Skip links

Importance of RTI for the villager

Villagers at Katepola in Dumbara, Horana were made aware of the importance of the Right to Information (RTI) and the need to enact legislation, by TISL at a programme organized by ‘Gami Suwanda’ community based organization.

The participants, who represented various vocations in the area express their willingness to learn more on RTI and agitate for the enactment of the law. They showed their disapproval on the way the government has reacted recently in Parliament by defeating the private member’s motion moved by Hon. Karu Jayasuriya MP.

‘Gami Suwanda’ was formed to address some of the development needs of the village and also to mobilize others in the village to rally for common causes. A news sheet tilted ‘Bolatta’ is published to keep everyone informed of the ongoing activities.

During the discussion, the participants pointed out a number of difficulties faced by them when obtaining services from government offices. This was due to lack of information and access to files and other materials.

“We have a lot of land problems. We have been living in this village for years and we are fighting hard to get the ownership to our lands. But we have come up against lot of obstruction. Officials are not giving valid reason for turning down our request for legal validation of our lands,” they pointed out.

TISL representatives discussed existing avenues to obtain information and their right for asking for such information from public officers.

Leave a comment

This website uses cookies to improve your web experience.