The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I also chair a District Coordinating Committee. A DCC can run 5–6 hours. Unlike Parliament, there we get practical issues resolved through officials when Government and Opposition MPs present matters. No prohibition has been placed on the media attending. Practically, media usually do not stay for 5–6 hours; they take what they need and later get a voice-cut. Often our Chairs brief the media afterwards; I have seen opposition MPs also do so. Over the past one and a half years, we have never had an opposition MP stay the full 5–6 hours in our district; they raise a point, give a voice-cut and leave. No one has been barred.

¶ 02 I would request: this is an issue of the Jaffna DCC; we need not take too much Parliament time. If you have matters to tell the media, you can, and also via social media. But in DCCs and Divisional Committees we devote time to solve real public issues. If we fully expose some matters to media in real time, officials can be placed in difficulty. Sometimes questions asked and immediate answers can affect their external functions; there may be lapses or inefficiencies, but that does not define a whole career. So, when reporting such events, some discretion is needed. Anyone can report, and if there is a concern, we can speak with the Committee Chair.