FM highlights the importance of responsible reporting by the media

(December 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has emphasized the need for the media to report news and information with responsibility. The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the orientation programme for media personnel attached to the Parliament, at the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute last Monday (15th December 2008).

Speaking further, Minister Bogollagama stated that this was the first time in the history of the Foreign Ministry that such an orientation programme was being held, specifically designed for the media. The Minister said that he was particularly glad to be associated with this programme, since he is personally aware of the professionalism with which the media has been reporting proceedings of the Parliament, since his own entry into Parliamentary politics in 2000. He pointed out that whenever he spoke in Parliament, he did so with a deep sense of responsibility and highlighted the importance of maintaining consistency and clarity in public speaking. Similarly, he expected the media too would perform their duties with utmost responsibility.

He defended the intrinsic right of the media to report without fear or favour, as a hallmark of a vibrant and functioning democracy. He commended the media for playing a pivotal role as an institutional arm of the democratic framework in Sri Lanka. The contribution of the media in influencing policy making and adding value to public debate on national issues cannot be over-stated.

The Foreign Minister said that diplomacy in the modern world is no longer confined to the four walls of the Foreign Ministry or a diplomatic mission. Given the people-centric orientation of the foreign policy being pursued under the Mahinda Chinthana vision of the present Government, the Foreign Ministry and the Sri Lanka missions abroad are geared to cater to the needs of the people, both in the country as well as the expatriate Sri Lankan communities. In this context, he said that he has given directives to the Sri Lanka Foreign Service officers to accord the highest priority to deal with problems faced by Sri Lankans who visit Sri Lankan diplomatic missions.

He said that due to the lack of regular recruitment of officers to the Foreign Service in the past, it has not been possible to fill all the vacant slots in the Sri Lankan missions, necessitating the posting of non-career personnel who are qualified and experienced in various disciplines, including those from the field of journalism. The Minister said that he has already taken action to redress this situation by holding an open competitive examination this year to recruit a new batch of officers to the Foreign Service. He further stated that he proposed to have an annual intake of officers to the Foreign Service, in order to meet the future needs of the Ministry.

Minister Bogollagama also addressed the audience in Sinhala, and at the outset, regretted his inability to speak in Tamil, which is an official language of Sri Lanka. He underscored the importance of all Sri Lankans to acquire the ability to communicate in both official languages, namely Sinhala and Tamil. In this regard, he said that he had held discussions with the Minister of Constitutional Affairs and National Integration, Mr. D.E.W Gunasekera to arrange language training programmes in Sinhala and Tamil for Foreign Service officers.

Mr. Daya Perera, President of the Parliament Media Association, speaking on the occasion thanked Minister Bogollagama for his personal initiative in arranging an orientation programme tailor-made for media personnel attached to the Parliament and said that it was a historic event for their Association.

Mrs. Sarala Fernando, Director General of the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry were present on the occasion. - Sri Lanka Guardian