National

OPM Axes Cabinet Interviews

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Tuesday mornings are traditionally when journalists get the opportunity to put pressing questions to policymakers.

Published

1 year ago

September 12, 2023

Berthony McDermott

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Tuesday mornings are traditionally when journalists get the opportunity to put pressing questions to policymakers.

A day ahead of this week’s briefing, media houses were informed those briefings were canceled.

OPM Communications Director Latrae Rahming says the plan is to combine the weekly press briefing and cabinet briefing.

Interviews ahead of the weekly cabinet have been a tradition dating back years.

Ahead of the new day government’s ascension to office, members of the media gathered outside the old cabinet building downtown to conduct interviews…

This isn’t the first time the government implemented an abrupt change to the cabinet procedure

Shortly after the Davis administration took office, reporters were required to submit names and questions in order to interview cabinet ministers.

It’s a story I’ve covered before as we showed up and were denied access to the building.

Cabinet briefings in recent weeks have been dismal as many cabinet ministers deny media requests and in some instances are ignored but Rahming gave this assurance.

But this latest announcement comes amid what seems to be media censorship starting from the retirement and swearing-in ceremony of former Governor General C.A. Smith and Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

Private broadcast media houses were informed that only BIS and ZNS- government-ran stations will be allowed to have videographers and live streams.

While Rahming says that falls under the remit of the governor general’s office. The same stipulations are being handed down for the Opening of Parliament in the next few weeks to which Rahming says he wasn’t aware of.

We put the matter to Free National Movement Chairman Dr. Duane Sands.

But Rahming is saying otherwise.