News

News

Weeramantry heads body to overhaul journalists' code
Former World Court Judge Christie Weeramantry will head a high-powered Committee of the Editors' Guild of Sri Lanka which will review the Journalists' Code of Ethics now being implemented by the Press Complaints Commission.

The Code Committee, as it is called, has been invited by the Editors' Guild to study the provisions of the Code and make recommendations to the Guild with a view to making amendments, a press release from the Guild states.

The other members of the Committee are Ven.Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Bellanwila Raja Maha Vihara and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the Prevention of Crime, Dr. Hiranthi Wijemanne, Acting Chairperson of the National Child Protection Authority, Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, Dr. Deepika Udagama of the Law Faculty, University of Colombo and of the Human Rights Commission, Dr. Tara de Mel, Education Ministry Secretary, Prof. A. Shanmugadas, Professor of Tamil, University of Jaffna, Mr. Edmund Ranasinghe, former Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Director of Upali Newspapers Ltd., Mr. Ahmed Hilmy, Managing Director of YA-TV, with Ms.Manique Mendis, CEO of the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka as Convenor.

The release added that the Code of Professional Practice of the Editors' Guild has been adopted by the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and the Sri Lanka Press Complaints Commission of Sri-Lanka (PCC SL).

The autonomous Disputes Resolution Council of the PCC SL which is chaired by former Ombudsman, Sam Wijesinha adjudicates on complaints by members of the general public against publications in newspapers on alleged violations of the provisions of this Code.

Since October 2003, when the Council of the PCC SL began receiving complaints from the general public, over 250 communications have been received, most of which have been disposed of by way of conciliation or mediation, and some by way of arbitration. The Guild's Code of Professional Practice has also been adopted by the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and the PCC SL. The Code is reviewed each year by the Guild.

Members of the public are also welcome to send in their representations to Ms. Mendis the Convenor of the Code Committee, c/o the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka, 66/5, Ward Place, Colombo 7. Copies of the Code can also be obtained from her on request, the release signed by the Guild's Secretary Mohanlal Piyadasa adds.

Top

Back to News