So far, it was through middlemen – i.e. ministers, parliamentarians, and high-ranking officials of public institutions – that the public learnt about what the Government’s plans and positions about matters of national interest are. However, most of the time, when such information conveyed by the highest authority of the country, i.e. the President, reached the public, it was incomplete, adulterated, or distorted, depending on the people who directly communicated with the public.
The public has questions for the President too. However, so far, neither the public nor journalists got an opportunity to directly meet the President and ask questions, unless in special meetings or events such as the Gama Samaga Pilisandara (Dialogue with the Village) programme, where the public – or at least chosen members of the public – could inquire about the country’s affairs from the President and public officials. It would not be wrong to say that this lack of direct communication has distanced the President from the public and vice versa.
In a novel move which would fill this gap between the public and the President, the Government has set up a new media centre named the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) at the Presidential Secretariat, which would be used by the President to address the nation and to answer the questions journalists need to ask on behalf of the public. According to President’s Spokesman Kingsley Rathnayaka, this centre resembles the concept of the White House’s media centre, and would soon be open to journalists from all media institutions.
On the one hand, this can be interpreted as a move that strengthens journalists’ freedom, as they get to ask questions from the country’s highest authority, and on the other hand, this is also a move towards strengthening the public’s right to know what the Government’s plans are which would technically strengthen accountability and transparency on the part of the Government, especially the President. Most importantly, this would prevent the President’s words from being communicated erroneously, as there are no middlemen involved.
As a matter of fact, the prevailing situation has left the public with so many questions which require the Government’s honest answers; however, it is via official statements that the public almost always gets to know what the Government is planning to do, in addition to public days held at ministries where the public could discuss their concerns with the ministers. The most recent example of the lack of proper communication is the statements made by certain members of the Government that the fuel prices which were recently increased would be decreased once Basil Rajapaksa comes back to the country and is appointed the Finance Minister. If there was a way for journalists to ask that question directly from the President, there would have been no room for any rumours. Another example is opinions expressed by some members of the Government about the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) candidate for the next presidential election – while several names were mentioned initially, later the President implied that he is planning to contest for a second tenure. It is obvious that there is a lack of direct communication between the Government’s and the President’s activities.
However, the President and those involved in the implementation of this initiative have a responsibility that goes beyond merely making a platform for the journalists to meet the President – that is, being truthful. The truth is, a majority of live discussions Sri Lankans see are not in fact live discussions. In them, questions are edited and answers are scripted; there is no room for impromptu questions; and sometimes, journalists are barred from asking certain questions or questioning about certain things. This initiative should not face the same fate. If what the public gets to see is not real, it would not bear any fruit, and would be just another scripted programme aimed at deceiving the public.
The country is yet to see how this media centre works; however, if done right, it can bridge the existing gap between the country’s leader and the public.Editorial: Bridging the President-public gap
27 Jul 2021
Editorial: Bridging the President-public gap
27 Jul 2021
So far, it was through middlemen – i.e. ministers, parliamentarians, and high-ranking officials of public institutions – that the public learnt about what the Government’s plans and positions about matters of national interest are. However, most of the time, when such information conveyed by the highest authority of the country, i.e. the President, reached the public, it was incomplete, adulterated, or distorted, depending on the people who directly communicated with the public.
The public has questions for the President too. However, so far, neither the public nor journalists got an opportunity to directly meet the President and ask questions, unless in special meetings or events such as the Gama Samaga Pilisandara (Dialogue with the Village) programme, where the public – or at least chosen members of the public – could inquire about the country’s affairs from the President and public officials. It would not be wrong to say that this lack of direct communication has distanced the President from the public and vice versa.
In a novel move which would fill this gap between the public and the President, the Government has set up a new media centre named the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) at the Presidential Secretariat, which would be used by the President to address the nation and to answer the questions journalists need to ask on behalf of the public. According to President’s Spokesman Kingsley Rathnayaka, this centre resembles the concept of the White House’s media centre, and would soon be open to journalists from all media institutions.
On the one hand, this can be interpreted as a move that strengthens journalists’ freedom, as they get to ask questions from the country’s highest authority, and on the other hand, this is also a move towards strengthening the public’s right to know what the Government’s plans are which would technically strengthen accountability and transparency on the part of the Government, especially the President. Most importantly, this would prevent the President’s words from being communicated erroneously, as there are no middlemen involved.
As a matter of fact, the prevailing situation has left the public with so many questions which require the Government’s honest answers; however, it is via official statements that the public almost always gets to know what the Government is planning to do, in addition to public days held at ministries where the public could discuss their concerns with the ministers. The most recent example of the lack of proper communication is the statements made by certain members of the Government that the fuel prices which were recently increased would be decreased once Basil Rajapaksa comes back to the country and is appointed the Finance Minister. If there was a way for journalists to ask that question directly from the President, there would have been no room for any rumours. Another example is opinions expressed by some members of the Government about the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) candidate for the next presidential election – while several names were mentioned initially, later the President implied that he is planning to contest for a second tenure. It is obvious that there is a lack of direct communication between the Government’s and the President’s activities.
However, the President and those involved in the implementation of this initiative have a responsibility that goes beyond merely making a platform for the journalists to meet the President – that is, being truthful. The truth is, a majority of live discussions Sri Lankans see are not in fact live discussions. In them, questions are edited and answers are scripted; there is no room for impromptu questions; and sometimes, journalists are barred from asking certain questions or questioning about certain things. This initiative should not face the same fate. If what the public gets to see is not real, it would not bear any fruit, and would be just another scripted programme aimed at deceiving the public.
The country is yet to see how this media centre works; however, if done right, it can bridge the existing gap between the country’s leader and the public.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!