Island.lk : Sri Lanka: Thursday,
July 28, 2016.
The Right to
Information (RTI) Act would give the public as well as the media unhindered
access to projects undertaken by local NGOs receiving direct and indirect funds
from the government and external sources, Transparency International (Sri Lanka
Chapter) representative Shan Wijetunga told a seminar held at the Information
Department yesterday.
Responding to
a query by The Island regarding the RTI Act's impact on the NGO community,
Wijetunga acknowledged that a spate of allegations had been directed against
various NGOs, particularly after Dec 2004 tsunami. The Island cited the case of
one NGO receiving as much as USD 6 mn during a three year period before eelam
war IV from the government of Norway to promote peace and reconciliation.
Wijetunga
said that the RTI could be utilised by anyone to seek information from both the
public sector and the NGO community. Wijetunga explained that NGOs would have
to maintain documents up to 12 years in accordance with the RTI Act and provide
answers in writing to those who had raised issues with them.
The seminar
was told that all public sector projects worth USD 1 mn or more and other work
estimated to cost more than Rs. 500,000 had to be revealed three months before
the commencement to enable the public to raise any issue in respect of those
projects. Wijetunga revealed that during a workshop held for members of
parliament recently, a minister had declared that the RTI would even prevent
the construction of even a toilet unless it was done in a transparent manner.
The audience
queried whether political parties and religious groups would be subject to RTI
Act. Wijetunga said that they hadn't been covered though various funds set up
by politicians could be scrutinized. Wijetunga asserted that pressure could be
exerted on the establishment to bring political parties, too, under the purview
of RTI Act.
RTI activist
Nalaka Gunawardena said the public could go beforethe Supreme Court seeking an
interpretation as regards political parties as well as religious organisations.
Wijetunga
alleged that the previous government had used national security as an excuse to
repeatedly block the RTI Act.
Quoting UNP
National List MP and constitutional affairs expert Dr. Jayampathy
Wickremaratne, Wijetunga said that Sri Lanka's RTI Act had received
international recognition because it accepted the policy that information
wouldn't be withheld if its release would be beneficial to the public than the
damage caused by withholding it.
Wijetunga
claimed that journalists had been killed for the coverage of the acquisition of
MiG 27s during the war.
Referring to
the recent destruction of Army Central armoury at Salawa, Wijetunga said, the
RTI Act would pave the way for the public to seek information regarding similar
facilities located in other parts of the country. Although specific details
couldn't be provided, the Army couldn't deprive the public of the right to
know, Wijetunga said. Responding to a query, Wijetunga said that until the
government established the RTI mechanism including the five-member commission,
heads of government institutions and NGOs would have to be responsible for the
release of information. In the case of the Government Information department,
its DG, Dr Ranga Kalansuriya would be accountable, Wijetunga said.