The Hon. (Dr.) Kaushalya Ariyarathne - Deputy Minister of Mass Media

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, under our policy, “A Prosperous Country - A Beautiful Life,” a key area is “A Free Media Industry - An Equitable Information Society.” Sri Lanka has not developed a true media industry, which is a major issue. The Chartered Institute of Media Professionals Bill has been drafted, has obtained Attorney General’s Department clearance, and is now being formatted by the Legal Draftsman’s Department. We expect to gazette it soon. This will enable journalists to work with recognized professional status and protect their rights, professionalism and dignity, and provide an institution to stand for them when rights are violated.

¶ 02 We will also continue scholarships for journalists this year. Additionally, many regional journalists lack social protection. We are exploring introducing a health insurance scheme with a small contribution from them and state support; two rounds of discussions have already been held, and we aim to introduce it this year. Several initiatives are planned for journalists’ welfare, the most important being the establishment of the chartered institute.