Media, public partly responsible for poor gov’t communication

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has suggested that both the media and the public share some responsibility for shortcomings in how government information reaches residents in the BVI.

Appearing recently on the Honestly Speaking radio programme with host Claude Skelton Cline, the Premier was asked whether the government had effectively explained to the public some of the challenges that have slowed progress on key national issues, such as delays caused by reliance on the Governor’s Office to approve major decisions.

Dr Wheatley responded that the government has repeatedly tried to explain these issues. “I have, several times,” the Premier said. However, he argued that the effectiveness of those messages often depends on how they are conveyed through public channels, including the media.

“We rely on persons like yourselves,” Dr Wheatley said, referring to the role of media and commentators in sharing information with the public. The Premier then acknowledged that his government must strengthen its own communication systems, noting that efforts are underway to improve how information is disseminated.

At the same time, he suggested that modern media consumption habits can sometimes undermine deeper public understanding of government issues.

“A lot of the communication with the public is headlines, and sometimes we rarely read,” he said.

He added: “We have headlines which are clickbait and those persons who have the mechanisms to communicate with the public, we really have to examine how committed we are to ensuring that the message of the government is getting through in a way that is reflective of the real position, or whether we are just trying to generate hysteria and generate excitement.”

The Premier’s comments come amid years of tensions between elected officials and the local media. Successive governments have complained about misrepresentation in news reports and defamatory commentary on blogs and social media platforms.

At the same time, elected leaders frequently rely on the media to gauge public sentiment, and it is not uncommon for lawmakers to reference media reports in the House of Assembly when seeking to support arguments or highlight public concerns.

The relationship is further complicated by the fact that some elected officials have, at times, declined to engage with certain media houses, choosing instead to answer questions only from outlets they consider fair or balanced.