Media complain about exclusion from THA ceremonies

REPORTERS and photographers complained of exclusion from Thursday's Tobago House of Assembly (THA) swearing-in ceremonies, and of being left to perch on a roadside curb, or worse, to stand up for hours on end under the blazing sun.

Newsday understands Media Association (MATT) president Ira Mathur is looking into the matter.

Newsday chief photographer Jeff Mayers spoke of having to stand for two hours under the sun outside the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort in Lowlands, Tobago for the first ceremony – the swearing-in of assemblymen under the auspices of the Office of the President.

He said later on at the second ceremony, the swearing-in of THA secretaries, media personnel tried to enter the library at the Legislature Building in Scarborough.

"We went in, as is customary, but were not allowed."

Mayers said the library was instead reserved for assemblymen owing to their being displaced from their usual room, the tea room, which on this occasion was used by President Paula-Mae Weekes to administer the oaths of office.

"They didn't want us on the compound at all," he said.

While the media  had initially ignored calls to stay off the premises, when the assemblymen arrived three police officers and another unidentified person told them to leave the compound, Mayers said.

"We were outside all the time. This lasted from 11.30 am-4 pm."

Eventually the media conference was held outside the Legislature Building on a staircase within the compound.

"It was an extremely tiring experience.

"Other media members had pleaded to let one of us go into the chamber. We said, 'Take us out of the hot sun.' We didn't even have access to a washroom."

Newsday contacted Cheryl Lala, communications adviser at the Office of the President, to ask about the Magdalena event.

"I had told them up front there was no room to accommodate the media in the ballroom," she said. "I had told them since yesterday (Wednesday.)

"We had TTT cameras inside to give everyone a feed for television which they could also get from the THA broadcast. We had two still photographers inside to take pictures and give to the media, which I did do as soon as we could."

Lala said that under covid19 social distancing protocols, the ballroom simply could not accommodate the media. She said that room had to safely accommodate 15 assemblymen, 15 guests, the Prime Minister, the President, the President's aide-de-camp, unspecified military staff, and one worker to handle each of the cameras, switches and audio, plus two photographers.

"The most I could do was accommodate them (media) outside."

She said she had not been expecting the media, but they came.

Lala said people had begun to arrive for the Magdalena function at 10.15 am and it lasted from 11-11.32 am. She said at one time she had relented to withdraw one of her photographers to allow in a media photographer, but none among those present had a jacket, part of the dress code for the official event.