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BY INGRID BROWN Observer senior reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, April 11, 2011
THE local media came in for a verbal onslaught from officials of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), who yesterday spent the better part of the Area Council One monthly meeting accusing it of bias against that party.
The lambasting began with deputy leader of Area Council One and Mayor of Kingston Senator Desmond McKenzie, who blasted a television station for recent comments made against Minister of Justice and Attorney General Senator Dorothy Lightbourne by a host on its morning programme.
MCKENZIE... if elected representatives are asked to lift their standard and raise the bar, then it is only fair that the media be required to do same (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
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McKenzie said while the media has condemned Member of Parliament for South West St Catherine Everald Warmington for recent comments to a television anchor whom he told to "go to hell", there has been no outcry about the remarks made by the morning show host.
Noting that persons are often accused of trampling on press freedom when concerns are voiced about the actions of the media, McKenzie said this was not his intent.
However, he noted that while his party recognised that Warmington's comment was not in keeping with the approach of the party, a similar stance was not taken by the media.
But even as he apologised to the anchor on behalf of the Area One council delegates for Warmington's behaviour, McKenzie said he is calling on the management of the television station to do the right thing.
"I am calling on the management of that television station... the minister needs an apology for comments made by that individual," McKenzie said as he addressed Labourites at the council meeting held at the YWCA premises off Camp Road in Kingston yesterday.
Describing the comment as a vicious and unwarranted attack on Lightbourne, McKenzie said the comment made about the minister should have strong reaction and attention from the Women in Media group.
As he spoke, a few riled-up Labourites shouted "the media fi go wey" across the room.
McKenzie noted further that if elected representatives are asked to lift their standard and raise the bar, then it is only fair that the media be required to do same.
He said other professions have oversight bodies to hold persons accountable for their actions but none exist for the media.
McKenzie was followed by Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang, who spent the better part of his speech painting a picture of the media's alleged bias against his party.
"Politically there are some people out there who just don't like the Labour Party and you find them all over the place so don't quarrel with the two little reporters who you see come to the meetings because when dem write the report and it reach the media house you have some other people who tek a look at it and write what them want to write," he said.
"The owners dem don't pay the workers much and when dem carry the report in, they tek charge and write all kind of things and attack the poor Labour Party," he continued, adding that there has been a historic pattern of this attack against the party's leadership.
This, according to him, started with its founder Alexander Bustamante, who was constantly ridiculed for how he spoke and the fact that he never went to university, right through to the current party leader.
Pointing to what he described as the many accomplishments under the JLP such as the reduction in crime, free health care and education and the millions spent in improving the water infrastructure in the Corporate Area and islandwide, Chang said all this goes unnoticed by the media.
"But if a door bruk off of the toilet round dere so it make the front page," he argued.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1JFjnPRyD
Monday, April 11, 2011
THE local media came in for a verbal onslaught from officials of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), who yesterday spent the better part of the Area Council One monthly meeting accusing it of bias against that party.
The lambasting began with deputy leader of Area Council One and Mayor of Kingston Senator Desmond McKenzie, who blasted a television station for recent comments made against Minister of Justice and Attorney General Senator Dorothy Lightbourne by a host on its morning programme.
MCKENZIE... if elected representatives are asked to lift their standard and raise the bar, then it is only fair that the media be required to do same (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
1/1
McKenzie said while the media has condemned Member of Parliament for South West St Catherine Everald Warmington for recent comments to a television anchor whom he told to "go to hell", there has been no outcry about the remarks made by the morning show host.
Noting that persons are often accused of trampling on press freedom when concerns are voiced about the actions of the media, McKenzie said this was not his intent.
However, he noted that while his party recognised that Warmington's comment was not in keeping with the approach of the party, a similar stance was not taken by the media.
But even as he apologised to the anchor on behalf of the Area One council delegates for Warmington's behaviour, McKenzie said he is calling on the management of the television station to do the right thing.
"I am calling on the management of that television station... the minister needs an apology for comments made by that individual," McKenzie said as he addressed Labourites at the council meeting held at the YWCA premises off Camp Road in Kingston yesterday.
Describing the comment as a vicious and unwarranted attack on Lightbourne, McKenzie said the comment made about the minister should have strong reaction and attention from the Women in Media group.
As he spoke, a few riled-up Labourites shouted "the media fi go wey" across the room.
McKenzie noted further that if elected representatives are asked to lift their standard and raise the bar, then it is only fair that the media be required to do same.
He said other professions have oversight bodies to hold persons accountable for their actions but none exist for the media.
McKenzie was followed by Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang, who spent the better part of his speech painting a picture of the media's alleged bias against his party.
"Politically there are some people out there who just don't like the Labour Party and you find them all over the place so don't quarrel with the two little reporters who you see come to the meetings because when dem write the report and it reach the media house you have some other people who tek a look at it and write what them want to write," he said.
"The owners dem don't pay the workers much and when dem carry the report in, they tek charge and write all kind of things and attack the poor Labour Party," he continued, adding that there has been a historic pattern of this attack against the party's leadership.
This, according to him, started with its founder Alexander Bustamante, who was constantly ridiculed for how he spoke and the fact that he never went to university, right through to the current party leader.
Pointing to what he described as the many accomplishments under the JLP such as the reduction in crime, free health care and education and the millions spent in improving the water infrastructure in the Corporate Area and islandwide, Chang said all this goes unnoticed by the media.
"But if a door bruk off of the toilet round dere so it make the front page," he argued.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1JFjnPRyD
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