BVI News

Gov’t wants journalists to send questions before press conference

The central administration complex in Road Town that houses several government offices. (GIS photo)

Members of the local press have taken issue with a recent request from government to submit questions ahead of the Premier’s press conference on October 28.

The request was reportedly submitted by Chief Information Officer in the Department of Information and Public Relations, Desiree Smith.

It is unclear whether all media houses will submit the questions ahead of time, as requested. But one member of the local press took to Facebook to show his disapproval of the government’s request.

“In October 2007, Premier Ralph T O’Neal wanted the press to submit questions ahead of press conferences. Premier Wheatley has come with the same [thing] about submitting questions today ahead of Friday’s press conference,” the Facebook post read.

“It ain’t going to happen! Politicians don’t control the press. We aren’t GIS.”

Press freedom continues to be an issue in the BVI.

At press conferences hosted by elected leaders, it is also usual for elected leaders to instruct local journalists to only ask questions about the subject of the press conference and no other issues of national importance.

This practice doesn’t happen in many other well-respected jurisdictions.

Our news centre for example, often gets no reply from elected leaders when questions are submitted by WhatsApp or email.

In contrast, the Governor’s Office usually replies to questions submitted by BVI News.

Over the years, BVI News has experience mixed reactions from senior public officers who are invited to reply to questions submitted by our news centre on behalf of the general public. Some have made credible efforts to respond to our inquiry while others have shied away from making themselves accountable.

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16 Comments

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  1. Smarty Pants says:

    Politicians are normally great at lying, some are quite skillful unrehearsed. The slower ones want the opportunity to make you feel that they are bright and or clever. Yet they will bend their statements or responses because LIARS have very poor memory.

  2. Crazy says:

    Just boycott their press conference. Mute all of them. Every single event. That’s all

    Like 12
  3. Licher and Sticher says:

    How pathetic? What kind of leaders we have in this place if they can’t answer a question without prep time. I hope the media rejects this. This is only a sign that they are dictators…

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  4. journalist says:

    How can we ask questions before we hear what have to say? This is @$$ishness…Dem full ah ph*(k

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  5. bernie bro says:

    only biden does this

    Like 4
    Dislike 3
  6. Sigh says:

    These man just weak and scared… They don’t want to be blindsided by no tough question they didn’t have a chance to prepare for. If they want full control over the situation then don’t have a press conference; just put out what you want on GIS.

  7. John says:

    They have things to hide

  8. Crap says:

    Do not attend their press conferences then. This is ridiculous.

  9. Grandma said says:

    Sometimes it’s wiser to stay silent and appear a fool, rather than answer the questions and confirm it.

  10. Normal says:

    It’s normal . Not sure what is the problem?? Why in the BVI things are done backwards and when it’s being corrected it’s a problem????

    Like 3
    Dislike 4
  11. Behopeful says:

    How about looking at this from a more positive prospective, in that this will allow the press to get better and well informed answers so that the public will be properly informed. unless the press looks at this as some kind of got-u or attempts to embarrass the Government exercise.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  12. HA HA HA!!! says:

    The BVI Government needs the questions before hand so they can make up the Agenda with some of their answers. They have NOTHING to tell us.

  13. PROOF says:

    IF THIS DONT TELL ALL YOU VOTING PUBLIC – THESE GOV FOLK TOO DUMB TO BE IN CHARGE IF THEY CANT USE THEIR BRAINS TO HONESTLY ANSWER A QUESTION IN REAL TIME. THEY NEED TO REHEARSE, CORROBORATE FALSE STORIES, AND RUN MORE LAWYER BILLING TO OK ALL THE MEALY MOUTHED GARBAGE THEY REGURGITATE AS ANSWERS TO THE PUBLIC, WHO THEY REPRESENT. WHO THEY FOOL?

  14. The Answer says:

    Just like the Dem’s in the USA…….their policies and practices are such a joke, they need time to come up with the BS that (some) of the people believe. They think the average person is a complete tool.

  15. Let’s go brandon says:

    Just look at that hobbled old fool Biden in the US. They stage his questions who he can recite the answers written for him, and he messes that up a lot.

  16. Interested says:

    Biden clearly has dementia and so he needs to do this.
    Do our ministers suffer from dementia ?

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