Only the public's agenda, says Gleaner editor

We have noted the attempt by Mr Daryl Vaz, and others, to impute improper motive on the part of The Gleaner for the fact that we did not publish statements allegedly made by Dr Peter Phillips to American diplomats in Jamaica and revealed in the United States Embassy cables, on which we have reported.

That we did not report on the specific cable was a failure on our part, which we regret. But it is wrong to suggest, as our critics would wish, that it is the result of some attempt to protect Dr Phillips, a minister in the former government and a senior member of the People's National Party (PNP), or anyone else.

What are the facts?

This newspaper received exclusive access from WikiLeaks to 1,700 cables relating to Jamaica. A small group of reporters and editors reviewed these cables and selected those on which they would report.

There was no consideration for the personalities involved in these cables. The general judgement we applied was whether what we reported would be libellous and/or affect national security, or was in the public interest, or would place individuals in danger.

In our first round of selection, a few cables that we would consider relevant were not pursued. Significantly, we have not published more than 1,000 of these communications.

Between May 22 and June 19, we published 68 stories from the cables on Jamaica. A content analysis of these stories would show that 10 could be considered negative to the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), while eight would be positive to that party.

On the other hand, there were a dozen stories that might be considered to have reflected negatively on the PNP, at least three of which related specifically to Dr Phillips. Two of our stories could be said to have been positive for the PNP.

Once we published a story, the unedited cable was posted by WikiLeaks on its website, giving readers full access to their content, without the consideration we employed for libel and national security. (Minor redactions were made to a handful of cables which might have endangered civil servants). Indeed, other cables relating to Jamaica, apart from those on which we have reported, have also been posted on the WikiLeaks site and, on the evidence, are available to the public.

There is another way, as we have suggested before to Minister Vaz, to provide the public easier, unedited access to these cables: he can table them in Parliament.

With the cover of absolute privilege and without the spectre of libel hanging over them, the Jamaican media, including this newspaper, could publish the cables in full.

- Garfield Grandison, Editor-in-Chief

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