‘Former regime deprived people of right to information’

Government Information Department Director General Ranga Kalansuriya said the previous government deprived people of right to information.

The director was addressing a workshop for provincial journalists organised by the Information Department to raise their awareness of the RTI Act at Moneragala on Tuesday.

He said the government put forward the Act within six months, which proves its accountability towards the public.

Kalansuriya said the RTI was brought when Chandrika Bandaranaike was in power and the present government fulfilling their election pledges presented the Act.

The director said 300 applications had been sent for information from various fields within this short period - a positive response towards the Act.

He thanked media personnel for the role they are playing to make the public aware of the Act. and highlighted the role of government heads in providing information for the public.

National Media Centre Director Jagath Liyanaarachchi and media personnel Ananda Dharmapriya Jayasekara participated.