Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation has called a meeting of its director board to obtain approval for an agreement to lease its Eye Channel to Lyca Group affiliate VIS Broadcasting, reports said.
The two sides signed a leasing agreement at the end of July, but it had no prior approval from either the SLRC directors or the Media Ministry.
Later, a paper submitted in that regard to the cabinet by media minister Bandula Gunawardena got rejected.
Notwithstanding that, approval for the leasing agreement is to be sought at today’s board meeting.
Anura raises matter in parliament
In parliament today, Gunawardena went into a fit of anger and uttered unrelated remarks about the 1988-89 period when NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake raised the minister’s admission that the leasing of Eye Channel lacked transparency.
In the beginning, he claimed it had not been given on lease and only that airtime given on rent for six months,
Then, Gunawardena betrayed his ministry secretary by claiming that he had prepared the cabinet paper without proper understanding.
Dissanayake pointed out that the responsibility of the cabinet paper lied totally with the minister, who signed it, and made references to its content.
Bandula says ready to resign
The minister said he would resign if it was proven that any corrupt or fraud act had taken place in the matter.
