Media men contributed to dawn of peace - Chief Minister

Mahinda P.Liyanage - Galle Daily News Corr.

Dignified and committed contribution of the media men was advantageous in defeating 30 year terrorism and restoring peace and harmony in the country, said Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva.

The chief Minister was addressing a seminar for journalists to educate them on the Dhakshina Suwa Udana (Southern Health Revival) launched by the southern Provincial Council and sponsored by the Union Assurance Finance Company in Galle on Monday.

“Not only in Sri Lanka, throughout the world history too, we come across numerous occasions and instances where media personnel acted with universal responsibility and obligation of defending humanity and the mankind. Consequently media men are honoured and appraised worldwide for their trustworthy and devoted professionalism, he said.

Media men in shouldering the national responsibility in their profession dared to go to the battlefield with the objective of bringing the situation of the war-front to the people risking their lives. They deserve gratitude of the nation, he added.

The Chief Minister said the profession of the media men is different to that of other professions. The job is not limited to few hours of the day. He is on alert for the 24 hours of the day. The criticism is a right of journalists. Such criticisms should be progressive. The criticism should not be destructive to country or the people, he said.

Southern Province Health ministry secretary A.U.Welarathne, Southern Province Director of Health Services Dr. Hemachandra Edirimane and Media Secretary to Chief Minister Ruwan Kottage also spoke.

Lectures were conducted by Community Health Specialist Dr. Harshani Ubesekara , J.M.O. Elpitiya Base Hospital Dr. Ruwan Nanayakkara, Community Health Specialist Dr. N.Y. Samaraweera, and Dr. Amila Chandrasiri Additional M.O.H. Imaduawa.