JLP's Political Leadership Competitive Vetting(Not)

"Politicians are often thoroughly vetted. Candidates must undergo thorough evaluation by a team of advisers acting on behalf of the nominee.

The Vetting Process: the team will examine such items as a prospective candidate's finances, personal conduct, intelligence and previous coverage in the media"

X-1:

Competitive vetting usually assures in a confident imposing kinda paradigm that the best and most qualified wo/man gets the job. The reality that the JLP circumvented this established process leaves the best wo/man question up for grabs. The process was not engaged, and the alternative amounts to chior chairing and therefore is not an equivalent substitute for the competitive vetting process. So what you get is what you get, which may in the end be little more than special interest of power brokers.

Using this analysis to evaluate Prime Minister Elect Andrew Holness, it would appear so far based on his utterings (re: the media and patwa) that he may not have been the most qualified to lead at this time. His uttering appear politically inexperienced and lacks tactical maturity.

The Prime Minister's reasoning on "patois" certainly does not reflect scholastic quality and could be intrepreted as disrespectful by linguists.


Prime Minister Holness please take some 'political finishing school lessons' from some of the elder politicans. It just may save you from yourself, THE MEDIA is not your enemy AND SOCIAL MEDIA ESPECIALLY IN THE JAMAICAN REALITY IS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE. The Media do what they do to sell papers and to be relevant. Continuing on this path will erode your 'polling numbers unnaturally.

Cant wait for the debate, I foresee some hiccups along the way.

Media comment immaturity e.g. below.
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"Holness swipes at media
BY CONRAD HAMILTON Observer senior reporter hamiltonc@jamaicaobserver.com


Friday, December 02, 2011


PRIME Minister and leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Andrew Holness has taken Jamaica's media to task over reportage and comments which he claims were unfavourable and laced with agendas.

Addressing party supporters at a meeting in Swaby's Hope, Manchester Wednesday night, Holness said that he would be relying less on traditional media such as newspapers, radio and television and will instead be using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to convey the party's message.



"Come campaign time much of the information that you will get is not true, some of it will be twisted, some of it will be editorialised, some of it will be twisted for political reasons, but I have some messages to give to you which we can't afford to be twisted. Labourites I want you to understand that this is high-tech time. We not going to depend on one source to carry our message. Labourites as I speak, we are transmitting live on social media, so we communicate directly with the people so that the people can get the message unfiltered, untwisted -- the truth," he said.

The prime minister in his broadside made reference to a television report which he felt was inaccurate, and told the gathering that he personally spoke to the entity's management about the story.

"You going to hear a lot of things that nuh guh so in the media. You see I point out to one of them (in reference to concerns over the television report) a story designed to pour cold water on our campaign," he said.

"We don't need duppy story to frighten the electorate, we don't need rumours to frighten the electorate. Every time they hear something they run to the press and the press tek it. We are a serious party, we have serious business to deal wid, we nuh have time fi Anancy story and foolishness, dem days of politics done," said the party leader to the South Manchester constituents who on election day will be deciding between the JLP's Collin Virgo and the PNP's Michael Peart.

"It is about time that there comes in Jamaica, a leader who is able to speak to the mass of the people and tell them the truth, to jump over the media and go straight to the people because you can't depend on them to carry the message of truth to the people," said Holness.

The party leader also took a swipe at some members of academia and insisted that the time had come for the media and academia to join with the people to explain the nature of the situation confronting Jamaica and the decisions that are needed as the country goes forward.

Despite his claims, Holness emphasised that he doesn't have a problem with media, but wants to hear the truth and also wants the media to put aside "the agendas" and focus on what is in the interest of the people.

The prime minister's comments come as the country's media practitioners participate in Journalism Week which is being observed under the theme 'Justice, Truth be ours Forever: Journalism in a Changing World'.

At the recent launch, president of the Press Association of Jamaica Jenni Campbell highlighted the challenges faced by the local media and emphasised that journalists should continue to uphold the responsibilities of the profession"


Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Holness-swipes-at-media_10296205#ixzz1fP39Xl7m

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The press, politics and politicians
BARBARA GLOUDON


Friday, December 09, 2011








IT IS A PITY that someone didn't alert our prime minister to a very necessary piece of knowledge for people in his position: "Avoid confrontation with the media. Your energy could be more usefully occupied on pressing matters of moment."

The current kass-kass need not have developed this way. If the PM was convinced that he was not getting a fair deal, then it might have been more effective to have a face-to-face with media heads and let his concern be known. There would be a strong possibility that said media leadership would have listened respectfully then pointed out some basic truths as they see them. "It is not that we don't like you, Sir, but like you, we have to do what we have to do. Our journalists are not required to make you feel good. Where there are errors, we will investigate and correct them and we will try to arrive at a mutual understanding of fairness, for that is the most effective way to achieve our goals. Fair enough?"

