Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley.
OPPOSITION Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley has queried his limited airtime on the island’s lone state-owned television station, particularly during the Estimates debate which concluded on Tuesday night.
Bishop Atherley posed the question directly to Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, after seeking $5 million supplementary for the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in the Lower Chamber.
In fact, Bishop Atherley challenged that the reporting of political news in Barbados is “coloured of bias in the favour of government” and queried who might have given that directive.
Addressing Chairman of Committees Dr. Sonia Browne, he said: “ We have had the annual exercise of Estimates debate here in this Parliament this week, and I have had people complaining to me about the kind of coverage that CBC has been giving, which represents a clear bias. Now the leader of the Opposition, in the minds of some at CBC, or elsewhere, may not have anything of substance to say, but ma’am, you have spoken in these debates, ma’am, and I think that you have said things of significance – no coverage of that on CBC. I have heard the Honourable members for Michael East speak in very strong terms in the Estimates debate, no coverage on CBC; I have heard the member for St. Andrew, speak in very robust terms, no coverage on CBC because all of those submissions... were not necessarily favourable to government.
“But every time CBC brings news from the Parliament of Barbados, and it’s not only now but I’m speaking with respect to these Estimates, it is the voice of the government which is heard in multiple forms. You hear that voice, given the side of a government, but other people are not allowed to speak.
“When out of a sense of compulsion, they do feel it necessary to give a moment to the Leader of the Opposition, it is not an image of the Leader of the Opposition standing in this parliament speaking like anybody else, it is a file photo as though they had no access to this place. And those things represent a clear bias. Anybody who is honest can see these things are real.”
In response, Minister Abrahams noted that realistically with 29 to one, it would be difficult to hear the one. “However, I do take his point, but I’m trying to understand the complaint and the concern with respect to the file photo. And I will actually investigate that and get back to the Honourable Leader of Opposition because quite frankly, CBC is a national television station. And if the Honourable Leader of Opposition speaks, then he should be accorded the same courtesy as to any other member with respect to the presentation of his points.”
“So where his points are newsworthy…they will be carried. And if they’re newsworthy enough to be carried, then it must be explanation if a file photo was put up. I undertake to the Honourable Leader of Opposition that I will investigate that and come back to him personally with an explanation, and if there is no sufficient explanation then with the appropriate apology,” he said. (JH)