Fortunately no

The Government announced at Thursday’s weekly Cabinet press briefing that a Cabinet sub committee to deal with trade union concerns has been appointed. A journalist asked if Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva was not on the committee. “Fortunately, he isn’t in it,” Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said.

Media freedom!

Transport Minister A.H.M.Fowzie who has been having more than his fair share of trade union action directed towards his ministry held a media conference last Wednesday. After it ended, he cornered a Tamil newspaper scribe who had reported on the controversy over the Hajj pilgrim arrangements which involved millions of rupees and reportedly lambasted him and threatened to break his legs if any such articles were written in the future. So much for media freedom.

Blowing up

Chief Government Whip and Trade Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle celebrated his 54th birthday on Thursday. His enterprising Co-coordinating Secretary Dr.T.C. Rajaratnam had organised several events, one of which was relleasing 200 gas balloons with the minister’s photo stamped on it, along with wishes for his birthday. Parliamentary correspondents too were invited to a tea party to mark the occasion.

Another broken promise

It’s not always tea and cakes for journalists covering Parliament. They have to face numerous problemsasuch as lack of facilities to carry out their official work. With only one direct phone line-cum-fax line, journalists from print and electronic media have to wait in line to get their copies across to their offices. Even though MPs are quick to patronise reporters to get their speeches reported in the media, they too fail to speak up on the need to improve facilities for journalists. Reporters raised the issue when they met Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara in December last year and requested that an additional fax machine be installed. The promise was to fix it the very next day but the scribes are still waiting. Another broken promise, one would say.

Praise only the big boss ?

The battalion journal praised its top man for the success he brought the country and the organisation through his brave action in the East. But that glory was short lived. The Editor not only had to give up his job but was transferred to a more difficult area to serve. That came faster than an infantry march.The moral of the story - do not write stories that the boss does not like. "All because some are non-heroes," said a junior linked to the publication.