Hip, hip, hooray …

At a recent discussion this week involving a multinational organisation, issues were raised as to why media often highlights negative stories and not positive ones.

While we beg to disagree, today’s column – if one is to respond to critics (including the Ministry of National Policy and Economic Affairs – the Prime Minister himself – which has taken umbrage over three stories published in the Business Times last week) – discusses a great and welcome development.

In the midst of cross-talk and accusations in parliament on Wednesday over leaking information to the media on the proceedings of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), it was agreed by all concerned and endorsed by the Speaker that henceforth (from next week – September) all proceedings of parliamentary committees will be opened to the media.

It not only provides the country a bigger-than-a bird’s eye view of what is happening but also puts a lot of pressure on MPs who are members of these committees to do what they have been assigned – attend meetings regularly and most importantly make a positive and objective contribution.

In many ways it puts the more lethargic and incompetent MPs in the spot and strengthens the data base of a private think-tank that recently announced a scientific assessment of the performance of MPs.

For many years Sri Lankan media has had to use devious and unconventional ways of reporting on the proceedings and reports of these committees – if not released legitimately to the public. One of the most robust committees is COPE which has raised many issues over the past few years on mismanagement and corruption of state agencies but with little action or follow-up by the governing party.

The chair of this committee (and other committees which comes under the ambit of special committees) goes to the ruling party by practice but in a gesture of pragmatism and accommodation, the governing party last year agreed to the nomination of an opposition member, in this case, JVP’s Sunil Handunnetti.

The onus of ensuring fair discussion, compromise and accommodation of all views (not very easy for the JVP) has seen Handunetti treading a thin line of not too much reflecting a JVP viewpoint when speaking to the media. Furthermore his objection to Minister Lakshman Kiriella comments on what transpired in COPE - that these should be confidential - was what sparked Wednesday’s cross-talk which for once ended in a positive conclusion.

Though the Speaker’s assurance to allow the proceedings of parliamentary committees to be covered by the media was relegated to the inside pages of most newspapers, it is a very important development in the public demand for accountability, transparency and good governance from the ‘so-called’ people’s representatives.

It has strong but positive implications to society since access to all (or more) parliament proceedings will be open and transparent.

Often MPs when in opposition ‘happily’ forget what they once said after transitioning (or transformation) to government ranks.

Transformation is the word, since what is not good when in opposition like helicopter rides to visit constituencies, wasteful expenditure on tamashas, costly rental for ministries, costly refurbishments of ministers’ bungalows or office space, disappears when one adorns public office. Amnesia takes over when there are perks.

The Speaker is reportedly drafting a set of amendments which would provide guidelines on media access to these committees. Often in parliament, when slang and uncouth language is used, it is ordered to be stricken off the proceedings. Similarly accusations are often levelled against named public officials and individuals under the cover of parliamentary privilege to which the affected parties have no chance of responding, if they are innocent.

Thus while it casts a huge responsibility on MPs ‘to behave’ during committee sessions with the media in attendance’, it also places responsibility on the media to report facts and not simply ‘publish and be dammed’.

There are many other committees of parliament with the most important being those dealing with “High Posts” and “Public Accounts”

There are also several, what are called, Sectoral Oversight Committees on “Economic Development” “International Relations”, “National Security”, “Women and Gender”, “Legal Affairs (anti-corruption) and Media” among others.

The Committee on Public Finance established in December 2015 and headed by an opposition member is one of the most important in recent times after COPE. It has a wide mandate to study and review revenue collection, payments from the Consolidated fund, utilisation of public funds for specific purposes by law; implementation of the Appropriation Act among other matters.

Headed by TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, the committee which has had several meetings is also obligated to submit a report to parliament within six weeks of the presentation of the budget on the “fiscal, financial and economic assumptions used as bases in arriving at total estimated expenditure and receipts’. It has the power to summon any person to appear before the committee which would include ministers or top public officials and corporate leaders. Its first report after the presentation of the budget in November should be very interesting. For the first time access to the most important discussions in the country, aside of the proceedings of parliament, is being provided. Such a situation would have never happened in the past – whichever government in power – and shows that the Maithripala-Ranil administration barring other issues - is living up to its motto of being transparent in the affairs of government. The regime seems to have learnt some bitter lessons in recent times over the Central Bank bond issue and other problems.

While the media has fought relentlessly for over the past few decades for access to information, such freedom should also not be abused and used for an ulterior motive. For the first time, perhaps, the searchlight is turning inwards and how the media acts with such information at its fingertips will shape in future the people’s perceptions of the Fourth Estate as a responsible citizen.