UNP Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya's serious criticism of a privately-owned Sinhala daily during the debate on the votes of the Mass Media and Information Ministry raised serious doubts among the Government legislators whether the MP was expressing his personal point of view or his party stance on the country's media. The Government ranks in their speeches highlighted that criticism by the media cannot be prevented. It is a clear testimony on the Government's commitment to ensure media freedom.

MP Jayasuriya who opened the debate on behalf of the Opposition used the entire time allocated to him to vehemently criticize a privately-owned Sinhala daily quoting some news items published on him which he described as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his political image. He conceded the fact that a newspaper has the freedom to act according to its political creed. However, if a newspaper acts in an invidious manner to sling mud at a politician, then it ruins completely against media ethics. The MP who criticised the owner of that newspaper alleged that he was attempting to ruin the UNP. Jayasuriya in his hard-hitting speech told the House that those who were engaged in the newspaper industry should learn from the pioneers such as D.R. Wijewardene and Upali Wijewardene as to how to conduct themselves as journalists in a dignified manner. This kind of hate journalism cannot be allowed to make divisions within the UNP and ruin the party's political future, he said.

However, Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa who spoke after MP Jayasuriya was very critical of the latter's speech and described it as a confession by him.

The UNP which is clamouring for media freedom today cannot have pleasant memories of the media during their regime. The Minister pointed out that there were certain occasions in the past during which scathing attacks were launched against politicians by the media. He countered most of the remarks made by Jayasuriya and told him that the criticism by the media cannot be prevented and it is called media freedom. Minister Yapa said he did not know whether the MP was expressing his personal sentiments or his party view on the media. If a politician cannot view criticism levelled against him in a wider perspective, it would perhaps be difficult for him to conduct his political career successfully. Politics is always subjected to criticism and we have to be mindful whether criticism is fair or not, the Minister said.

UNP MP Gayantha Karunathilaka during his speech presented certain statistics on Lake House and attempted to show that its newspaper circulation has dropped. He said though the Government legislators accused him of presenting wrong statistics at the last year's Budget Debate, none of them have been clarified in the booklets printed and distributed by the Management among its employees. He pointed out that the pay hikes to be given to Lake House employees in every three years under its Collective Agreement have not been granted after 2005. The MP also told the House the ninth Budget presented in Parliament does not certain even a single word on media. The UPFA Parliamentarian A.H.M. Azwer who came up with statistics categorically rejected the claims by MP Karunathilaka on Lake House. Azwer pointed out that Sri Lanka's highest paid journalists are working at Lake House. He said Rs. 30 million is set apart to pay the salaries of 1908 Lake House employees while Rs. 135 million is spent for their bonuses. The MP also presented the details of a series of other welfare measures for the Lake House employees and their family members. Against the claims by MP Karunathilaka on the drop of Lake House newspaper sales, Azwer told the House that all Lake House newspapers such as Daily News, Sunday Observer, Dinamina, Silumina, Sarasaviya and Thinakaran are making profits. He also gave a list of other tabloid newspapers published by the Lake House.

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella who in his the reply told the House that it was regrettable to note that those who made various allegations during the debate were not to be seen in the Chamber when he was responding to their queries. He condemned the UNP MP Gayantha Karunathilaka's attempt to call journalists sycophants who participate in President's monthly breakfast meeting. The MP further said that those journalists who go to this meeting eat helapa and have black coffee with the President. The Minister said he regretted such remarks by the MP who is also the UNP Media Spokesman. Is it wrong for the President to invite journalists for an open discussion every month? Cannot journalists have a cup of tea and discuss matters with the President? The Minister described the MP's remarks as an insult to the entire media fraternity. He told the House it was not fair enough for the Shadow Media Minister of the UNP to bring journalists to disrepute in this manner.

The issue of visas to British Channel 4 to visit Sri Lanka during the CHOGM came up on the floor of the House due to reference by the both Government and the Opposition members. DNA MP Vijitha Herath said that the Government's allowing Channel 4 to come to Sri Lanka gave them unnecessary publicity. Cultural Minister T.B. Ekanayake in his speech commended the move by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to grant permission to Channel 4 to visit Sri Lanka and see for themselves the exact situation in the country. The Minister said Channel 4 team had even gone to UNP headquarters, Sirikotha as well. However, he accused the UNP of allowing the Channel 4 described as a proxy to the LTTE to come to Sirikotha. Former UNP Leaders never resorted to this kind of unpatriotic acts but they loved the country. Minister Ekanayake also explained as to why the Channel 4 journalists' tour to the North was prevented at Anuradhapura. The Minister said that the Government could not allow it as they had not obtained prior permission. The foreign media should obtain prior approval from the Government to visit the places they wished.

Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga who participated in the third reading debate on the expenditure Head of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry was very critical of the heroin smuggling case. Amaratunga told the House that it has brought the Government into disrepute in the international fora. The MP said if a constituent party of the Government such as JHU demands the arrest of the Premier, it is a serious allegation. Amaratunga said when an ally of Government calls for the arrest of the Premier it would be detrimental to the country's interests internationally. However, the Premier who responded to some remarks made on him by UNP MP Sujeewa Senasinghe told the Parliament on Thursday that he admitted that his Coordinating Secretary had done a wrong by issuing a letter to secure the release of a container of goods imported to the country from Karachchi. The PM said that he would not make any comment on this incident as it could jeopardise the ongoing investigations. However, MP Senasinghe demanded that the Premier's Coordinating Secretary, who had issued a letter seeking the release of that container should be arrested immediately. The MP said the law is not applicable to those higher-ups. If someone steals a bunch of bananas he would be apprehended by the police and later remanded. The country's law should be equal to everybody including the Prime Minister.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa making yet another historic decision on Friday announced that Parliament has been made open to the public so that anyone could come and witness parliament proceedings without prior permission. After the eradication of LTTE terrorism, this is the first time the opportunity was provided to the people to visit Parliament without prior permission. Speaker Rajapaksa told the House that the decision was taken at the Party Leaders' meeting to permit people to come and observe debates from the public gallery without prior approval.