News
Editors resolve 169 complaints under the ‘Right of Reply’ option
National newspaper Editors resolved 169 complaints made directly to them by aggrieved readers in 2021, while the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) handled 57 complaints from the public, of which 16 were outside its scope.The complaints resolved by the Editors come under Clause 04. ‘Opportunity to Reply’ (‘Right of Reply’) procedure laid down by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka in their Code of Professional Practice (Editors’ Code).
The Editors’ Code, which is implemented by the PCCSL, provides for conditional third party complaints. Third party complaints are entertained from six categories viz; environmental groups, animal welfare groups, adults on behalf of minors, an immediate family member of an accident victim, an immediate family member of a person in custody and anyone complaining on behalf of another, provided the prior written permission of the person personally affected is obtained and the Complaint Form signed.
The annual report of the PCCSL for 2021 presented by its Chief Executive Officer Mr. Sukumar Rockwood was released via a zoom meeting on September 07, 2022, stated that the PCCSL conducted 31 meetings with 200 publishers, editors and journalists. Sixteen awareness meetings were held with 485 members of civil society.
The PCCSL, which is an independent, voluntary, self-regulatory body will celebrate its 19th anniversary on October 15, 2022. The PCCSL is supported by the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka (NSSL), The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL), the Free Media Movement (FMM) and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) and is affiliated with the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union, the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance and the South Asian Free Media Association – Sri Lanka Chapter.
The PCCSL works on the principles of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration through its Secretariat and the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC). The DRC is made up of six non-journalist, including the chairman and five journalists. It is headed by former Secretary General of Parliament, Attorney Nihal Seneviratne. The other non-journalist members are; Mr. Javid Yusuf, Mr. Dion Schoorman, Mr. Lucille Wijewardene, Mrs. Gnana Moonesinghe and Dr. A. C. Visvalingam. The journalist members are: Mr. Siri Ranasinghe, Mr. P. Balasingham, Mr. Pramod de Silva, Mr. D. M. L. Andree and Mr. Nilantha Madurawala.
The nine-member Board of Directors comprise; Mr. Kumar Nadesan (Chairman, nominee of SLPI), Mr. Sinha Ratnatunga (Deputy Chairman, nominee of The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka), Mr. Nimal Welgama (nominee of the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka), Mr. Thaha Muzammil (nominee of the Free Media Movement), Mr. Manik de Silva (nominee of the SLPI) and Mr. Frank de Zoysa (nominee of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association) were re-elected via the zoom meeting. Mr. Dharman Wickramaratne, Mr. N. M. Ameen and Mr. Mohanlal Piyadasa were re-elected by the general membership via the zoom meeting of the PCCSL.Messrs Ernst and Young were re-elected Auditors of the Company and Messrs. Corporate Services (Pvt) Limited were re-elected secretaries of the Company via the zoom meeting.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) sources said that plans were afoot to file charges in connection with 15 major fraud and corruption cases in the near future.
The Commission sources said that these cases stem from thorough investigations into complaints that had previously gone unexamined, with recent file reviews prompting the decision to proceed with legal action. The forthcoming charges are based on detailed inquiries that uncovered substantial evidence pointing to serious misconduct.
To date, CIABOC has initiated inquiries into over 300 complaints received during the recent period, reflecting an expanded commitment to tackling corruption at multiple levels of governance.
Commission sources said that several former ministers and political affiliates from past administrations are among those implicated in the ongoing investigations, though specific names have yet to be disclosed.
Despite global shifts toward digital transactions, Cash on Delivery (COD) remains the dominant payment method for online shopping in Sri Lanka, according to the Digital Outlook Sri Lanka 2025 Report by the Asia Pacific Institute of Digital Marketing (APIDM) and the University of Kelaniya.
The report reveals that 52 percent of Sri Lankan online shoppers prefer COD, up from 48 percent in the previous year, underscoring persistent consumer caution toward digital payments.
While debit/credit card usage has dipped slightly to 35 percent (from 39.5 percent last year), newer digital payment methods such as e-wallets/e-money apps lag at 1 percent or less. Installment-based “Buy Now, Pay Later” options account for 3 percent, reflecting modest traction. Online bank transfers, meanwhile, accounted for 8 percent (down from 9 percent last year).(aayubo.com)
The Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has launched a recruitment initiative aimed at addressing critical shortages in university academic staff across the country.
Deputy Minister Dr. Madura Seneviratne said that the recruitment process is being implemented at the university level to ensure that pressing needs are addressed efficiently and in alignment with institutional priorities.
The move comes in response to growing concerns raised by the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA), which has pointed out that nearly 2,000 essential faculty positions remain unfilled across the country’s public universities, potentially impacting the quality of higher education and research output.Deputy Minister Seneviratne said that the recruitment process will be prioritized based on the urgency and significance of vacancies within individual universities and departments.
By Chaminda Silva
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