Dear Editor,
Those who think that too many press conferences are abusive either do not understand democracy or are themselves closet authoritarians. It could also be that those who object to weekly press conferences by the PPP are also suffering from a heavy dose of jealousy.
Critics of the PPP seem to want two contradictory things at the same time. Only recently some opinion makers were complaining that President Ali was not availing himself to the media. When the president did meet with the press, the complaint shifted to the format of the event and other petty points of disgruntlement.
Now there are complaints that Vice President Jagdeo is having too many press conferences. The word ‘abusive’ has been used to characterize these meetings with the press corps. This writer is not aware of any press corps, in any democracy, that has called for less access to a sitting administration.
Dr. Jagdeo made it clear that the Thursday meetings at Freedom House were in his capacity as General Secretary of the PPP. Those meetings with the press were held to provide updates on the recently concluded local government elections. By contrast, press conferences at Office of the President are held to provide information on government policies. The extraordinarily dynamic developments in the economy necessitate these updates.
Anyone who has ever attended the Thursday meetings will tell you that apart from the short opening statements by Jagdeo, the rest of the time is spent answering questions posed by journalists. Some journalists ask up to five or six questions. Jagdeo’s answers usually take two forms. He first addresses false information or claims that have been circulated on a particular issue. In doing so, he often names the source that peddles falsehoods. Since those same falsehoods are politically motivated, the answers provided are not, and should not be devoid of politics. Once the errors and lies are cleared out, the relevant information is provided and placed in their appropriate contexts.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton is not a heavy hitter where policy analysis is concerned. His press conferences reflect this abandonment of duty. By contrast, President Ali, and Vice President Jagdeo are noted policy wonks, meaning that they spend an enormous amount of time reading policy documents and analyzing data before they speak or act. While Prime Minister Mark Phillips has not done formal press conferences, his deep immersion in the policy dynamic is also well known.
The complaint that there are too many press conferences by the PPP is not only incomprehensible, but also terribly childish. Democracy is at its best when journalists interact with policymakers. No democracy can survive without this access.
Sincerely,
Dr. Randolph Persaud
