This time the accusation was against the Sunday Times over last week’s front page lead story headlined “H’tota and Mattala: China declines Lanka’s request.” Most piqued was Malik Samarawickrema, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade. The man, who formulates strategy and negotiates for Sri Lanka all international deals, was evidently unaware or forgotten what is going on with regard to key matters in his own Ministry?

So, having read his favourite newspaper, he made telephone calls to a few including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. By Sunday evening, a Sinhala text (a denial of our report) arrived at the Government Information Department. Officials there were unaware from whom or where it came. The translation into English was carried out at the Department. The texts were released to all media.

State media, Derana and Sirisa television networks gave prominence to the statement on Sunday night, at least one saying privately that it did so “under pressure.” One television outlet, though the Sunday Times was not mentioned in the statement, showed visuals of the masthead and the report in question. However, none of the print media published any reference except for a vernacular news sheet now facing a cash crunch and wanting a government bail-out. Whether the outlets which used the news release that accused us of disrupting the economic development of the country will now set the record right with our own account is to be seen.

Appearing on this page is the statement issued by the Government Information Department, the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Matters (CCEM) and a montage of the minutes as proof of our story. These will give the reader a clear idea of what the Sunday Times has reported though Minister Samarawickrama feels embarrassed by this revelation. Thus, the broad accusation that we are disrupting the economy, a new brand name the Government gives to independent media needs to be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. As is clear, the truth hurts. It hurts more when they don’t like the public to know.

(sundaytimes.lk)