All websites should register with Govt - Minister Keheliya Rambukwella

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the salient feature of the 2012 Budget is that it has looked into less important areas as well. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said public expenditure is around Rs.500 billion which is the highest amount allocated. One hundred and ten proposals are included in the Budget. Money has been allocated for all areas and encouragement has been given to certain sectors, while safeguarding important segments like education and agriculture so as to accelerate development. When taken as a whole, the Budget has paved the way to take the country forward.

Commenting on the Government’s decision to prevent access to several Sri Lankan websites, Minister Rambukwella said when it comes to websites, it can be named as Sri Lanka or Lanka, but it is uploaded and handled by outsiders.

That is not a problem or issue, but what we need is they should register with us. As the Media Ministry, we have an obligation. Some websites, display filthy visuals and pornographic material. Parents and senior citizens question the Media Ministry about this. We should be able to at least communicate with those who upload websites. If we cannot do that, the Ministry should exercise its authority and tell them to register with us. Everywhere in the world those who talk about five star democracy and media freedom also have regulations which have to be adhered to. We cannot look at only one side. We need to look at the views of the public as well.

Q: What are your impressions of Budget 2012?

A: President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Finance and Planning Minister has looked into less important areas as well. That is very significant. Public expenditure stands at around Rs.500 billion which is the highest amount allocated and there are about 110 proposals in the Budget.

There is money allocated for all areas and encouragement is given to certain sectors, while safeguarding important segments like education and agriculture to accelerate development in all areas.

It has also reduced the debt ratio to 79 percent of the GDP. Overall, I think it’s a Budget that will take the country forward. Because we are not on a journey of a bed of roses. During this post conflict scenario, we need to plan in the short-term, mid-term and particularly long-term. This budget will work in that direction.

Q: The Government says the Budget has granted a 10 percent pay hike to public servants, the Opposition alleges that it is a mere allowance given to public servants without increasing their basic salary. Can you comment on this?

A: We see one could double these figures and every public servant will get a minimum of around Rs. 1,500. This amount may increase to Rs. 2,500 with last year’s five percent increase.

I mean its fine if they can give Rs.10,000. But the financial situation does not permit the Government to do so as we need a substantial amount of money for development.

The Government has given the best possible salary increase at the moment. One can say that this was not sufficient. This is the criticism from the Opposition. I don’t blame them because this is the only area where they could criticise.

Q: Can you explain the benefits extended by the Budget to journalists and artistes?

A: There are so many new schemes.

One is that we are looking at a pension scheme for journalists and grants to further their education.

The Budget has also facilitated journalists and artistes to purchase vehicles and duty free permits will be given for them.

Q: What are the other measures that you are planning for the benefit of journalists and media organisations in the coming year?

A: We will be working on scholarships, grants and funding for the purchase of equipment. These are the things that I personally suggested and it will be worked out. We are also looking at broader areas of a digitalisation program. A media authority is to be brought in and we have done the preliminaries, but we should be able to move forward next year to complete that process. Arrangements have also been made to establish a Media School as well.

Q: There is a lot of criticism especially from foreign watchdogs that the Government is stifling media freedom. Your comments?

A: I really don’t know what they expect when they say media freedom.

If we look at the freedom of expression, we have over 10 or 12 national newspapers.

Enough and more views are being expressed against the Government and for the Government. When we talk about media freedom, it’s a very broad area.

Q: What was the rationale to prevent access to several Sri Lankan news websites? Does this not amount to stifling the freedom of expression?

A: The point is when it comes to websites, as you said Sri Lankan websites, it can be named as Sri Lanka or Lanka, but it is being uploaded and handled by non Sri Lankans. That is not a problem or issue. But all we need and what we challenge them is to register with us.

As the Media Ministry, we have an obligation. These websites have filthy visuals and pornographic material. Parents and senior citizens question the Media Ministry about this state of affairs. We should be able to say, we will look into the matter. For us to look into the matter, we have to be able to at least communicate with them.

If we are deprived of that, I think we should exercise our authority to tell them to register with us.

A salient foundation for the media would be the right of reply.

How do we know how to deal with that right to reply if we don’t know the people who are involved in these websites and from where these websites originate.

Therefore if you look all over the world, those who talk about five star democracy, media freedom, freedom of expression and all kinds of things, these country is have regulations which have to be strictly adhered to.

That is for the benefit of media personnel and also for the public. We cannot look at only one side. We need to look at the views of the public as well.

Q: What kind of steps will the Government take to ensure freedom of the media as well as to promote responsible and ethical reportage?

A: That is exactly what I mentioned earlier as well. What I say is to be responsible.

If the media makes a statement, they should take responsibility. How do we do that, if they are ‘hidden’ in some place and if we do not know who the people are, the company or the organisation involved.

Then how do we deal with it? As much as we are talking about media freedom, there should also be tools to guide this freedom.

If those tools are not operative, then we need to use some kind of regulatory measures to tell them “ if you are at liberty to say at least let us know who you are, what you are and what your organisation is.”

Q: When is the Government planning to convert radio and TV services to the digital system?

A: We are now in the process of doing it. We will be doing the preliminary work and will complete it by the end of the year. The project is scheduled to commence during the first quarter of next year.

Q: Are there any plans to sell or otherwise make use of the analog spectrum that will become free when digital services are started?

A: I don’t think this question will arise because everybody will want to go digital. Because we are not going backward.

Perhaps we will have not only spectrum but have potential for digitalisation. We will be informing vendors because importing will be obsolete. The public should be aware of it and we will be dealing with that during the first quarter of next year.

Q: The Opposition says the Government was seeking the assistance of the Armed Forces towards development as being a move towards militarisation. What is your comment about this allegation levelled by the Opposition?

A: When military operations were going on, we recruited quite a number of troops and I think there is no crime in making use of them for the development of the country.

The armed forces are a disciplined group of people and their work is thorough.

The development drive implemented by the Government their services are vital. They will be proud of what they are doing and will be able to say we contributed to the development of the country as well.

Q: The UNP on Tuesday staged a protest in Colombo by putting forward several key demands to the Government. How do you view this attempt made by the UNP?

A: That is fine and that is what democracy is all about. Because they are the same people who say there is no democracy and there is a dictatorship. Sometimes the Opposition goes on the rampage. I do not know how one could describe that.

Q: How do you view the ruling given by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa on Tuesday suspending a Deputy Minister from attending Parliament for one week as he had resorted to unruly behaviour due to the tense situation created in the House while the Budget was being presented by the President on November 21?

A: Its entirely in the hands of the Speaker. I do not wish to comment on that because it is under the purview of the Speaker. The Speaker has to maintain discipline and decorum in Parliament. So the Speaker takes measures and we abide by that.

Q: How do you view the post-conflict development drive carried out by the Government?

A: That is the area in which we are champions. A huge development drive is being undertaken in villages at macro level and micro level. Whatever demonstrations or distribution of leaflets are carried out would finally go down to the minds of the people and that reflects in a election.

Up to now the people have been voting with the Government by endorsing the direction in which we are moving.

We are also confident that we would be able to continue the momentum of eight percent economic growth achieved in 2011 the next year as well.