RW slams media

• Tells P’ment reports included MP names not in proposed Cabinet list sent to President
• Proposes debate on media in January, says will promote free media   

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday challenged several media reports in Parliament for publishing names of lawmakers who were not included in the list sent to President Maithripala Sirisena proposing Cabinet Minister portfolios.

According to PM Wickremesinghe, legal action should be taken against media establishments that carried a wrong list and they should be forced to pay damages to lawmakers mentioned in their respective publications and not found in the original letter sent to President. The Prime Minister proposed a debate on these reports be moved in January 2019.

“I am amazed to see names that I have not submitted coming up in media. I saw MP Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa’s name, which was not in my list to the President sent from the Prime Minister’s Office. In fact, MP Zoysa is fortunate to earn a considerable compensation suing media establishments for including his name. Perhaps he could get over Rs. 100 million as damages. I can submit the letter sent. All this is distortion done by black media. Did media inquire from the Prime Minister’s Office before publishing this news? Will they use my story? Will they carry a correction? I hope the media establishments have money to compensate,” the Prime Minister said.

Inviting media to provide live telecast for the debate in January, Wickremesinghe said: “I propose a debate in January to talk about media. We will not eliminate media. We fought for media freedom and it will continue to be free. Please keep your cheque ready to pay these MPs for the damage you have done.” (AH)