PAJ calls for the resumption of post Cabinet press briefings

The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) is calling for the government to resume, as a matter of urgency, post-Cabinet press briefings.

In a statement, the PAJ said it is concerned that there have been no post-Cabinet briefings since the start of the year, with the last such briefing being held in November last year.

It noted that press briefings held very irregularly throughout 2017.

“The government seems to have effectively abandoned the post-Cabinet press briefings,” said PAJ President Dionne Jackson Miller.

“This is unacceptable. For years, the weekly meetings have been the forum in which reporters have been able to question Government Ministers on matters arising from the weekly Cabinet meetings, as well as other issues of national interest as they arise. They have been held regularly by previous administrations, both JLP and PNP, and we call for the Andrew Holness administration to continue this valuable democratic tradition,” she said.

The PAJ said it is not contending that the government has held no press briefings, as there have been several in the past few months, but usually relating to specific issues such as the imposition of a State of Public Emergency or the establishment of Zones of Special Operations.

" The PAJ acknowledges the quarterly press briefings which the Prime Minister has held... [what] it is referring specifically to [is] the weekly press conferences which the media community regards as an important forum in which to question and engage the government on a variety of matters.

The PAJ added that it has received complaints about the ability of Ministers who have attended the briefings to actually answer questions from the press.

According to the association, over the years, the Ministers presiding at these briefings have been able to handle wide-ranging questions from the media on a variety of important subjects.

The press association said the government should, therefore, ensure that not only that the weekly meetings resume, but that the Ministers presiding can actually answer questions asked by the press.

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