President receives nation’s highest award, bans TV coverage

Theron Boodan, adviser to former President Anthony Carmona, is calling on President Paula-Mae Weekes to explain why the broadcast media were not invited to cover her receiving the Order of the Republic of TT (ORTT) award, the nation’s highest honour, yesterday. He described the absence of broadcast media as “something of concern.”

The Chief Justice conferred the award on the President at the Cottage in the grounds of President’s House yesterday afternoon. The award, formerly the Trinity Cross, is traditionally given to presidents of TT, among other high officials.

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, Boodan said while he was not aware of all the circumstances of the President’s decision to invite only the print media, such a move was unheard of and it would have been better if she had chosen to make the event private instead of allowing in only certain media houses.

“You cannot afford to be selective. Either you invite all of the media, or none at all. If you don’t want any broadcasting media, you can have a private event and not invite anyone at all. But for a public event, to not invite the broadcasting media shows some bias.”

He said while someone can be banned from the Office of the President, “It has to the on good grounds, where that person is not conforming to the protocol. But I don’t think you have the luxury of banning an entire category of media like that.”

Speaking with reporters before the ceremony, a member of Weekes’ communications team told reporters no broadcast media were invited because Weekes did not like recording cameras and preferred to remain private.

The same official also told reporters the President had also contemplated whether even the printed media should be invited.

For her part, Weekes thanked those who attended, but said she was unable to speak much after consulting her protocol officer.

Chief Justice Ivor Archie, who serves as chairman of the National Awards Committee, presented the award to Weekes and praised her for her contributions to TT and enriching society from her time on the bench as a judge as well as her various programmes and initatives.

Newsday spoke to president of the Media Association (MATT) Vernon Ramesar, who said he was unaware of the full circumstances surrounding the decision, but he too found it troubling.

“It is always of great concern when the media’s access to events held by public figures is restricted,” he said. “Media access is an essential component of a healthy democracy as it facilitates transparency.” Newsday also spoke to Lenore Dorset, former protocol officer in the Office of the President. She said while she too was not fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the nature of the blacklist, it was not unheard-of for the President to request coverage by print media only.

“It’s not something that’s particularly unusual. From time to time, the President will say that they don’t want a full complement of media, because they know the information will eventually get out to the public with whatever media is present.

“I don’t really know what the thinking is behind the decision, and I’m very cautious to comment, but she (Weekes), probably did not see this event as a very big occasion to invite the media.”

Newsday also understands that while a photographer from the Government Information Services Ltd (GISL) waspresent , there were no GISL videographers.