The Tribune

THE RECENT shake-up of the Trump administration’s communications team is a reminder of the importance, in a media-savvy world, of public presentation which can play a major role in determining the success or failure of any government.

Observers of the Washington political scene will not have been surprised at the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer. His task of articulating and defending to a sceptical media the ideas, attitudes and policies of an unpredictable and uncontrollable US president, who wears everything on his sleeve and insists on tweeting daily his immediate reaction to events without proper thought or consideration, was surely exceptionally demanding if not a nightmare. Worst of all must have been the knowledge that his hands-on boss – possessing what has been described as a tumultuous personality and who himself is acknowledged, despite all his faults, as being a master communicator – was probably checking Spicer’s performance on television during his daily White House press corps briefing.

In earlier times, governments were able to operate free of leaks in conditions of confidentiality and to manipulate public opinion by controlling the dissemination of information, either limiting what was published or presenting facts in the form of propaganda – in Orwellian terms, the rewriting and distortion of history for the government’s own purposes.

In the modern era, the plethora and relentless flow of information and instant access to facts through search engines via the Internet, combined with Freedom of Information legislation and pressure on democratic governments to be transparent and accountable, means that accurate, truthful and convincing presentation of policy has become increasingly important. Nowadays, people are generally better informed, more discerning and critical and thus more likely to challenge the status quo or established doctrine. To succeed in today’s world of instant communications, a government must be able to convey its message effectively and defend its actions to as wide an audience as possible.

The role of an official spokesman has therefore grown in significance. It is interesting that the Prime Minister has appointed his own press secretary – the first one in a post-Independence Bahamas. We hope that this signals that the bad old days of the Bahamas Information Services being used as a government propaganda tool are well and truly over and that the new appointee, a seasoned veteran journalist, will not only produce reliable information but also become proactive in explaining official policy as well as being forthcoming in responding to questions from the press and the public.

These are still early days to judge whether the new FNM government will fulfil its campaign promises, but the evidence suggests that most people – apart from the diehard PLP leadership and supporters – consider that so far it has been notably active and businesslike in its approach. But one vital issue uppermost in the public’s mind is the handling of the investigations into the PLP’s alleged corruption during its period of office.

In a democracy like ours that respects the separation of powers and the rule of law, it would be fundamentally wrong for the government itself to become involved in the anti-corruption investigations currently taking place and it should avoid any action which might expose it to allegations of orchestrating a witch hunt. Any wrongdoing amounting to criminality must be strictly a matter for law enforcement, and the police must be seen to be acting fairly and correctly.

Where there is a prima facie case of illegality and the evidence is sufficiently strong, the law should take its course through the courts. But it is also important that the significance of the judicial process in our country should be understood and respected by the general public so that the accusations by the leader of the opposition that the FNM government is spearheading these investigations can be seen as baseless.

With this in mind, we hope that, in keeping with the government’s much-vaunted commitment to transparency and accountability, the press secretary will be vocal in clarifying the government’s hands-off position in this important matter. In order to maintain public confidence, the administration of justice in our country must be seen to be applied in a proper manner and without political interference.

If Dr Minnis remains true to his word, it is reasonable to assume that his colleagues will resist temptation and steer clear of the sort of improprieties and alleged corrupt practices committed by some of their predecessors which are gradually coming to light. With members of the previous government now facing the full force of the law, everybody must hope that dishonesty and corruption in public life will be minimised in future if not stamped out entirely, though that might be too much to expect given our nation’s chequered history in this respect.

There is, however, also a separate danger that after the honeymoon period an FNM government with an overwhelming majority may become complacent, arbitrary and overbearing in the absence of a strong opposition to hold it to account. So, while we have confidence up to now in the government’s performance and declared intentions, this makes it all the more important for the fourth estate to play its own role, objectively and without fear or favour, in keeping a watchful eye on the activities of our political leaders.

With a new government in place for less than three months, many people are fervently hoping for better times ahead as the Prime Minister and his colleagues find their feet – and they are looking to him and his team to lead the way with honesty, impartiality and integrity.