641 days: No cabinet media briefings

May 05, 2022 News

– but President Ali says govt. accessible at all times

Kaieteur News – Today marks 641 days since President Irfaan Ali took office and despite boasts of freedom of the press and information access, his administration has not held a single post-cabinet media conference to date.

President Irfaan Ali addressing media workers during the opening ceremony of the World Press Freedom Day Conference on Tuesday (Photo credit: NCN)

Post-cabinet briefings are geared towards informing the nation about critical decisions of the government and also their no-objection to contracts. However, since taking office- this well accepted practice has been discarded although previously promises were made to correct the issue. “Yes it must be done. Yes commitments to have it done were made, but I would equally say, I would reposition this message that this government that I lead, and this President that sits here, has been the most accessible government and President to the media any time of the day, and that will continue that way.”
These were the words of President Ali on Tuesday, as he responded to the President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir on the return of post Cabinet media briefings. Cabinet meetings are where critical decisions are made regarding future and present projects, as well as, the management of the various sectors or Ministries. Prior to the global COVID-19 Pandemic, and before the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government was elected, regular post Cabinet press briefings were held to update the media and nation at large on the progress of the country.
At the opening ceremony for a two day conference to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, observed on May 3, the media association said, that the working professionals must be given the necessary tools to do their jobs. The GPA President was keen to note in her preamble that these tools come not only from the owners of media houses but the atmosphere created in a country as well.
To this end, she said, “With the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the media experienced different types of challenges. These include, and are not limited, to the access to government and other key officials necessary for gathering as well as, communicating key information on the very developmental process. To this end, we hope that after two years there will be more than just a commitment to the return of post cabinet press briefings, but these could actually become a reality in the near future.”
Meanwhile, President Ali gave no commitment to the speedy return of post Cabinet briefings, even though the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, but instead spoke of the need to balance messages sent by the media.
He said: “so I am speaking about the balancing of the message and this is a President that is very frank, I am open to criticism but I will tell you as it is. There has never been any time I’m called upon, anywhere, not only to the media but to the people of this country because that is where I belong. On the ground, that is where I feel at home, that is where I feel comfortable. I would not run away from that.”
Back in February last year, Raghubir had urged government to resume post-Cabinet press briefings and to have more frequent engagements with the press, during her address at the President’s Annual Media Brunch. Ali at the time acknowledged the call by the GPA President for post-Cabinet briefings. He explained that the government has been very busy, and that Cabinet has been meeting frequently, multiple times per week. He, however, committed to resuming the post-Cabinet briefings and to have more engagements with the press.

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