UNC Chairman Jack Warner said Monday night the action of Prime Minister Patrick Manning on Sunday to commandeer the airwaves was an abuse of media.JYOTI has published below a section of Warner's speech Monday night in which he spoke about Manning's prime time tv interview.
"Some of you might have taken the punishment and looked at the PNM political meeting on television last night.
"Me, I did not look at that PNM meeting on Television last night. I could not look at that charade on TV last night. I could not look at that Mamaguy on TV last night.
"First of all, like all of you, and like the majority of the population, I have serious problems with the PNM leader ordering all the radio and television stations to block out the People’s Partnership to carry that PNM meeting for sixty minutes live at 8 o’clock last night (Sunday). He is doing it again tonight (Monday).
"And he is doing it again the night before the Election.
"Last night, I turned on the TV expecting to see the PNM leader under fire from tough questioners.
"I had expected that one of the journalists challenging the PNM leader last night would have been Ria Taitt. I had expected that one of the journalists challenging the PNM leader last night would have been Andre Bagoo.
"I had expected that one of the journalists challenging the PNM leader last night might have been Sasha Mohammed. I had expected that one of the journalists challenging the PNM leader last night might have been Andy Johnson.
"I had expected that one of the journalists challenging the PNM leader last night might have been Camini Maharaj. I had expected that one of the journalists challenging the PNM leader last night might have been Lennox Grant.
"If you had the correct journalists in that television studio with Manning last night, he would have been regretting his decision not to debate with Kamla and to hold that debate with himself last night.
"This country has produced journalists of the calibre of Patrick Chookolingo. This country has produced journalists of the calibre of George John. This country has produced journalists of the calibre of Owen Baptiste.
"You think if Manning was facing journalists of the calibre I have just identified, he would have escaped unscathed last night?
"A prominent member of the media told me this morning that last night was the saddest day for journalism in Trinidad and Tobago. He is right.
"Last night was the saddest moment for journalism in Trinidad and Tobago. The saddest thing about that farce last night is the dishonour it brought to journalism in this country.
"Trinidad and Tobago has a very distinguished place in the annals of press freedom and in the robust exercise of freedom of expression, generally, in the Commonwealth of Nations.
"A Trinidad & Tobago journalist won that recognition for this country in 1936. He was editor-manager and part proprietor of the now defunct Port of Spain Gazette. His name was Andre Paul Terence Ambard.
"Ambard won a historic Privy Council judgment against The Attorney General of Trinidad And Tobago in his appeal against a sentence of $25 for Contempt of Court, or in default to be imprisoned for one month.
"The Port of Spain Gazette had published an article calling for equitable sentencing for persons convicted on similar charges.
"In a judgment that remains a beacon to every journalist, the Privy Council upheld Ambard’s appeal and issued the immortal declaration: "Justice is not a cloistered virtue."
"I quote the Law Lords of the Privy Council: “Justice is not a cloistered virtue; she must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny and respectful - even though outspoken - comments of ordinary men.”
"Last night was indeed the saddest moment for journalism in Trinidad and Tobago."
Read related stories:
PM unplugged: Manning gets all media air time for interview
Commentary: What was that all about?
Also read:
Ken Ali's column in the Guardian
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