Manning's radio station visit sparks Press fears

But on Saturday, October 25, he had no choice. Music and news blared from the station as he sat in the barber's chair in San Fernando, south of here, and as he later told reporters, he was appalled at "the unprofessional conduct of the two broadcasters" that had been critical of the recent increase in gas prices on the island.

So on his way back to his official residence in Port of Spain, Manning decided to visit the radio station.

"Any suggestion that I hustled out of the barber saloon, drove up to the radio station and stormed the station to put the best face on it is somewhat exaggerated…on my way home I just dropped into the station.

"All I did was to exercise a right that is available to all citizens, including the Prime Minister. There could be absolutely nothing wrong with that," he said, adding that the visit should not be seen in anyway as attempting to stifle freedom of the press or expression as enshrined in the Constitution.

In fact as far as Manning is concerned, he did "absolutely nothing wrong" in visiting the station to air his complaint.

But not many, including the media organisations in Trinidad and Tobago, are convinced by his assurances.

"While we agree Mr Patrick Manning has the same rights as any other citizen, a prime minister has greater power, which should be exercised in the public interest, with due care and responsibility," said the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT).

Describing Manning's trip to the radio station as "unprecedented" MATT said the visit was inappropriate, in light of the fact that it can be perceived as an attempt to intimidate or to stifle freedom of the press.

"The association feels the Prime Minister has available to him many avenues of redress and should have perhaps considered the perception of his actions," MATT said in a statement following an emergency executive meeting on Monday night.

The Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) said Manning's action could be interpreted as an abuse of power, adding that it was unacceptable for an organisation or person "who is of the view that he has been wronged" to "enter the premises of a broadcaster to have the incorrect information corrected".

"In a democracy, to have a prime minister do so is unacceptable as it can be interpreted as an abuse of power and a threat to freedom of the press,” it said, while pointing out that "there are mechanisms in place that the public can use to have incorrect information corrected".

Former chairman of the Caribbean Communication Network (CCN) and veteran journalist, Ken Gordon, said Manning's response to the situation was unfortunate.

"While the unprofessional conduct of the radio station may have been provocative and perhaps even offensive, the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago guarantees the freedom with which the media is expected to operate," Gordon told the Express newspaper.

"What is certain is that the ad hoc intervention we have seen from Mr Manning, based on personal indignation, is not the way to go and is wrong. It is inconsistent with good governance, unworthy of the democracy to which we subscribe and was clearly intended to be intimidatory," he added.

The regional media umbrella group - the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) - said it regretted the decision taken by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and that "it sends a wrong message since it gives the impression that the Honourable Prime Minister was using the weight of his office to intimidate the radio station and its management.

"ACM does not share Mr. Manning's contention that in visiting the radio station ‘all I did was exercise a right that is available to all citizens, including the Prime Minister’," it said even as it reiterated its support for "the highest standard of professionalism in the industry throughout the Caribbean".

The management of the radio station has since suspended the two broadcasters and insists that the decision was not influenced by the visit of the Prime Minister.

"A presenter and newscaster acted in a manner that was unprofessional and not accepted by the company. We have standards which we've been following for the last three years and they broke that," said O' Brian Haynes, the station's vice-president.

Manning has also sought to distant himself from the action taken by the management of the radio station.

"First of all, I did not suspend anybody from a radio station. I have no such authority. Therefore if individuals were suspended from radio stations, it would be purely an internal and management issue. It has absolutely nothing to do with the Prime Minister."

Speaking to reporters at the end of the weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Manning reiterated that his decision to visit the radio station was "not improper" since as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago he was merely exercising the same rights available to all citizens and that he planned to visit "offending" stations in the future "as the spirit moves me".

"Whatever they do in the radio station has nothing to do with me. They had suggested they (would) investigate the matter and get back to me and I said "get back to me for what?'. It has nothing to do with me. Whatever you do, you do. That's your radio station. You run the radio station and I'll run the country together with my Cabinet colleagues".

Further, Manning, who has indicated his intention to take legal action against a local newspaper that reported on his October 25 visit to the radio station, said he had now taken a "personal decision that if ever I am aggrieved by anything the media does in the future, I am going to the courts".

MATT said that Manning "had every tight to consult his lawyers whenever he feels aggrieved" and ACM said it supported the position that "any individual has recourse to the courts of the land in seeking justice if the person felt he or she had been wronged by the media".

Manning has brushed aside suggestions that he might lose on the broader issue of press freedom even if it was his right to be upset in this specific instance. He says both the government and the media should operate on the basis of mutual respect.

"It can't be the government respecting the media and the media disrespecting the government and particularly its Prime Minister. It can't be that. When that disrespect takes place, what should the Prime Minister do?" he asked, while reiterating the point that his visit to the radio station was not intended to intimidate anyone.

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