House of Assembly Speaker Claudius Francis has criticised the media, urging reporters to do their jobs properly.
“Go do your jobs properly,” Francis declared in an interview outside parliament Friday.
“You know what’s happening to the media? The government says, ‘It’s raining’, the opposition says, ‘It’s not raining’. The press reports both rather than put their heads outside to see if it is raining,” he stated.
“That’s what the problem is. Go do your jobs,” he told the reporters.
Earlier this week, Francis announced to the House that he was considering discontinuing live broadcasts.
The announcement came after a fiery session, including an exchange with opposition leader Allen Chastanet.
When the parliament reconvened on Friday, the Speaker said matters would continue.
Nevertheless, Francis declared that disrespect to the Chair, which had been evident, would not continue.
Asked whether he believed the opposition was misbehaving, the Speaker’s response was:
“Whether I believe that? But you witnessed it. You judge for yourself. Why do you think I must tell you whether I think the opposition is misbehaving?”
Regarding his earlier announcement that he would consider halting live broadcasts of proceedings in parliament, Francis said, “Does the fact that something has never happened make it wrong?”
“It has never happened that members behave that way. Don’t you see it as wrong?” Francis said.
“It is interesting that none of you ask the question of Mr. Chastanet that why it it that he has had a problem with every Speaker, including two under his watch. Even for the five minutes I stepped out, he ran afoul of the Deputy Speaker,” Francis recalled.
“So why is it that the question is always to the Speaker? Go ask Mr. Chastanet those questions,” he said.
In addition, Francis asked whether a live broadcast discontinuation prevents the press from covering parliament.
“It is recorded and played,” he observed.
“Do you broadcast the courts? Why don’t you go and ask the Chief Justice why she doesn’t allow live broadcasts of the court?” The Speaker stated.
He said the media seemed more interested in focusing, not on parliamentary rules breaches by the opposition leader, but on what the Speaker does supporting the rules.
Nothing you have said there makes sense. So sad for a speaker of the House of Parliament where our laws are made.
Honestly, the problem right now is you. When you made certain decisions that were obviously ruled over by the court or required the intervention of Government Ministers, you lost your integrity and the right to command respect in the house. Sadly, you dropped the ball. Let’s move on.
Bravo Mr. Speaker. Bravo!
Now, he attacks the media for his nonsense. I guess he thought he would have found agreement from the loyal hacks. Thin skinned and arrogant man!
Padna the job of the nedia is to present the story as received not to put their own spin on it This is the typical labour party communist authoratarian BS. Not in our democracy please and thank you Stalin wannabe.
Here here “ Go do your jobs properly,”” STLT has not posted my 3 last comments. Mentioning Cabot blocking privately owned lot owners access to their privately owned lots opposite Cabot the Cap estate to Cas En Bas dirt road!,,, why has this not been investigated I’ve mentioned it numerous times since September!,,,, smph u gonna print this finally STLT?….?..?
Wait u mean Claudius is soooo Arrogant and is blatantly throwing it in our face. The reason Y Chas had a problem with the speakers is because they target him unlawfully and this has been proven based on 2 court rulings in his favor. Duuhhh. The media and all of us know that but u refuse to accept that u are wrong and incapable of ruling the house because of your ridiculous biasness. I wonder what another term of u all will result in. This sounds like Authoritarian, Communist, Leftist and the whole lot. those guys hv shut up the Bar Association, SLMDA, Churches, Unions etc and now trying to shut up the media. WTH
Claudius is by no means a good and UNBIASED SOTH! He is thin skinned, and takes everything “personally”! He needs to be schooled in this profession – and fast!! He is quite useless and misguided in what a SOTH entails.
As I have said before: Opposition parties/leaders do what they are supposed to do ; OPPOSE!! That is their job!!
The media’s job is to “journal” news, facts, and what is in front of them, and not be biased in their reporting.