No attempt to forcibly take over Rupavahini Corp. - Ruwan

http://www.dailynews.lk/ Thursday, September 12, 2019

Defence State Minister and Mass Media Minister Ruwan Wijewardene denied speculation on internet social media that he was planning to forcibly take over the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), the state-owned national television network that was recently transferred out of the Media Ministry and put under the purview of the Defence Ministry.

Defence State Minister and Mass Media Minister
Ruwan Wijewardene

Speaking to news media at the Media Ministry last evening the Minister said he had never engaged in thug-politics and therefore, that information was totally baseless.

Wijewardene said that he had no quarrel with President Maithripala Sirisena for taking over the national television, which had been under the Media Minister’s purview but, the issue was about a media institution being gazzeted under the Defence Ministry. “This move is an attack against democracy and also the country’s media freedom,” he pointed out.

Wijewardene also pointed out that the SLRC has been incurring losses in hundreds of millions since 2014. Mismanagement, as well as fraud and corruption, had resulted in this situation, he claimed. However, four attempts by him to make changes to the institution’s management have been averted by the President, he said.

“This is the first time in the country’s history that a television network was gazette under the Defence Ministry. Such things did not happen even during the war. Therefore, I am totally against his move,” the non-Cabinet Media Minister said.