‘Broadcasting Authority a political mechanism led by Media Secretary’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Top Opposition spokesman Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (05) alleged that President Ranil Wickremesinghe intended to silence television and radio stations through the proposed Broadcasting Authority Bill (BAB).

The former External Affairs Minister asserted that the BAB was part of a destructive political strategy meant to neutralise the media against the backdrop of the President’s bid to roll back the election map. He said so, referring to President Wickremesinghe’s recent declaration at the Bar Association event in Nuwara Eliya that the primary interest of the public was nothing but the revival of the economy. The UNP leader downplayed the importance of elections.

Addressing the media at the party office of Nidahasa Jathika Sabhawa, Prof. Peiris explained how the President planned to rein in free media through the five-member Broadcasting Authority Commission, and a three-member committee tasked with inquiring into complaints. The MP questioned the suitability of the President naming three persons to the Commission, in addition to appointing the Secretary to the Media Ministry who would be ex-officio head of the five-member Commission.

Urging the media to be vigilant of President Wickremesinghe’s game plan, rebel SLPP lawmaker said that the proposed committee would have the power to initiate inquiries on its own and conduct raids on ‘offending’ media institutions. The MP discussed the possibility of the committee taking hold of documents and other data in the hands of journalists while threatening them with imprisonment unless they revealed their sources.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, in a separate statement, vowed to oppose the proposed Bill, both in Parliament and outside. MP Premadasa said that the decision-making body of the Opposition political parties, led by the SJB, resolved to campaign against the controversial Bill.

The first salvos against the Bill were fired by one-time Media Ministry Secretary Charitha Herath, and SJB stalwart Dr. Harsha de Silva last week. In response to their criticism, Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse PC announced that they were still in the process of discussing proposals pertaining to the proposed Broadcasting Authority Bill.

Prof. Peiris emphasized that contrary to such claims the relevant Bill was in the public domain. The former minister said that there couldn’t be any doubt over whether the government would finalize the Bill and, if enacted, would automatically silence the media.

Describing the Bill as seriously flawed, Prof. Peiris questioned the competency of those who prepared it. It couldn’t have been done at the Legal Draftsman’s Department, the ex-minister said, alleging that responsibility had been outsourced.

Prof. Peiris said that the Supreme Court would be definitely moved against the proposed law. The academic said that the government was engaged in a desperate bid to consolidate its position. Comparing the Broadcasting Authority Bill with the Bill on the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Prof. Peiris said that the former wouldn’t receive the go ahead from the Supreme Court. The proposed Bill as a whole was contrary to the Constitution, lawmaker Peiris said, asserting that democracy couldn’t survive the death of the media.

Referring to President Wickremesinghe’s speech to the National Law Conference at the Nuwara Eliya Grand Hotel, Prof. Peiris said that just because the UNP was in a pathetic state and couldn’t do well at elections, at any level, the UNP leader shouldn’t try to justify his bulldozing actions.

Prof. Peiris accused the President of putting off Local Government polls as he feared facing the electorate. The UNP is represented in Parliament by just one National List seat, earlier held by the President.