Ken Jones, Contributor

Ken Jones

An unusual front page photo has caused Jamaican politicians to once again unearth the lightly buried sword of spite, which they sometimes use when trying to put the media in its place.

Parliamentarians with thin skins and thick skulls do not readily understand that the press is an essential element of democracy, having a respon-sibility to inform and educate the public about what is said and done by the people's elected servants.

Half a century ago, a disgruntled Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) govern-ment would withhold advertising from 'Public Opinion', a weekly paper committed to the cause of the People's National Party (PNP). Here and there a reporter or two would be penalised for caustic criticism. When the table was turned the PNP proved even worse; and matters came to a head in the 1970s when the Prime Minister and other Ministers of Government led a massive march upon the North Street offices of The Gleaner. They went further and hauled journalists before the Bar of the House in a search to find out who was using pen-names to write certain articles; and criminals, perhaps following that lead, attacked the offices of the JLP's 'Voice' and cut out the tongue of an employee before striking him dead.

Those turbulent days seemed long gone; and we have had relative peace between press and parliament, except for minor incidents such as a picture being taken of a peoples' represen-tative snoozing in the midst of a debate. But now the PNP is at it again and all because a newspaper dared to publish a picture of comic sketches being drawn by a Prime Minister while other Members of Parliament (MP) debated a vote of no confidence in her Government. For this offence, journalists covering House proceedings are to be restricted to a cramped corner where, it is felt they will be unable to keep so close a watch on the people's behalf.

Reporters in the dark

It is obvious that when Mr. Speaker made that ruling, he did not know that the long fight for press freedom in Parliament was declared over and done with in 1971. In that year, the British House of Commons led the way for the Commonwealth with a ruling that, "The House will not entertain any complaint of contempt of the House or breach of privilege in respect of the publication of debates or proceedings of the House or of its committees, except when any such debates or pro-ceedings shall have been conducted with closed doors or in private, or when such publication shall have been expressly prohibited by the House." A battle fought for more than 200 years had come to an end and Jamaica up to now seems blissfully unaware of this memo-randum of understanding.

Very great abuses

For those who care to know, it was in 1738 that the first parliamentary shot was fired against the right of the press to report happenings in the House of Commons. The Speaker and several members inveighed against 'very great abuses'; and Robert Walpole, regarded by some as Britain's first Prime Minister, complained about reported speeches "wherein all the wit, the learning, and the argument has been thrown on one side, and on the other nothing but what was low, mean, and ridiculous."

At that session, members of the House convinced that public business was their private business, resolved that it was "a high indignity to, and a notorious breach of privilege of this House, for any newswriter of letters or other papers to give therein any account of the debates or other proceedings of this House and that this House will proceed with the utmost severity against such offenders." This rule remained in force until 1971.

Part Two tomorrow.

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