom is not curbed or limited by the government. The people are well aware of the reality and they have a feeling for the country.

They know how this government appeared on behalf of the country over the past years. Therefore, the people have kept faith on this government.

We request the UNP to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee with the TNA as they joined hands during the May Day rally in Jaffna. Please make an honest effort in this regard. Do not try to mislead the public with wrong information.

M A Sumanthiran (TNA): Deputy Minister Lakshaman Yapa said media freedom is not curbed. However, it is clearly seen that there are self - imposed censorship in state media organisations and they do not move out of their circle.

The matters of justice and quest for justice cannot be hidden by sweeping them under the carpet. The government should remember this. The government wants the Opposition not to remind these issues to the international community. They want the forgotten matters to be forgotten for ever.

We all should take the responsibility for what had happened

Chandrakumar Murugesu (UPFA): All political parties are involved in finding a solution to the ethnic conflict in the country. My opinion is that we all should take the responsibility for what had happened. All political leaders, politicians and the media are responsible for the past acts. We must first admit this.

What happens today is that nobody is ready to take this responsibility and everybody is blaming each other. Altogether, we should take the responsibility for all the things, and move forward for a long lasting solution.

We support the recommendations of the LLRC. The recommendations can be implemented if those are welcomed by all.

The UNP had contributed largely to the formulation of the ethnic conflict. It was a historical mistake. They should admit this to look forward to a permanent solution.

It is not due to any fear to face elections that we oppose holding of elections

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (DNA): From the statements by the government members, it is seen that the government has been unable to take even one step forward after May 19, 2009.

They sill boast about their past victory during the war. The government still talks about the diaspora and the LTTE without correctly its own mistakes.

It is not due to any fear to face elections that we oppose holding of elections. We must question whether the real opinion of the public comes out in elections.

The government agreed to hold all Provincial Council elections on one day. But without doing so, the government attempts to hold the elections separately and it concentrates all its powers and resources to the province where the election takes place.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Chandrakumar Murugesu takes the Chair.

Ethnic extremism should not be allowed

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen: After three decades, peace has dawned in the country. The LLRC appointed by the President has been accepted by the majority of this country. We have placed our attention on its recommendations and at the same time, we see that there are some missed points by the committee.

The progressive recommendations in the LLRC, which are neutral to any specific political party should be implemented. All political parties must give their support for the implementation.

Ethnic extremism should not be allowed and harmony between Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils should be promoted. There are land problems between ethnic groups in the country. This land belongs to all of us. Resettlement should be carried out in a proper manner.

The rule of law must be respected

Mangala Samaraweera (UNP): The government's attitude to the Motion in question showed the government's lack of enthusiasm and commitment to implement the LLRC recommendations.

The government has not facilitated media freedom. Abduction of journalists take place often. The rule of law must be respected by the government.

A responsible member in the government should respond to the Motion, in the absence of the External Affairs Minister.

Sriyani Wijewickrema (UPFA): We saw that even a more serious situation than in Sri Lanka was created in Libya and their leader killed. But no human rights issue was levelled against them.

All these problems are devised against us. It is not advisable that the people in the country attempt to divide. We have to unite and we should'nt reverse this positive attitude. Many Sinhalese were also chased away from the North and East, so their rights should be guaranteed.

Thilanga Sumathipala (UPFA): With responsibility I say there is media freedom. When I attempted to initiate Lakbima in 1986, the President was the late R Premadasa. He pressured me not to initiate it as it would carry articles against him.

But when the government changed in 1994 everything changed. A large number of television channels, radio and print media were initiated. You could ask Ruwan Wijewardena, whose father owns the biggest print media institution whether there was any pressure against them.

A H M Azwer takes the Chair.

Ajith P Perera (UNP): The government has not guaranteed media freedom. The freedom of information should be guaranteed in accordance with the 17th provision of the Constitution.

Sri Ranga (UNP): There had been a number of Commissions in the past over numerous issues. However, no action has been taken with regard to them.

The LLRC was a committee appointed by the government. However, the statements of government members with regard to this report are contradictory. The government can do some good to the public by implementing the recommendations of the LLRC.

External Affairs Deputy Minister Neomal Perera: Basically, everybody is rushing to implement the suggestions in the LLRC.

At the last election the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe praised the government for holding free and fair elections. In the Darusman report the people who formulated the LLRC report were criticized. The Opposition including TNA criticised the members comprising the committee. But what is the situation today. Everything is changed. That is democracy.

By now there are two grama seva niladari divisions to be demined. As soon as they are demined and IDPs resettled, an election will be held. If not they can go before court against the election.

Today people are living happily. The representatives of the European Union who visited Sri Lanka were surprised to see all the ex LTTE combatants released.

The child LTTE combatants sat the O-L and A-L examinations. These are in LLRC recommendations. Vocational training programmes were initiated on LLRC recommendations. On the other hand IT facilities and telecommunications facilities are given to them on the recommendations of LLRC psychological and physical counselling, and training centres set up .

Loan disbursement programmes are launched to initiate self employment by ex LTTE combatants. There are more projects implemened on recommendations of the LLRC.

The government is to implement the LLRC recommendations and we seek the support of the opposition in this endeavour.

Parliament was adjourned until 1 pm on May 22.

School transport comes under scrutiny

A systematic methodology has been prepared to look into the condition of vehicles used for transportation of schoolchildren and transport charges, with the co-ordination of relevant stakeholders, Private Transport Services Minister C B Ratnayake said in Parliament yesterday. He said attention has been drawn to introduce a single colour to all school buses and vans under this mechanism. School vans and buses are at present registered in Road Passenger Transport Authorities in each province the minister said.

He said the co-ordination of the Motor Traffic Department, Provincial Transport Ministers, Chief Ministers and other relevant stakeholders are taken into consideration in formulating the new mechanism.

The minister was responding to a question raised by UNP MP Sajith Premadasa. The minister observed the Ministry is aware that certain vehicles used for the transportation of schoolchildren are not roadworthy, and that some persons who operate school transport services charged even for school vacations.

Second phase of H'tota port to begin

The work on the second phase of the Hambantota Port Development Project has been planned out, Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said in Parliament yesterday.

He said the first phase of the project was 99 percent complete and the widening of the port and construction of a container yard and jetty for the Navy would be carried out during Phase II of the project.

The Deputy Minister said compensation for houses damaged during construction of the Port would be paid as soon as possible. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa directed the Deputy Minister to facilitate these payments fast adding, the evaluation process and approval of relevant authorities have been completed.

The Deputy Minister was responding to a question raised by UNP MP Sajith Premadasa.