Radio presenter Gamani Fonseka has been the voice and brainchild of Sri Lankan and Singalese-speaking program Lak Handa, enjoyed by many across the City of Greater Dandenong.By Shaun Inguanzo
GAMANI Fonseka recalls the barriers Sri Lankan journalists faced compared with their Australian counterparts.
“The main barrier is the freedom. It is greater in Australia but in Sri Lanka there are barriers about the freedom of journalism,” he said.
“A lot of Sri Lanka’s media organisations belong to companies or government, so the journalists working for them –electronic and print – don’t have much freedom.
“They have to obey their superiors and owners.
“I can’t say Sri Lankan media is not independent, but then again I can’t say it is independent.”
Hampton Park-based Mr Fonseka is a journalist and producer for a community-based Sri Lankan and Singalese-speaking radio program Lak Handa.
The show is broadcast from Emerald’s 3MDR station, and Mr Fonseka is delighted to see the program reach its fourth year.
He said the biggest audience lies in the City of Greater Dandenong, where there is a high population of Sri Lankan and Singalese-speaking communities.
The program, which runs for two hours on Sundays from 10am, attracts young listeners as well as adults.
VCE students studying Singalese listen to the program not only to study but, once they have acquired the basics of the language, tap into news from Sri Lanka.
Mr Fonseka returned to Australia in 2001 after spending two years in Sri Lanka as a government media consultant to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
“I started the radio channel Visira, which is all about culture in Sri Lanka,” he said.
“I think it is the only cultural channel in the world.”
Mr Fonseka brought his experience back to Australia and now offers Podcasts, internet radio, and the regular service.
His program also focuses on providing immigrants with information on welfare services.
“We give information on immigration and Centrelink, and help like that.
“We get representatives to come on to the program. There are some immigration lawyers here and I contact them, or they contact me, and they come to the radio station and give information to the people.”
Mr Fonseka, who is also chairman of the Springvale Neighbourhood House, said listener feedback dictated the radio program’s direction.
