Concerns on Mervyn’s post
The international media rights group Reporters Without Borders has expressed concerns over the appointment of Mervyn Silva as a Deputy Media Minister and called on Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne to relieve Mervyn Silva of his ministerial post. “In what country do you appoint an arsonist to put out fires?” Reporters Without Borders asked today after learning that Mervyn Silva, a politician notorious for insulting and physically attacking journalists, has been appointed deputy minister of media and information. “The Sri Lankan government has again distinguished itself by assigning key posts to very controversial figures implicated in attacks on press freedom,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The ruling party’s victory in the parliamentary elections is being marred by this kind of appointment, which is casting serious doubt on its ability to carry out reconciliation and reconstruction.” www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/3366-concerns-on-mervyns-appointment.html