It is the duty and responsibility of persons in charge of media sections of the Ministries to ensure that the work being carried out by the government is given due publicity and people are being made aware of things that are being done for their benefit. At the same time it is also the responsibility of the media personnel in the Ministries to focus attention on allegations being made about the activities of their respective Ministries and to ensure that appropriate and timely clarifications are given to these allegations as otherwise people tend to believe that such allegations are true.
This was stated by the Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella addressing a seminar organized by the Media Centre for National Development of the Ministry of Mass Media and Information today. The Minister said that media personnel in the respective Ministries could always contact the State Media Institutions and get their assistance to either get publicity to their Ministry activities or to deny and clarify about baseless allegations.
The Minister pointed that almost all the Ministries are carrying out a large volume of development work and work related to social upliftment but due publicity is not been given to these activities and people who are the beneficiaries of these activities are unaware of them due to lack of adequate publicity. He said that the media personnel in the Ministries have a great role to play in enlightening the people and make people enthusiastic to become partners in these development activities as well as to reject the malicious propaganda being carried out by the anti social anti patriotic elements. The Minister emphasized that in this regard all media personnel in different Ministries should coordinate with the State Media institutions and perform their duties on a team work basis.
Mr. Rambukwella said that it is also the responsibility of the media personnel in the Ministries to keep their relevant Ministers informed about allegations against the Ministry activities and counter these allegations promptly with facts and figures as delays in countering such allegations would cause the people to believe them. The Minister also requested media personnel of the Ministries to contact State Media Institutions for publicity required without any hesitation.
The Minister also urged the Media personnel in the Ministries to work as one family with the State Media Institutions and make a beginning at least by tomorrow to create awareness among masses giving the true and latest information on the work and activities that are being carried out for their benefit, and for the benefit of the future generation by the government.
The Secretary to the Ministry W.B.Ganegala, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Hudson Samarasinghe, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Mohan Samaranayake, the Director of Information Wasantha Priya Ramanayake and the Chief Editor of Silumina Karunadasa Suriyarachchi also addressed the seminar. The Director General of Information Professor Ariyarathne Athugala, the Director of the Media Centre for National Development Ariya Rubasinghe, and the Director General of Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle attended the seminar.
Courtesy: Government Information Department
