(Trinidad Express) Communica-tion Minister Jamal Mohammed on Wednesday came under fire for attacking TV6 and the Express under the veil of a personal and private opinion.
Mohammed on Tuesday sent a private and confidential e-mail to TV6 Head of News Dominic Kalipersad, which he said he was writing not as Communication Minister, but as an “insignificant, Muslim coolie from San Juan”.
In the e-mail, Mohammed accused TV6 and the Express of being in cahoots with the Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) in an attempt to destabilise the People’s Partnership Government through biased reporting.
It is not the first time Mohammed has claimed biased reporting at TV6 and the Express. Last Saturday, Mohammed also e-mailed an Express journalist, in his private capacity, taking issue over an article which he believed was taken out of context, saying his doctors had called “to find out if I had thoughts of committing suicide”.
Mohammed’s personal e-mails to media members have sparked serious concern over his inability to differentiate between his personal and professional portfolios.
Kalipersad said Government members have every right to criticise the media.
“If the objective of the e-mail, however, was to point out alleged bias against the PP Government and perceived collusion with the Opposition PNM, what was the Minister’s strategy in writing a letter of complaint to the head of a news operation under the cover of personal observation?” asked Kalipersad.
“Minister Mohammed, the Government spokesperson, as it were, as Minister of Communication, erred in thinking he could divorce his personal and professional capacities in dispatching such accusations. I am tempted to forgive his clear inexperience in these matter. But, I am also wary that he may be cleverly attempting to exercise influence on the media, while hoping that his views would not be subjected to public scrutiny,” he added.
Express editor-in-chief, Omatie Lyder also wondered why Mohammed would think he could write “Private and confidential. Not for Publication” letters as the Minister of Communication, and questioned whether Mohammed needed help with understanding his portfolio.
“Ever so often, I get an earful from a government minister about how biased we are against the Government at the Express, and this latest letter to the TV6 Head of News by the Communication Minister is in the same vein. I have seen a letter he also wrote to one of our journalists, which makes me wonder if this particular minister needs help understanding his portfolio,” she said.
“When the 2010 election campaign was in progress, the Express was accused of being in bed with the People’s Partnership, now we are being accused of being against them. But we have a job to do and will continue to do it fearlessly. The mere fact that we seek other opinions for our stories shows that we strive for balance,” she added.
President of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) Suzanne Shepherd said an official statement will be released soon.
She noted, however, that when the PNM was in government, it too alleged there was biased reporting by the Express and TV6.
“In all the years I’ve been in media, I’ve heard this allegation made so often. It demonstrates a lack of understanding of the role of the media. It seems as though politicians are happy as long as we operate as PR (public relations) agencies for them. The role of the media is to look at what politicians are doing, put the spotlight on them to ensure they are serving the people,” she said.
Veteran journalist Sunity Maharaj was critical of Mohammed’s e-mail, stating it was difficult to accept that it was sent by a minister of communication.
