Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Press Club President Anthony Capron said Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis should have been “more gracious” in his keynote address at Saturday’s awards banquet for members of the media.
Dr Minnis criticised the press for reporting “drama” rather than policy, for not comparing the Bahamas enough with other countries and for “blurring” the lines between reporting and editorial writing.
His speech on a night honouring the media received a cold reception from many in the room.
“I don’t think he needed to sugar-coat what he had to say but because it was a press event, an event that lauded reporters for what they do, I think he could have been gracious or more gracious than he was,” Mr Capron, a former managing editor of The Nassau Guardian, said when contacted by The Tribune yesterday.
“The prime minister has to do what he has to do; he said some things but I don’t think the press needs to worry about what he says because the press has a job to do. No one can dictate to the press what they ought to do and what they ought not to do.”
The Bahamas Press Club honoured Dr Minnis with the Person of the Year Award, a fact that raised some eyebrows as most in the media had no say in the selection.
“We looked at the newsmakers,” Mr Capron explained. “Who has been in the news more than him? Between the FNM convention and . . . when he was ousted [as leader of the Official Opposition], he was a newsmaker.”
Among the statements that drew the most attention, Dr Minnis claimed the media has not reported his administration’s pledge to grant automatic citizenship rights to children of Bahamian women living abroad and children of unmarried Bahamian men.
“Anybody reading the papers daily would see that it was covered,” Mr Capron said. “I think it might have been a misquote.”
An electronic version of the prime minister’s speech showed the statement was read as it was written.
Dr Minnis’ speech drew criticism from Gladstone Thurston, former Tribune journalist who was honoured Saturday night with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
On his Facebook page, Mr Thurston wrote: “Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, in his address at the Bahamas Press Club awards banquet, came across as rather presumptuous... When I was given the mic, I was tempted to remind him that talking fool is a very serious thing.
“Members of the press ought rightfully to have felt insulted by the prime minister’s remarks. In effect, he told us we were failures at our profession, especially for not supporting his pet projects, like his attempt to have citizenship bestowed outside the provisions of the Constitution... To regurgitate the prime minister’s insane attempt at rank intimidation is to yuck up my vexation.”
When asked about this reaction, Mr Capron said: “If you know Gladstone, that was par for the course. Despite what the prime minister had to say, I think the event went very well.”
Comments
tell_it_like_it_is 6 years, 5 months ago
I definitely DON'T think the media always gets it right. Case in point... leaking info from E & Y audits before verifying info is accurate. However, government should never seek to control the media. That will allow democracy to go downhill for sure.
Only dictators want to control the press, and Dr. Minnis I want to think better of you than that (please don't prove me wrong).
In fact, there have been many instances that things don't get done in government until some family/individual makes a complaint to the media and sheds light on a troubling issue. Then you see everyone suddenly scrambling to address the issue.
So media DOES serve a purpose, like them or not. Let the regulatory bodies do their job and monitor what needs monitoring... but Government, please STAY OUT of it!
BahamasForBahamians 6 years, 5 months ago
Minnis is a disgrace of a PM.
Porcupine 6 years, 5 months ago
And it happened so quickly.
licks2 6 years, 5 months ago
The PM did not tell the media anything that persons like myself has been telling them "rogue" ones like Juan and Candia with their mixture of talk show opinion and commentary as news!!! They want to say whatever the heck they want to say about anybody. . .no matter how rude and condescending they are. . .but to show them how mixed-up they are they want to cry foul. They took the "row" into the bushes. . .then want to make noise when they see "one snake" in the bush!!
sheeprunner12 6 years, 5 months ago
The young Bahamian journalists have to go and take a page out of Nicky Kelly's writing ....... I think that is what Doc Minnis had in mind ........ If that is the comparison, 80% of the journalism is average or less than average............. But journalists are like basketball players (overrated).
