The suspension of live telecast of parliamentary debates over Peo TV reverberated in the House today with Opposition MPs raising the matter and crying foul over the announced stoppage. They urged the Speaker to resume the telecast of the debates. 

 

However Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody informed that a decision on the re commencement of the live telecast would resume after taking into consideration the test run which was done during the budget debate. 

 

He informed the House that the telecast was only a test run. 

 

Mr. Weerokkody made this point when the opposition MPs spearheaded by leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremsinghe and UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised the matter during yesterday’s sessions. 

 

Mr. Wickremsinghe said the live telecast should not have been suspended as whatever shortcomings there must have been should have been rectified while the transmission was continuing. 

 

Mr. Karunanayake asked for a reason for the stoppage of the telecast stating that he was told that the matter would be looked into when he first raised the issue in the House on Tuesday.  He said the chairman of committees had informed that it was stopped following a technical error. 

 

Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga who stood up at this moment said there is a contradiction in the reasons given for the stoppage as the chairman of committees is giving one reason while the deputy speaker is giving another. 

 

JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake questioned as how the decision was made when speaker Chamal Rajapaksa was away from Colombo.  He also questioned as to why the transmission was suspended without even consulting party leaders. 

 

MP Buddhika Pathirana said this was a violation of people’s right to information and a breach of privileges of all MPs.  MP Eran Wickramaratne said the results of the test run should be notified to the House. MP Ranjan Ramanayake questioned as to whether the telecast was suspended following the request made by Minister of Mass Media Keheliya Rambukwella who said on a previous day that a decision has to be made whether the live telecast should continue or not. 

 

Government MP A. H. M. Azwer said the transmission should continue after subjecting the clips to edition. He said even the sessions of House of Commons in UK does not telecast the entire sessions and subject the clips to edition.( Yohan Perera)