Neita bashes government for "lack of respect for the press"

Opposition spokesperson on Information Natalie Neita says that the lack of post-Cabinet press briefings by the government is unacceptable and demonstrates a lack of respect for the press.

Neita's comment came in response to a call from the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) on Thursday for the immediate resumption, as a matter of urgency, of the traditional post-Cabinet press briefings, noting that there have been no briefings since 2018, with the last being in November 2017.

"The Government seems to have effectively abandoned the post-Cabinet press briefings. This is unacceptable," the PAJ said.

In supporting the call from the PAJ, Neita argued that the Andrew Holness administration is treading a thin line as it relates to the constitutional freedom of expression and by extension, freedom of the press, by withholding the opportunity for the media to get relevant information about issues being discussed by the Cabinet.

“Post-Cabinet press briefings, by precedence, has been the main mechanism for the media to probe the issues discussed by the Cabinet and to get answers from the relevant Ministers as national matters are being planned for and dealt with,” she noted.

“Information dissemination to all Jamaicans is at the core of the democratic process because it is a means of ascertaining transparency on the part of the Government. As a former Minister, I knew I had the responsibility to the Jamaican public to give an update on matters involving my portfolio because I recognised the vital role that the media play in information dissemination and public perception,” continued Neita.

The opposition information spokesperson asserted that Jamaicans need to be able to probe and get answers from their leaders.

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