Champika’s boy takes ITN to ruin! 

Nov 15, 2015

Dhanushka Ramanayake, who has become working director of ITN due to his being the press officer of minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, is now taking the institution to ruin, ITN journalists say with sadness. After the ‘Yaha Paalana’ government came to power, Prof. Dhammika Ganganatha Dissanayake, an expert on mass communication, was

appointed chairman of ITN, and following his appointment as the Sri Lankan ambassador in Japan, Ramanayake had made a big attempt to get appointed as chairman of ITN, say its journalists. After failing in the attempt, Ramanayake has now become a headache for chairman Hemasiri Fernando, who has a lot of experience in Sri Lanka’s administrative field.

 

Ramanayake knows nothing other than having a degree from England’s Cardiff University and sending Champika’s faxes, but he was first handed over by the then chairman Dissanayake the ‘Lakhanda’ Radio of ITN, which had been earning considerable profits. But, within 10 months, Ramanayake has made a white elephant out of the radio.

 

He has introduced three concepts – productivity, motivation and popularity – which all are money swallowing exercises. Under this so called motivation, ITN employees were sent to Diyatalawa camp, away from Colombo, but it yielded no results. In order to popularize ITN and Lakhanda, he implemented ‘Dhathu Wandanawa’ (paying homage to relics). Although a media institution should cater mainly to the young, Ramanayake is leaning more towards the senior citizens.

 

Without stopping there, Ramanayake is using ITN-owned assets for his personal luxury. He is using ITN employees and vehicles for activities related to his wedding that is due to take place on the 20th of this month. In addition to the car, bearing no. KR 5518, given to him by ITN, he has got hold of another car, bearing no. KV 3358, for the use of his would-be wife, say ITN sources.

 

Using Champika’s powers, Ramanayake is trying to expel chairman Fernando and get into his position. For that, he is deceiving Lake House chairman Kavan Ratnayake, who is also a director board member of ITN. It has become difficult for Ramanayake to deceive the other directors. Ramanayake has told Champika, “If your dream of becoming the prime minister is to become true, I should definitely be the ITN chairman.” ITN employees are saying that after ‘Yakada Suda’ (Sudarman Radaliyagoda), Champika’s boy is giving them entertainment.