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Those gov't briefings, vehicles, houses board members
Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
It would have been a retrograde step by the new government if it had ended the weekly post-Cabinet press briefings at Jamaica House. The press briefings were started by former prime minister Michael Manley during his administration in the 1970s. The holding of the briefings along with the frequent meetings between Manley and senior journalists opened a new era of understanding between government and the media. Of course, Manley being a journalist was quite aware of the benefits that would flow from effective communication with the media. He practised transparency as far as the situation would allow him.
In the discussions on the importance of post-Cabinet press briefings, some Opposition PNP spokesmen and journalists talked as if they wanted all matters decided on by Cabinet disclosed at the briefings. I can say without fear of contradiction that this never happened during the Manley or the PJ Patterson administrations. No matter of major national importance discussed by Cabinet was released at the press briefings before they went to Parliament. That could not be. This never happened during the periods that I was press secretary to Manley and Patterson. I moderated press briefings while I was at Jamaica House. By far the most significant aspect of these briefings was the question-and-answer period. It was good for the journalism profession that Patterson, himself a journalist, continued the tradition.
Sometimes the press briefing had to be delayed because the discussion on a specific matter was not completed in time. In this regard, the new minister of information Olivia "Babsy" Grange's suggestion that the briefings be held on Tuesday instead of Monday is a good one. May I suggest that neither the prime minister nor the minister of information try to moderate their own press briefings. The matter of recognising who should ask the question when so many hands are up is a tricky one and the prime minister could end up in the bad books of a journalist, if that journalist feels he was not treated fairly. Incidentally, because of his personality, experience, professionalism and honesty, the current press secretary, Lincoln Robinson, would do a good job as moderator.
Whenever there is a change of government, the outgoing ministers cannot be expected to vacate immediately the houses government provided for them. There needs to be a protocol that requires a minister to vacate the house within one month which is the normal notice given to tenants by landlords. In the case of a government vehicle, two weeks' notice should be given to hand over the keys. The country has to treat ex-ministers with civility, although some of them might not deserve it.
Traditionally also, members of boards who were politically appointed by ministers are expected to resign within two weeks after the new government takes office so as to allow the prime minister and ministers space to appoint their own boards. Chief executive officers of executive agencies are appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister or ministers. However, some ethical standards should be set that no permanent appointment on a three-year contract should be made in an election year, tying the hands of the new prime minister or minister.
In last week's column I said that nothing was wrong with the appointment of Don Wehby, a bright GraceKennedy executive, as minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance, provided he resigned from Grace Kennedy. I pointed out that Danny Williams was the top official at Life of Jamaica when he was appointed a minister of state in the Manley government in the 1970s. It was honourable of Williams, in backing Wehby's appointment, to explain that he was minister of state and later minister when he was at Life of Jamaica, and continued to get his full salary and a vehicle.
Ken Chaplin
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
It would have been a retrograde step by the new government if it had ended the weekly post-Cabinet press briefings at Jamaica House. The press briefings were started by former prime minister Michael Manley during his administration in the 1970s. The holding of the briefings along with the frequent meetings between Manley and senior journalists opened a new era of understanding between government and the media. Of course, Manley being a journalist was quite aware of the benefits that would flow from effective communication with the media. He practised transparency as far as the situation would allow him.
In the discussions on the importance of post-Cabinet press briefings, some Opposition PNP spokesmen and journalists talked as if they wanted all matters decided on by Cabinet disclosed at the briefings. I can say without fear of contradiction that this never happened during the Manley or the PJ Patterson administrations. No matter of major national importance discussed by Cabinet was released at the press briefings before they went to Parliament. That could not be. This never happened during the periods that I was press secretary to Manley and Patterson. I moderated press briefings while I was at Jamaica House. By far the most significant aspect of these briefings was the question-and-answer period. It was good for the journalism profession that Patterson, himself a journalist, continued the tradition.
Sometimes the press briefing had to be delayed because the discussion on a specific matter was not completed in time. In this regard, the new minister of information Olivia "Babsy" Grange's suggestion that the briefings be held on Tuesday instead of Monday is a good one. May I suggest that neither the prime minister nor the minister of information try to moderate their own press briefings. The matter of recognising who should ask the question when so many hands are up is a tricky one and the prime minister could end up in the bad books of a journalist, if that journalist feels he was not treated fairly. Incidentally, because of his personality, experience, professionalism and honesty, the current press secretary, Lincoln Robinson, would do a good job as moderator.
Whenever there is a change of government, the outgoing ministers cannot be expected to vacate immediately the houses government provided for them. There needs to be a protocol that requires a minister to vacate the house within one month which is the normal notice given to tenants by landlords. In the case of a government vehicle, two weeks' notice should be given to hand over the keys. The country has to treat ex-ministers with civility, although some of them might not deserve it.
Traditionally also, members of boards who were politically appointed by ministers are expected to resign within two weeks after the new government takes office so as to allow the prime minister and ministers space to appoint their own boards. Chief executive officers of executive agencies are appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister or ministers. However, some ethical standards should be set that no permanent appointment on a three-year contract should be made in an election year, tying the hands of the new prime minister or minister.
In last week's column I said that nothing was wrong with the appointment of Don Wehby, a bright GraceKennedy executive, as minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance, provided he resigned from Grace Kennedy. I pointed out that Danny Williams was the top official at Life of Jamaica when he was appointed a minister of state in the Manley government in the 1970s. It was honourable of Williams, in backing Wehby's appointment, to explain that he was minister of state and later minister when he was at Life of Jamaica, and continued to get his full salary and a vehicle.