The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the answer is as follows.

¶ 02 (a) (i) The Department of Government Information was established on 31 July 1948 at the Secretariat at Galle Face, Colombo, in line with the recommendations of the Soulbury Commission.

¶ 03 (ii) No institutions come under the purview of the Department. However, District Media Units have been established through the Department within all District Secretariats in the country.

¶ 04 (iii) 301.

¶ 05 (iv) The role of the Department includes: - Contributing through communication, engaging both state and private media institutions, to achieve a higher level of development and sustainable goals. - Releasing relevant information from ministries to the mass media. - Raising public awareness on the Government’s development process. - Informing the public about nationally important events and emergencies. - Creating films and video documentaries to inform the public about development progress. - Producing news features, documentary films, and reports on development information, historical information, and other time-relevant information. - Producing investigative documentary films. - Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disseminating domestic information internationally and bringing foreign information to the local public. - Maintaining the Department’s social media networks and official website. - Regularly publishing the “Desathiya” magazine, “Rajya Sanadesha,” and “Vimarshana” journals. - Operating the Government Publications Unit effectively. - Coordinating for national and international state and diplomatic ceremonies. - Organizing media tours to take regional development efforts and new programmes to the public. - Acting as the main media coordinator for nationally significant events. - Issuing identity cards for professional, local, and foreign media. - Maintaining close coordination with linear media units. - Printing books related to current and nationally important events. - Archiving media coverage—print, audio, and visual—of the President’s official local and foreign ceremonies. - Analyzing and presenting daily newspapers published in all three languages.

¶ 06 (v) Harsha Sri Krishmal Bandara Jayaratne (H.S.K.J. Bandara).

¶ 07 (vi) Educational qualifications: - Master of Business Administration (MBA) – 15.12.2017 – Rajarata University. - Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Science – 16.01.2009 – University of Peradeniya. - Bachelor of Science (Biological Science) – 05.06.2007 – University of Peradeniya.

¶ 08 (b) Does not arise.