Dongles distributed among state media secretaries:

Move with the time, says Minister Navin

Anushika Ranadewa

Acclimatising to the novel technological environment and stirring with the new electronic age is a must, Public Management Reforms Minister Navin Dissanayake said in Colombo.

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the distribution of Mobitel internet dongles to 60 state media secretaries.

The Public Management Reforms Ministry together with Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel distributed the dongles to develop professional skills of state media secretaries.

Dissanayake said the main aim of this is to strengthen the efficiency and quality of communication with media institutions.

"The accountability of communicating the government's visions, ideas, mechanisms, etc lies with media secretaries. Therefore, acclimatising to the novel technological environment and stirring with the new electronic age is a must. This is a step forward in this e-media conception," he said.

The minister said the Public Administration Ministry together with the Public Management Reforms Ministry organised media training programmes for state media secretaries to get an enhanced awareness and perceptive of the subject matter.

Bank loans will be available for Grama Seva Niladharis to purchase laptops, Dissanayake said. The minister said they are keen on having discussions with the Association of State Media Secretaries to establish Senior Media Secretary positions too. Dissanayake said in the near future, crucial planning will take place to grant the state media secretaries with Huawei tablets and pads.

State Media Secretaries Association Secretary and Sports Ministry Media Secretary Harsha B. Abeykoon, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel Senior Manager Shashika Senarath and state media secretaries of ministries were present.