Budget: Committee Stage — 18th Day

Over 2,60000 Telephones installed during past four years
- Asitha Perera

Pradeep Hapangama (UNP - Gampaha District) said: The employees of the government press are despondent over the situation into which the institution is. It is running at a loss. Its chairman Neville Nanayakkara, though not known to me, is an efficient officer who knew his job well, I am told.

His problem is he does not get the support from those concerned.

Deputy Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa: We have provided all the money to pay overtime of employees through Supplementary Estimates.

Mahinda Amaraweera (PA - Hambantota District) said: The UNP as the opposition party did its duty by criticising the government even where they did not find sufficient ground for criticism.

The UNP's main area of criticism was the media policy. The best proof of the government's most enlightened policy towards media was the large number of former employees of TNL joining the state media.

V. Sennan (CWC - Badulla District) said: The Plantation sector people will never pardon the UNP for what they did to them by defeating the plantation sector votes.

It was President Jayewardene who gave a cabinet post to the leader of my party. Today the UNP is played by racialism.

In the up country both state TV and radio reception is very weak. However private sector TV and radio reception is of very good quality.

Mahipala Herath (PA - Kegalle District) said: Mr. Rajitha Senaratne should have used another forum to make his revelations. He attacked officers who cannot defend themselves. By his irresponsible charges he defiled the good name of this august assembly.

Asitha Perera (SLMC, National list) The opposition had hardly any criticism about the ministry today. This ministry is one of the success stories of this government. Privatisation of 35% of Telecom has no doubt contributed to this.

Over 260,000 telephones have been installed during the past four years. This is double the amount provided since the inception. The quality of service has improved. Foulty lines, very rare now, is fixed in a matter of two days.

The private fixed access and cellular phone operators are also a part of the success story. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRCSL) has arranged installation charges to be paid in instalments. The TRCSL has activated many dormant regulations for the benefit of the customers.

In the field of Telecommunications this ministry has been exemplary.

The ministry has allocated 240 perches of land already. Houses have been allocated for journalists.

Equipment for journalists should also be given at a fair deal.

Ali Zahir Moulana (UNP, Batticaloa District): Our media today has reached such sad and bad proportions. All this is because we don't have the right man in the right place.

Our local radio and TV programmes are so insipid and tasteless. Sometime programmes are geared only to sow discontent, hatred among our people. Media is used for selfish motives and for propaganda. Wrongful information is given about government achievements. Even school children scoff at these news broadcasts.

Only Tamil artistes in Colombo have all the opportunities.

Sarath Gunawardana (UNP-Galle district): The consumers of SLT complain about GST and the method of calculation of units, in their phone bills.

The people have been inconvenienced after the telegraph service was handed over to the Sri Lanka Telecom. This was done by a circular sent by the Postmaster General. This service is now limited to the eight hours of work of the SLT employees.

The members of parliament have also been deprived of their postal benefits by a similar circular.

U. L. M. Mohideen (SLMC-National List): We have given a lot of freedom to the journalists. We respect the freedom of speech. People like D. B. Dhanapala created cultured journalism. Never for the last 50 years has there been such a development in the telecom sector. You are trying to vulgarise the name of the minister.

Dinesh Dodangoda (UNP-National List): The topics for the government members speeches at this debate have been picked by Temple Trees. We know the topics that have been picked out for you today and we know why Hema Ratnayaka and Kumar Welgama has been cut off from the list. Yesterday's Dinamina had a list of the opposition speakers. You use the government media for your benefit. What is happening to Lake House? Have you inquired into the disappearance of hard disks, from Lake House.

The governments media institutions have given employment to the TNL team led by Ishini Wickramasingha. What are her qualifications to become your media advisor? You have not even helped the journalists who helped you to come to power. What action have you taken against the ones responsible for the attack on Lasantha Wickrematunga?

Harindra Corea (UNP-Puttalam district): As a member of the 1977-1994 government I am honoured to become a part of this assembly once again. I would also like to mention the sacrifice made by Asoka Wadigamangawa to contest the provincial council elections. The preferential votes I got has enabled me to come back to this assembly. I must also mention that its a matter of time before people reject this government.

During the time of the UNP the telephone system developed, increasing the number of telephones six fold. We brought in cellular technology. Sri Lanka Telecom bill was introduced by us. The government is using misleading propaganda portraying a phenomenal growth in the telecommunications sector.

