Thursday, November 6 2008
OPPOSITION Leader Basdeo Panday on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Patrick Manning for visiting Radio 94.1 FM two Saturdays ago to protest their earlier broadcast, critical of Government policy.
In a statement, the UNC leader yesterday called Manning “absolutely out of line, and overboard” in his actions.
Panday said: “Such behaviour by a Prime Minister is undemocratic, arrogant and dictatorial at best since it tramples on the freedom of the media to perform its functions relating to scrutinising Government’s conduct and policies without fear”.
The Couva North MP said Manning’s behaviour was unwarranted in the circumstances, and could only serve to intimidate the media from performing their role and duty of demanding accountability, which is especially crucial in light of the Government evasiveness in accounting for the $250 billion it spent in the last seven years.
Panday said proper avenues exist to complain about the media such as writing to the media house’s management, the Media Complaints Council, or the Telecommunications Authority, if a breach of licence had occurred.
Further he said, the PM could have telephoned the radio-show or issued a media statement to dispute the broadcasters’ remarks.
“But speeding into Port-of-Spain from San Fernando to personally storm into a media house is beyond what is reasonable, or acceptable. If this kind of behaviour is tolerated from the Prime Minister it will signal to other persons such as Ministers that they too are free to assault the media whenever anyone criticises the Government, and soon the media will be muzzled”.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/politics/0,89353.html
Related News
Manning mad at media
PM: I’ll go to the courts if aggrieved
Prime Minister Patrick Manning says he has had it with the media.
It was not my idea
PM on suspension of 94.1 FM employees…
SAYING he did “absolutely nothing wrong” when he visited the 94.1 FM radio station on Abercromby Street in Port of Spain to complain about comments made during one of its newscasts on October 25, Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday said he had nothing to do with the decision of its managers to suspend two of its employees.
The prime minister should see this too it is full of the same irresponsible overhyped sensationalized reporting. Manning did not storm anywhere nor is he out of bounds to expect better quality from a clearly lacking meda. The media is too full of itself beliving that it is anywhere near international bipartisian or unbiased reporting standards. This is a pack of crap the media playing victim taking us for fools.
This is the kind of third world abrasive and uncouth savagery which will forever relegate places like T&T to the proverbial dustbin.
A free press is one of the pillars of a true democracy. Trinbagonians should be alarmed by the behaviour of this individual. This is the prime minister who wants to rewrite the T&T Constitution that will allow him to become the President of the United Islands of the Caribbean. If he is allowed to muzzle the media, democracy-loving citizens like me could be next. Stop this creeping dictatorship, vote him out in the next election!!! Yes we can!!!
True to form the Manning bashing continues. Mr. Panday should be the last to comment on the freedom of the press–remember the fiasco at Mid Centre Mall with journalists covering a political rally a few years ago?
Mr. Manning is spot on the ball when he talks about the gross disrespect that is meted out to individuals in public life.
Would someone please tell Panday and his blog spokesman T-Man that their responses are ‘much ado about nothing.’ No one seriously cares or is concern about the empty posturings of inept leaders devoid of ideas especially in the local media. It is more the politics of distraction practice by the PM and the Opposition leader that will do us no good.
Remind them that it was in their much beloved USA that veteran News anchor for over 3 decades lost his job for criticizing the President , and writing a truthful piece about him as a young national Texan guard.
I personally cannot wait for the day to soon come when these two political leaders would hand over the reign of power to some successor , and to be frank I do not care if its to their respective driver and gardener at this stage.What is morally reprehensible is the fact that Panday is still speaking about governmental corruption when he has a much delayed and pending case of the same nature, where overwhelming evidence will work against him even if his daughter was to marry a Privy council judge as a means of influence.
Manning is about to bypass local car dealers to purchase 200 German cars,and people seem surprise- what a joke!
Wasn’t he the same one that likes to speak glowingly about UWI his alumini and local education ,yet sent all his kids abroad to study even if from evidence garnered ,most were hard pressed to pass their GED? Who is responsible for building all the white elephant hospitals primarily in Trinidad ,yet jumps repeatedly on his private jet to go to Cuban hospital each time he gets a hiccup?
Mr. Manning needs thicker skin. As the PM if he did not like what was said about his CNG policy the he needed to present the facts to the people of TnT and let them decide. Instead he storms a radio station to placate his own ego. One has to wonder if the PM has a sound policy when it comes to CNG or is it made of straw that a pair of radio host can tear it down so easily.
As for Panday he needs to keep quiet, we all know hes holding on to the leadership of the UNC long enough to pass it on to one of his children. he thinks he some Indian Raja passing on the family fiefdom.
To both Panday and Manning this is a democracy. Start behaving as citizens of a democracy and maybe, just maybe, the people will follow you and not laugh at you.
PM comes under fire
It is unacceptable and could be interpreted as an abuse of power for a prime minister to enter a radio station to complain about an alleged wrong committed on air.
Media Association: PM out of line
Manning’s visit to 94.1 FM radio station
What was said on air
PM, Kamla at odds over visit to station
Comments made by 94.1 FM radio announcers about compressed natural gas (CNG) were what caused Prime Minister Patrick Manning to visit the radio station in Port of Spain hours after the comments were made on October 25, he told the Parliament last evening.
Kamla: PM’s protest unprofessional
SIPARIA MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday said Prime Minister Patrick Manning had acted inappropriately in both his recent visit to Radio 94.1 FM to complain about a broadcast and in his visit to German-based BMW who had offered to loan 200 luxury cars for next year’s summits in Trinidad even after the Government had already invited bids from local dealers.
Publishers, broadcasters object to PM agenda
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Publish-ers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) yesterday condemned the action of Prime Minister Patrick Manning in turning up at the offices of 94.1FM on October 25, as “unacceptable”, “an abuse of power”, “intimidatory” and “a threat to freedom of the press.”
More heat for Manning
Sparks flew during yesterday’s sitting of Parliament–literally.
Come better than that, Mr PM
Once again Prime Minister Manning seems more than a little preoccupied with himself and his sense of importance, and seems to be requiring a place beyond scrutiny and criticism.
Truth-seekers, not image-makers
Banana republic thinking
I must say I found it ludicrous that the Prime Minister actually complained that he could not identify one media house in Trinidad and Tobago that pursued a pro-government agenda.
‘An attack on the people’
PM’s visit to radio station…
While the war continues to wage between the media and the Prime Minister, three heavy hitters have given their views on the situation.
Manning … Govts in conflict with reporters since days of Dr Williams
Attacks on the media by politicians in Trinidad and Tobago is no new phenomenon. Founder and leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM), the late Dr Eric Williams, in his early years in the party had waged a war.
When the PM loses his cool
You know,only in trinidad this non-sence could take place.all this confleck is just to take peoples minds off of what’s realy important,the crime food prices jobs,& I could on & on.
Lee Sing praises PM: ‘Media not saints, often sinners’
“I commend him (Manning) for finally bringing his concerns to our attention, in a manner that must force all of us to stop and think—that is, if you can think—about your roles as media practitioners in a plural society.”
Gordon: Manning wrong, 94.1FM unprofessional
Veteran publisher Ken Gordon has said Prime Minister Patrick Manning was wrong to go to 94.1 FM to complain about comments made by two employees during a newscast.