The PM might or might not have accepted it but at least it might have caused the head of government to think twice before he let himself get carried away by the adulation at two major party gatherings and succumb to the temptation of media-baiting. It is ever so easy to happen. People still talk about how Michael Manley, in 1978 was so incensed at The Gleaner's campaign against him and his government, that he led a crowd of protestors to North Street.

Since his popular name was Joshua, it soon became legend that his intention was to march around the walls of the building until they fell, like in the biblical battle of Jericho, where the original Joshua, in demonstrating his displeasure, sent the city's fortifications tumbling down. The Gleaner's walls did not fall but Mr Manley had to bear the cost to his reputation, accused of being against press freedom, one more unfavourable label which his detractors were only too quick to add. Later, I heard him tell how, on reflection, he would not have done it the same way. It doesn't look good on your epitaph that you didn't support freedom of the press.

OUR PRESENT PM could be complimented at least for not leading an army of vuvuzuela-blowing supporters to flatten the ramparts of Television Jamaica and RJR, major targets of the current disaffection... but the damage was done. Not everyone, with all due respect, can handle a difference of views without translating it into the tribal violence which afflicts us, especially in times like these. While there is no report of the PM advocating violence of any kind, some supporters "leggo" a few distinctive words. Some media personnel are said to have felt threatened.

Whoever decided to tag media workers as guilty of not reporting the facts (the good facts, of course) and guilty also of not revealing the truth — ("our truth"), could have contributed to bodily harm or worse, being inflicted on them. Thankfully it did not go that far. Words did not turn into sticks and stones and anything more lethal, but in the words of one of my numerous ancestral sources, "Yuh nuh fi sorry... yuh nuh fi dweet."

The PM might have added a little kerosene to the fire, according to reports from the Portland meeting, but once again it was no more than talk, and mercifully so, that he came to his senses and softened his stance later, in a speech delivered to the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica.

THE PRESS ASSOCIATION had the guts to speak out strongly, earlier in the week, against what is reported as having taken place at the Manchester and Portland meetings. The PAJ served warning that if the threat of antagonism against media workers continued, the organisation would have no recourse but to bring it to the attention of international organisations which support press freedom. It was not so much a threat as a call to sanity.

When the PM went to speak to the PSOJ Christmas luncheon, he moved to give the assurance that the government was committed to press freedom and the safety of journalists. He proclaimed that his government believes in transparency and balance in reporting and he recommended a pact between government and media. In his view, "transparency and truth could make the current election campaign the best ever since adult suffrage".

This message must be passed also to followers who might have misunderstood the original transmission and got mixed signals about the media. Not everyone is convinced that the storm is over, however. There are still political fanatics who insist that some journalists are against their side and as such, must not be tolerated. The word "bias" has been appropriated as the ultimate accusation, deserving abuse.

The names and e-mail addresses of people in management at certain media houses are said to have been made public. This is not only irresponsible, but downright dangerous. Fanatics everywhere have been known to develop "avenger complex" and take on the role to right wrongs on behalf of those they admire. That we can do without.

As one of the corps of on-air commentators, I can attest to the insecurity of some listeners who, when they feel that there is bias against their point of view or their favourite political idol, can demonstrate serious disrespect and hostility. I'm always reminded at such times that real-real journalism does not reside in sweetie-sweetie media-appreciation events, but in real life where people do not always trust each other.

Let's face it, there's nothing politicians love more than adulation. So long as you are making them look good, it is all right. Look at the unprecedented flood of affirmation which the same media, which is distrusted today, showered on the PM when he began his tenure. But that was yesterday.... The worst thing you can do is present the truth as you see it, but then truth comes in different versions. "What is truth?" it has been asked. "The truth shall set you free," we're told, but who can explain "whose truth"?

CONGRATULATIONS to Jenni Campbell and the rest of the Press Association of Jamaica for the guts to speak out when it was time to do so. Not everybody will agree but if journalists cannot speak on their own behalf, then who can? The profession, on the other hand, must never fail to live up to the highest standards of professionalism. They don't have to like us but they should respect us.

IT IS TIMES like these we recall the high standards set by the late Dr Aggrey Brown who was one of the tireless upholders of professionalism in journalism. The farewell to him at the University Chapel last week Tuesday morning was replete with respect and lessons for learning.


gloudonb@yahoo.com



Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/The-press--politics-and-politicians_10354069#ixzz1g4F7KASb