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Granger open to requests for media interviews
President David Granger
Following criticisms this week of President’s David Granger’s hosting merely two press conferences in the past three years, the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP) has indicated that the President is open to requests for media interviews.
In a statement, the Ministry reiterated the President’s commitment to engaging the members of the media, whom he holds in high esteem, to provide accurate information to the Guyanese public.
“The Head of State also remains open to requests for interviews in this regard,” the Ministry stated.
President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir, had told Kaieteur News that too many issues of national importance are going unaddressed and that the lack of engagement does no good to any Government’s role to be accountable and transparent.
“The Guyana Press cannot continue to meet the President on the sidelines of events,” Raghubir asserted.
The lack of Presidential press conferences had also been picked up in a Stabroek News editorial.
In response to the criticisms, MOTP stated that the President makes an effort as regular as possible to engage members of the media, particularly during public exercises.
“The assertion carried that the number of Presidential Press conferences is a lack of demonstration of accountability to the people is simply absurd,” MOTP noted.
The Ministry reminded of the weekly Post Cabinet briefings, which are held to update the media and by extension, members of the public on deliberations and decisions of Cabinet by the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who is the chief spokesperson for the Government.
Additionally, MOTP cited ‘extensive speeches and publications’ produced by the President and the Ministry of the Presidency.
“The David Granger led administration since its assumption to office has been nothing but transparent and accountable to the citizens and in so doing, has empowered the Ministers of Government to speak on their respective portfolios unabated,” the MOTP noted.
The GPA has raised the need for more frequent engagements with the Head of State since 2015.
According to Raghubir, the GPA raised the matter again at the President’s media brunch in January and as recent as May during World Press Freedom Day.
Following General Elections in May 2015, President Granger hosted his first press conference in October 2015.
Initially, there was the Public Interest programme where select media houses were invited to sit and question the President, then that ended.
There were no press conferences in 2016 and it was only after public criticisms that the President hosted another press conference more than a year later, on December 14, last.
It is now six months since the last press conference and again the President is facing sharp criticisms.
President Granger said to reporters on the sidelines of the ICT Road Show on Monday that he has been busy, having just returned from Montego Bay, Jamaica where he attended the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting.
One week earlier, he had visited Vietnam.
“I am asking the media to be tolerant. My heart is in the right place, but right now, I have had a really difficult period of public engagements and overseas travel,” the President stated.
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