We permitted the growth of the free media. The media is used by the government now. Remember also that it is the newspapers used by the government that causes its downfall.

I thank the people of Puttalam for voting me back to this assembly.

P. P. Devaraj (CWC-Colombo district): The telecom sector has taken off and there has been almost a revolution. There has been a lot of improvement. The quality of service has improved, there is a dedication, there is a speed in their work.

The establishment of 62 post offices in the plantation areas should be increased further. The postal service has to reach remote areas for direct postal facilities. The postal services should be made more accessible and affordable to remote plantation towns.

The telecom regulatory framework has to be strengthened further.

Sarath Ranawaka (UNP-Kalutara district): There should be regulations to govern the media. Merciless personal vituperation should not be allowed.

Who is behind the banning of Ven. Gangodawila Thera's sermons. Most of the priests believe that it is a conspiracy by the Christians at the helm of some of the media institutions.

There is no trace of 350 million for the SLBC FM project. You have brought in a voluntary retirement scheme for the SLBC employees to allow some of your cronies in. The SLBC, sports service is used to inflate the image of the sports minister.

Dilan Perera (PA-Badulla district) said: I at the outset must appreciate the speech of Dr. Sarath Amunugama who substantiate his points by facts and figures. He was an example to young MPs like me.

Dinesh Dodangoda raised doubts about Mrs. Ishini Wickremasinghe's qualifications as a journalist.

Dinesh Dodangoda was one of the persons who took part in a protest at the Fort Railway Station against action taken by the government against Mrs. Wickremasinghe under the Emergency laws.

Mr. Dinesh Dodangoda also calls himself a journalist. He should not throw stones from glass houses.

Opposition members today attacked officers who are not in the house and unable to defend themselves.

There were requests by members to provide houses to journalists. I must tell the Free Media Movement such facilities are required by the poor provincial correspondents rather than people who visit star class in Colombo.

Rajitha Senaratne (UNP-National List) said: I table the cabinet memorandum presented by Minister Mangala Samaraweera on November 16, 1998.

By this cabinet paper he had requested Rs. 5.8 million to celebrate the completion of four years by the People's Alliance government. The money has been asked from the General Treasury.

There will be a grand dinner in a Colombo Star Class hotel for 358 people. The expenditure is about Rs. 800,000. Invitees include, the journalists of the pornographic journals, friends, police officers from Matara.

Some time back an extravagant party was held in Galle. The participants ostensibly were journalists. Mrs. Ishini Wickramasinghe and mother of Minister Samaraweera were among the many invitees present. This was supposed to be a media conference.

There were a large amounts of instance of abuse of power by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication and Media.

The advertising campaign for restricting the Postal Department is being handed by a relation of the minister. This person was the Director of "Suntel".

Circulation of Lake House has dropped drastically during the last four years.

The Daily News has dropped to 51,408, Dinamina from 100,000 to 34,866, Thinakaran to 13,067, Observer from 150,000 to 94,000, Silumina to 182,948 and Sunday Thinakaran 22,199.

The Lake House is paying for drivers to Deputy Ministers. Lake House is paying for persons who are working in the Ministry.

Lake House bought cars and vans and gave some of them to outsiders who include Deputy Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.

One vehicle was lost in Negombo. It has not been traced so far.

Lake House lost half a dozen ceiling fans, computer spares and other valuables but nothing has been found.

The SLFP owes hundreds of thousands of rupees to Lake House for printing advertising material.

According to the employees the administration of Lake House has crumbled.

There is a report to say that minister prepared the layouts of Lake House news papers. The report adds that these lay outs helped the improvement of papers greatly.

The Minister's sister prints pornographic journals. These papers show both men and women in the nude.

The MP shows the pictures to the House. Do you say these are not obscene.

M. M. Zuhair (SLMC-National list): There was a time when the President used to decide the headlines and newspaper reports.

The previous member inflated the amount spent for the function organised by the Media Ministry at the Trans Asia Hotel. The amount spent is around 200,000 rupees. I am sure this type of function would help to strengthen our bonds with the media. Is the UNP opposed to this? Certainly it will not be in the lines of the UNP Los Angeles dance!

I would also like to advise the UNP members to ask for cash next time.

