(CMR) Minister of Education Julianna O'Connor-Connolly was visibly upset on Wednesday after an unidentified photographer was seen in Parliament taking photos of members. The Minister noted that it was against conventions for a camera to be arbitrarily taking photos of members.
Speaker Katherine Ebanks-Wilks apologized for not informing members that the photographer who is employed by the government was taking photos for a new communications plan to enhance engagement with the public in relation to Parliament.
Mrs. O'Connor-Connolly, while accepting the speaker's apology, said:
“One ought to remember that this is the people's house. There is a government and an opposition, and a camera person is not allowed to arbitrarily have their camera roaming around the place. Otherwise, we will end up with what we have on two occasions before, unsantimonious photos of a Member of Parliament while not speaking in the picture circulated on social media. That's the reason the rules are there.”
Premier Wayne Panton said he was aware of the proposal for Government Information Services to be involved with a different approach to the communications of the proceedings of Parliament but was not aware of the specifics of it.
He said he understood the concerns but said the efforts were laudable since it is an attempt to better communicate with the people of the country the activities of Parliament.
“I think we all would welcome the opportunity for that to happen because there is often a complaint that there is not enough communication from the members of the public,” Mr. Panton said.
Minister of Tourism and Transport Kenneth Bryan also gave his views on the situation, expressing confidence that the GIS would be responsible for the photos taken.
“This is a Government agency, a contracted worker on their behalf; therefore, the government agency will be responsible for the content of those pictures as well as for the distribution of which pictures will be most appropriate. I think we should have enough confidence within our own Government Information Services that those files would be kept in a protective manner, and whatever ones are distributed will be distributed in a digested way,”
he said.
He added that he agrees that more should be done in terms of media exposure to ensure the people can see that the Government is working hard.
Mrs. O'Connor-Connolly said her concerns were more procedures, adding that if the photographer had on the required badge, the question would not have been asked.
She went on to stress that the photographer should have been briefed that he is only allowed to take photos of members when they are addressing Parliament.
“This is not a Hollywood hall; this is not a PR stunt. It's the seat of democracy and there are rules and conventions for different reasons. I have absolutely no lack of confidence in GIS and their capability to take photographs and do it the right way, but this is a House of Parliament. And as much as we would like to think so, it's not a house of Government. There is a Government, and there is an opposition, and it has to be seen,” she said.
“Perception becomes actuality. And for the past several months, what has obtained in this house is an erosion greater than what obtains at West Bay beach when it comes to Parliamentary sanctity and democracy,” she added.
Opposition Member Sir Alden McLaughlin agreed with the Education Minster on the breach of Parliamentary procedures.
“Decisions which involve matters such as this are decisions which properly ought to be taken by the Parliament Management Commission, which is made up of members of both sides of the house. The member for Education is absolutely right. What I have seen happening over this term is the situation where the government is making decisions which are properly the province of the Parliamentary Management Commission,”
he stated.
The photographer was allowed to continue taking pictures but asked to only take pictures of members as they speak.
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