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Broadcasting Authority Bill to be given to media institutions

Published

1 year ago

April 28, 2023

editor

The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Authority Bill will be given to media institutions and the MPs to study in the next few weeks, Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reform Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said in Parliament yesterday (27).

The Minister said this in response to a question asked by Galle District SJB MP Gayantha Karunathilaka from Media Minister Bandula Gunawardana.

Minister Gunawardana who answered the question first said that there are 25 registered television channels and 51 registered radio channels in the country.

“There is a large disparity between the conditions of national television and radio channels. There is a serious disparity in the granting of licenses to individual radio and television channels. There are those that have been given licenses without any formality or regularity. We are not responsible for any of these. It has happened according to different circumstances.

“As the minister, I requested special permission from the Cabinet to issue licenses with transparency. Accordingly, a special sub-committee chaired by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was appointed by the Cabinet. A large amount of work on the Broadcasting Authority Bill has now been completed.

“Recently, we made an inquiry whether there is a possibility of starting an educational channel. The Minister of Education and I made efforts in this regard. When we used the given symbols for this educational channel, there were obstacles to the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the Independent Television Network. Therefore, we both informed the Cabinet that it is not possible to run a separate channel for education. Accordingly, it was cancelled.”

Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said the sub-committee appointed by the Cabinet currently works on the Bill.

“Studies and final discussions are almost done. In a week or two, the new Broadcasting Authority Bill will be given to the media institutions, the MPs and anyone who is interested in this matter to study it. Only after that we will bring it to Parliament,” he said.

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Resumption of Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai ‍ferry service delayed indefinitely

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2024

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The resumption of the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and the Kankesanthurai region near Jaffna in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka has been delayed again for an indefinite period, Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has said.

The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai (KKS) suburb of Jaffna district, which was to resume on May 13, was delayed due to a “technical shortcoming”, de Silva said on Wednesday.

The nature of the “technical shortcoming” was not revealed by the minister.

The service, launched in October last year after nearly 40 years, was halted a few days later owing to rough weather.

Since then, the resumption of the service, which is a vital component of India-Sri Lanka maritime cooperation, has been delayed three times.

India has also extended a grant assistance of USD 63.65 million — the entire project cost — to Sri Lanka to rehabilitate the Kankesanthurai Port in the Northern Province.

Situated in the northern region of Sri Lanka, the Kankesanthurai Port or the KKS Port, with an area of approximately 16 acres, is located at a distance of 104 kilometres (56 nautical miles) from Karaikal Port in Pondicherry.

The direct passenger ship service connecting Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to Kankesanthurai port near Jaffna covers a distance of 111 kilometres (60 nautical miles) in approximately three and a half hours.

The ferry service will be operated by a private operator, IndSri Ferry Services, selected by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL).

Source: PTI

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State Minister admits to assaulting airport porter

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

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State Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development – Prasanna Ranaweera has admitted to assaulting a porter at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, ‘Lankadeepa’ reports.

The State Minister had gone to the airport with his security personnel to see off his wife, who had gone overseas.

According to reports, the State Minister had also reprimanded security personnel who had opposed to the state minister’s security entering the airport premises with firearms.

Footage then showed him also assaulting the porter who had transported the bags of the State Minister’s wife. It is reported that the State Minister had given the porter only Rs. 700 when public notices at the premises clearly state a porter is to be paid Rs. 1000.

The victim had gone to the police to lodge a complaint in this regard but had been told to come on the next day as the OIC was not present.

However it is said that he had not returned to the police station.

(Source : Lankadeepa)

News

Kandy inundated after heavy rains

Published

3 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Several locations in Kandy city including the Kandy railway station have been inundated with water due to heavy rains.
Kandy faced over 100mm of rain after 2.00pm today, with low lying areas of the city being swiftly inundated.

Irresponsible garbage disposal and illegal constructions are said to be major contributing factors.