Conflicting views continued from the Yahapalanaya government, this time with Mass Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka and Ministry Secretary Nimal Bopage in a fresh muddle over Bopage’s letter to the media criticizing them for giving publicity to the joint opposition.
Gayantha Karunatilake – Minister Media
Reacting to Bopage’s letter which was released as a media statement on Thursday under the official letterhead of the Ministry of Parliament Reforms and Mass Media, Karunathilaka said that the statement was Bopage’s “personal stand and not the view of the government.”
In his statement, Bopage warned that journalists as well as media organisations can be legally viable for giving publicity to a group known as the joint opposition. He claimed that giving publicity to the group which mainly comprise of Parliamentarians who are pro-Mahinda Rajapaksa, was illegal and unethical’ as the joint opposition was not a recognized group in Parliament which had an opposition leader.
He also asked the journalists and the media organisations to not use the media freedom given to them by the Yahapalanaya government.
BBS Rep / April 29, 2016
Ah well, this is Sri Lanka.
No matter who is in power these fellows will never understand what ‘media freedom’ really is. When are we going to reach civilized standards in anything that we do?
Let us keep bungling on.
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Patriot / April 29, 2016
The first sign that Gayantha is ready to defect.
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Shan / April 29, 2016
These guys keep digging holes. Are they this incompetent or part of some crazy strategy?
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KA Sumanasekera / April 29, 2016
A Young UNP Minister (Goonathillaka? ) says Ranil will be the next President and the UNP Government will rule for the next 20 years.
How cool. Yahapalana suckers are a blessed lot. They must be soooooooo happy.
I think Bopage is right.. To make this Minister’s wish come true, Batalanad and the buddies have to muzzle the Press.
As it is, a Yahapalana Minister or a junior can not face Media without getting humiliated.
I saw two of them in just two days.
These donkey heads have no f**** clue how to answer even some simple queries from the Sinhala journos, let alone fronting up to English Media.
Because this Yahapalanaya is the biggest hoax to land in our nation, which was travelling along nicely after the 30 year Terrorism was eliminated.
UNP has to give the Tamils their Homeland first.Otherwise Diaspora and the TNA will blow them up.
That is the first hurdle.
The second is how to get the Sinhala majority to vote for separating the country in a referendum.
Sira was hired solely to help the UNP to hoodwink the Sinhala Buddhists and get a referendum through.
That has failed miserably, with Sira and his stooges getting booed in the rest of the country except the Vellala and Whabi lands in the North and the East.
Can the UNP lift the living standards of the poor to convince them that Batalanada cares for their welfare.
Not from what Bataanada and his Singaporean mate have done so far .
Every thing is up , including Sea salt.
Not even one job has been created in the last 15 months , But thousands who had jobs have been sent home.
But Foul Mouth minister Rajitha is pocketing LKR 15 Million a month from a fellow Yahapalana Minister, as rent.
Sira’s brother is getting LKR 750,000 extra a month for his rent.
Sira himself is spending Millions renovating his house.
Sira is so popular that the Yahapalana supporteres are transporting 4000 estate Tamils to Galle from Badulla to listen to Bodhi Sira’s May day speech.
And ex Terrorist Doughie who has switched sides. is chipping in with a few Dalits too.
And the Indian Ganeshan is also rounding up a few to send to Galle.
Hope Sira gives the speech in Tamil.
And accommodate these poor souls in Fort guest houses and other Beach front villas, because this many thousands can’t sleep under the Butter Fly Bridge and the Ramp parts.
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sr / April 29, 2016
Nobody can deny that the government is committed to media freedom.
The problem is the secretary with a different agenda.
Hope he’ll be back home in the coming days.
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