TalRussell 6 years, 5 months ago
Comrades! Hear Minister Jeff's new song 'PM's Job In Me Head?
licks2 6 years, 4 months ago
He don't have the balls to be a time changer like doc. . .this time of change needs an iron man to do it. . .doc iron man is on the job!! Doc don't give a heck what the elite want. . .he will do what is right for the people. . .that's why the people will not abandon him to his detractors. . .nor the PLP!
sealice 6 years, 4 months ago
Gracious??? what's he got to be thankful for??? He has to clean up a mess of mounmental size left behind by successive failed Gubmints? Any fool, I mean any person, that wants that job for the right reasons (make sure of that please) he needs help not to be told what to do and whom to say it to.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 4 months ago
Why do we expect that everyone should be publicly disingenuous???? ..... There is far too much ass-kissing going on in this country ...... The PM has not followed that pattern, so no need to start with the press (who will throw Jesus under the bus for a story).
birdiestrachan 6 years, 4 months ago
Be it as it may. The government can not control the press. that is what communist Countries do. He also lied when he said the news media did not publish his changes to citizen ship.
Defend him as much as you wish. but he s still wrong. The Bahamas own Donald Trump is doing the same as the USA Donald Trump. attacking the press.
tell_it_like_it_is 6 years, 4 months ago
Honestly, no one can really compare to Trump. He's a disgrace to American politics and their democracy. Minnis has some issues, but he is definitely NOT Donald Trump.
licks2 6 years, 4 months ago
How is he trying to control the press? He just told them that they are doing mess. . .I have been telling Juan and Candia that long time. . .both of them, Rodney and Omar HAVE BECOME SHOCK-JOCKS AND CEASED TO BE CREDIBLY JOURNALISTS!! Yes they may not break any laws. . .but they bring the discipline of journalism into the gutter where they can expect others to either become gutter trash like themselves or go into their private life and put their dirt into the public. For example, Omar talked trash about the judge. . .almost find his tail in jail. Their are ethics in journalism. . .these rogues have seem to forgot that!
TalRussell 6 years, 4 months ago
Comrades! When you put up on the scoreboard the short list accomplishments during the 25 governing years under the two former law partners Papa Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie, their combined 25 years, fails poorly in comparison to the long list of accomplishments attained by Lynden Pindling's 25 consecutive years in power.
Critics might say both former law partners regressed the Bahamaland - back to the status of an island colony.... except when the colony was under the UBP and not Papa and Christie - it was a 'debt free' colony with a surplus in the public purse of $22 million...not BILLIONS in Papa and Christie debt.
mackeymedia 6 years, 4 months ago
Interesting answer
licks2 6 years, 4 months ago
No commission of inquiry ever condemned either of those two. . .however, it shown the high level multiplicities of LOP in tearing down the moral fiber of this nation. . .he destroyed and decimated more Bahamian families that PGC and HI put together . . .I think! LOP mussie had that surplus hide where he had the 5,000,000 share dividend from the Freeport Port Authority. . .tal need to go read the 1983 commission report. . .LOP was "painted" as a crime boss! Tal Do not understand the difference between surplus and deficit or dept? That last part of the statement een making no sense!!
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 4 months ago
Tal. You mussee on crack. LOP was a criminal. Period.
TalRussell 6 years, 4 months ago
Comrade Proudloudandfm, Pindling goin be stunned to learn he has police record, despite never having been charged with a crime - much less convicted by a judge or jury?
hrysippus 6 years, 4 months ago
Hubris Hubert had his say.... .. As invited speaker to Press Club day,....... .. He thought to tell them what to write... ... Instead came off as not to bright.... ........ This doctor trained in gynaecology...... . Needs to give a sincere apology.
licks2 6 years, 4 months ago
Who was going to change him. . .and keep their family livelihood or not get beat-up or even killed by the PLP? All elite PLP were above the law. . .they paid little of no taxes, they could not go to jail. . .not even get arrested! LOP was more like Morgabe than any other PM we ever had. . .
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