What is wrong with appointing experienced media personnel as media advisors?

I don't think the UNP should resort to communal and religious abuse to defame people who cannot defame people who have their right of defence here. We condemn strongly the pornographic material published in some newspapers. The select committee of the Media Ministry has not put into cold storage. We meet regularly. If you have any complaints against officials I think you should discuss these problems with us at committee meetings.

Mervyn de Silva (UNP-Hambantota District) said: In 1977 the media assisted to change a society in which transport of rice was banned, and there were queues of persons to purchase their daily needs.

The media houses belonged to private families such as Wijewardane's. These media organisation might have dreamt of a change a real change in 1994. So they brought to power a new government. This government threw overboard all its friends. They could not bring to an end the Bhishanaya, Dushanaya (violence and corruption).

M. L. A. M. Hizbulla (Deputy Minister Posts, Telecommunications and Media): The telecommunication facilities were confined to the rich and politically powerful ones before we came to power. We have provided modern telephone facilities to every section of the population.

The SLT has set aside 200 million rupees with Ericson to provide new connections. This project will cover areas like Vavuniya as well. The Ericson's are not able to carry out their work in Batticaloa due to security concerns.

The radio transmissions to the North and East are being improved.

We intend opening a recording centre in Batticaloa to help the artistes.

Anura Priyadarshana Yapa (Deputy Minister Posts, Telecommunications and Media): I would like to tell the opposition that we are not afraid to use the benefits we are entitled to.

When you bring your stock of papers next time we challenge you to bring records of any commissions any business or and murders committed by us.

Let me read a few excerpts from a book written by an independent journalists of his sordid experiences during the UNP time, displaying the type of media freedom at that time.

Azwer: We will also write a book!

Minister: So write.

We have always acted to develop the services of the institutions that come under us.

We have given one lakh sixty thousand phone connections.

We have developed media institutions. Lake House has improved. The circulation of all newspapers have gone up.

A. H. M. Azwer (UNP, National List): I regret that you have not been able to appoint a Muslim director for the SLBC.

Minister: We have appointed a Muslim director for SLRC.

Why are you charging GST on obituaries on the SLBC?

The Muslim radio programmes on the SLBC that is even popularly received in South India should be developed further.

Why are you treating Gangodawila Soma Thera with great injustice?

There are communal rifts within the government.

Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Media winding up said: I would write to all the members of parliament who raised various issues today. I have no time today to answer all the issues raised here.

I will not hesitate to give more and more concessions to my officers who work hard and with commitments. That is the duty of any Minister or any government.

My officers have a vision and commitment to service.

From 1977-83 you had given 25,522 telephones. The total number of telephones available in 1983 were 71,112. From 1983-94 you had given 98,920. The total of telephones available was 1,73,841. During our first four years we have been able to increase this number to over 400,000. The first telephone was installed in this country in 1880.

We have given three times as many telephones during our four years, as you had given during your 17 years. The average number of telephones provided by you in an year was about 7,500.

The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has drawn the praise of the region.

There were 775 telephones in Jaffna and most of them are now functional. The Telecom has invested a large amount on re-establishing telephone services in the north.

My Ministry is launching the Millennium Park in January next year. My Ministry would be able to guide the young people of this country into the new millennium.

I make a firm statement before the house today that the reorganisation of the Postal Department is not a rehearsal for the eventual privatisation of the department. We will incorporate in the proposed Postal Services Bill a clause to bar the privatisation of Postal Department even by a future government.

A request by Sri Lanka government from World Bank for assistance for a better structure for the proposed Postal Corporation, is under consideration by the Bank.

The private media admits that there is more freedom today than ever. Mrs. Ishini Wickremasinghe Perera resigned from the TNL, because the TNL higherups were insisting that the 'Programme of always Breakdown' be sent to the editor of a certain English newspaper for editing before telecasting. This is the way with private ownerships.

You had accused us of employing unqualified people in the Lake House. But I went to tell you that during the UNP period at least 700 vagabonds were employed and we are still paying several millions of rupees.

It is also true that we have more employees than necessary at the SLBC.

When other broadcasting stations function with a staff of about 20 persons we have 62 persons at the SLBC. We will be activating the voluntary retirement scheme to pay employees who volunteer to retire.

The votes were passed.

Votes were passed.

In Parliament on Wednesday