10 Questions For Portia

[Mosiah]

10 Questions For Portia
Published: Sunday | November 24, 2013 28 Comments

Portia Simpson Miller
With public disquiet growing increasingly about the failure of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to make herself available for media interviews, The Sunday Gleaner invited select persons to send the questions they would like answered by the head of the Government.

We have taken 10 from the loads of questions which were submitted and invite the prime minister to respond to these pressing areas of concern.

1) Did you hold Richard Azan, state minister in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, accountable for any breach of established government procedures in his handling of the Spaldings market issue?

2) Did you consider the outcry from civil society when making your decision to restore Mr Azan to his role of a junior minister?

3) In light of the sacrifices being demanded of all Jamaicans, do you think it is time for you to reduce the number of Cabinet ministers, ministers without portfolio and ministers of state?

4) Are you satisfied with the performance of Peter Bunting as minister of national security?

5) Are you satisfied with the performance of Owen Ellington as commissioner of police?

6) Are you concerned about the level of fatal shootings by the police and other allegations of excesses being made against members of the security forces?

7) Why are you and members of your Cabinet not providing full updates to the nation on the outcomes of numerous foreign trips that they have embarked on, and can you tell the nation how these trips were financed?

8) What, if anything, will Jamaica gain from your recent visits to China and Japan?

9) Has your much-touted jobs programme, JEEP, stalled?

10) Did you ask persons who sit on the Government benches in the Senate to sign undated resignation letters before they were appointed?

[Mosiah]

Not me, baba!

Sending her the questions like this is hardly the same thing as a live media interview, so this is nonsense. I would not have supplied even one question for her majesty!

[Karl]

So the media is waging war on Portia?

It would be a joke if we do not remember that "the media" can be a two-edged sword.

[Comment]

So the media is waging war on Portia?

It would be a joke if we do not remember that "the media" can be a two-edged sword.

since when is asking a prime minister entirely reasonable questions about conspicuously suspicious circumstances waging war?

but I am with Mo, doing it this way is foolishness...

Portia needs to pack her begs and go. She does not have the maturity or intellectual capacity to even hold public office let alone be prime minister. I haven't met anyone who candidly is not embarrassed by her.

Peter for PM!

[Willi]

Yuh joking, right?

[Hortical]

Mi brethren Karl, put aside your partisan hat for a moment!
You should ask yourself a question, why is she running away from the media??????

[Karl]

since when is asking a prime minister entirely reasonable questions about conspicuously suspicious circumstances waging war?

but I am with Mo, doing it this way is foolishness...

Portia needs to pack her begs and go. She does not have the maturity or intellectual capacity to even hold public office let alone be prime minister. I haven't met anyone who candidly is not embarrassed by her.

Peter for PM!

Who said anything about the asking of questions of the PM?
It is the manner in which one approaches and delivers self that must display good societal norms.

I guess for you a "Wats up, Portia? Yuh waan si wi need fi ear bout di tiefin dat a gwaan?" would be A-OK? For me, matters not if it is former PM Bruce Golding or Edward Seaga or Percival James Patterson that would be infra dig, crass, disrespectful and aggressive...but that would be just me.

...and if the young man's equipment was defective...then he should warn the PM by explaining he needed to put his mike close to her...and his actions must be such that it could never be misinterpreted as potentially cause for fear of hurt... but that is just me.

...and no reporter should ever stand in a manner such that he/she blocks the path of ANY PERSON he/she seeks to interview. Just plain good manners and old commonsense...but then that is just me.

Truth is, for example, I have very good working relations with retired PM Mr. Edward Seaga and disagreed with his politics many, many times...but for me he is, Mr. Prime Minister...but even more to the point, no way, no how would I go out of my way to be disrespectful to anyone....matters not how humble or exalted....but then that is just me.

PM Portia Simpson-Miller has been subjected to disrespect and crass behavior from time to time from members of local 'the media'. ...but then as with speech how one acts ALWAYS says more about self than any other thing.

A tilt of the head shows the 'screamers' at PM Simpson-Miller in a poor light to well thinking persons who mourn the continuous sinking of our beloved country into chaos and anti-social behavior.

PM Miller-Simpson has her faults, as do all of us, but 'man'?

[Karl]

Mi brethren Karl, put aside your partisan hat for a moment!
You should ask yourself a question, why is she running away from the media??????

Hortical, I forgive you.
You are better than that. You know whether or not the PM is running from the media is not the point. That question of yours is an entire different matter.

It is the manner in which the reporter conducted himself and the PM's reaction to same that is the point.

Mi brethren Hortical, put aside your partisan hat for a moment! ...and think about 'good behaviour', decency and how each comported self.

btw - To answer your question on questions the country and the press needs answers - Why is it difficult to arrange an interview with the PM?

If the press cannot get interviews with any politician then it would seem the members of the press cannot do their job - incompetent!!! Period!!!

[Islandman]

Why is it difficult to arrange an interview with the PM?

Because she consistently declines invitations to be interviewed. She and her office do not want her to do them. For good (political) reason i might add.

[Comment]

Who said anything about the asking of questions of the PM?
It is the manner in which one approaches and delivers self that must display good societal norms.

I guess for you a "Wats up, Portia? Yuh waan si wi need fi ear bout di tiefin dat a gwaan?" would be A-OK? For me, matters not if it is former PM Bruce Golding or Edward Seaga or Percival James Patterson that would be infra dig, crass, disrespectful and aggressive...but that would be just me.

...and if the young man's equipment was defective...then he should warn the PM by explaining he needed to put his mike close to her...and his actions must be such that it could never be misinterpreted as potentially cause for fear of hurt... but that is just me.

...and no reporter should ever stand in a manner such that he/she blocks the path of ANY PERSON he/she seeks to interview. Just plain good manners and old commonsense...but then that is just me.

Truth is, for example, I have very good working relations with retired PM Mr. Edward Seaga and disagreed with his politics many, many times...but for me he is, Mr. Prime Minister...but even more to the point, no way, no how would I go out of my way to be disrespectful to anyone....matters not how humble or exalted....but then that is just me.

PM Portia Simpson-Miller has been subjected to disrespect and crass behavior from time to time from members of local 'the media'. ...but then as with speech how one acts ALWAYS says more about self than any other thing.

A tilt of the head shows the 'screamers' at PM Simpson-Miller in a poor light to well thinking persons who mourn the continuous sinking of our beloved country into chaos and anti-social behavior.

PM Miller-Simpson has her faults, as do all of us, but 'man'?

Karl...stop being silly. That whole situation was mishandled and need not have happened... it is because she has a very immature view on her role and the way she is to handle leadership that is born from a real and troubling lack of intellect... I "whipped" Andrew so I am authorized to do anything I would like without explanation... Contrast the way Obama handled his heckling with the way Portia handled a reporter asking a question she isn’t brave enough to answer. She is immature and unintelligent. He is responsible, with a keen understanding of his role and place in history. And he is brilliant.... But what am I doing!? Comparing Portia to Obama is like comparing a donkey to a thoroughbred…

Portia needs to go. The country would be better...far better... with Phillips as PM

[Willi]

Karl look like him waan di woman talk her way out of office? LoL