The Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake

The Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake posed a brief question to the Government asking whether it intends to implement a development programme for all journalists. No further details, context, or specific proposals were provided in the speech beyond this single inquiry directed at the Government.

Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake raised a supplementary question concerning the precarious employment conditions of journalists in private media institutions. The member highlighted specific issues including piece-rate pay structures, lack of EPF/ETF coverage, and cases where media institution closures have left staff without recourse or compensation. The member called on the Government to introduce protective measures addressing these vulnerabilities faced by private sector journalists.

Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake submitted a written question to the Minister of Health and Mass Media seeking comprehensive information about government-owned media institutions. The question requests details including the number and names of such institutions, the number of registered journalists employed within them, and specifics regarding their salaries and allowances, including the payment methods used. The member also specifically inquired whether the Minister is aware of any irregularities in these payment processes and, if so, what actions have been taken to address them.