Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

[niceniss]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

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As always, it's not so much the deed that is most interesting...it's the reaction (or over-reaction!) that is most interesting...

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and in this case people are "over-reacting"? One of the worst cases of government corruption is being brought to the fore and she shows contempt by doodling and you are claiming over-reaction? How very little you think of Jamaica...

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Donnika, you misunderstood me. The over reaction that I am concerned with is the banning of the photographers from the particular section of parliament.

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OH... I beg your pardon. My apologies [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

They banned photos from that section so anything can happen, eh? Me tell yuh say a pure contempt fi di Jamaican ppl enoh! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

[j-can]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

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bway it's a tough week fi a PNP supporter....is a good thing the voters have short memories [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]good that you can laugh--- all the way off the shores of Jamaica...

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What the hell is that supposed to mean?...aren't we all off
the shores of jamaica?

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

Press freedom in Parliament - Part 1
published: Tuesday | October 24, 2006

Ken Jones, Contributor

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.

<font color="red">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.</font>

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.

[email protected]

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20061024/cleisure/cleisure2.html

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns




“This is mine,” Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller says to Jamaica Observer photographer, Michael Gordon, as she snatches away the Aston Rhoden Award for News Photography, which he won for a photo of her “doodling” in Parliament. The two kissed and hugged as the audience broke out in uncontrolled laughter. Parliament introduced new rules for reporters in what was seen as the government’s reaction to the publication of the photo, which many described as an intrusion of privacy. Occasion was the Press Association of Jamaica’s (PAJ) Annual Journalism awards dinner at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Friday night.

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

Jamaicans have to be the folks with the best sense of humour anywhere on the planet.

Did the camera-man who caught Presi Bush's note to Condi about a bathroom break get an award? Juss wondering. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

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Jamaicans have to be the folks with the best sense of humour anywhere on the planet.

Did the camera-man who caught Presi Bush's note to Condi about a bathroom break get an award? Juss wondering. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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Don't know, might have. Obviously media association felt this photo by the photojournalist was the top news photo for 2006.

[wolmersboy]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

Your signature line is even more appropriate... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[niceniss]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

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bway it's a tough week fi a PNP supporter....is a good thing the voters have short memories [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]good that you can laugh--- all the way off the shores of Jamaica...

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What the hell is that supposed to mean?...aren't we all off
the shores of jamaica?

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figure it out. I have faith in you... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Lacreta fiddles whilst The Rock burns

Funny the HuffPo Headline Today reminded me of this post from a while forward.

<span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #FF0000">While Rome Burned...They Talked About Lipstick</span></span></span>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/10/while-rome-burnedthey-dis_n_125473.html