• Cabinet or any others could not raise objections to these appointments

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

The appointment of the chairman and members to the Right to Information Commission was the prerogative of the Executive President and therefore the cabinet could not do anything about it or any other could not raise objections to these appointments, Government spokesman, Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said. 

He told the media that Parliamentary Council ratifies the nominations by the President to the RTI commission and as such the cabinet or the Mass Media Ministry has no say in it.

Minister Pathirana made these observations when a journalist questioned the concerns expressed by Transparency International, Sri Lanka (TISL), many other NGOs, the civil society and the opposition on the rationale of appointing the controversial retired Supreme Court judge Upali Abeyratne as the Chairman of the RTI commission by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The journalist said he could not understand as to how highly respected journalists like Kishali Pinto Jayawardene, a member of the newly constituted RTI commission, sit together with Chairman Abeyratne for conflict resolution pertaining to right to information and media.             

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has raised concerns over the appointment of retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne as the Chairperson of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission.  “The Right to Information has been widely used by the people of Sri Lanka since its enactment, having a transformational impact on their daily lives. An independent RTI Commission plays a crucial role as the main appellate and oversight body in relation to RTI,” the TISL stressed.

Issuing a joint statement with several other members of civil society organisations, TISL noted that Abeyratne’s appointment undermined the spirit of the law, ignoring several allegations against him.

Meanwhile, Mass Media Minister Dulles Alahapperuma said it is appropriate to consult the Mass Media Ministry when members to the RTI Commission are appointed and added he was contemplating proposing this to the government. 

• The Right to Information has been widely used by the people of Sri Lanka since its enactment, having a transformational impact on their daily lives