THERE’S ABSOLUTELY no need to sanction Governor of the Central Bank Dr Delisle Worrell for his ban on journalists from THE NATION newspaper, says Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler.
Asking whether anyone was sanctioning THE NATION for its headline that specified “60” workers possibly being severed from the bank, Sinckler said both sides should meet with an independent party or arbiter – either the local or regional association of journalists – and sort out the matter which has triggered sharp reactions about Press freedom in Barbados.
“I think what we need to ensure is that we understand that while we need to have freedom of the Press, and the Press demands access to information and transparency, as well they ought to, we equally have to ensure that certain standards are kept in relation to the work that reporters and journalists do and that newspapers publish,” he said yesterday during an afternoon treat with nearly 200 students at Casa Grande Hotel.
Stating that newspapers “really do have a way of impacting people negatively, especially if it’s not entirely accurate”, he added, “the governor’s angst in relation to that story was basically because at the bottom end of it there was no real truth to the story, well to the headline, that 60 persons were going.
“Members of the Central Bank called me. I as minister did not know. I had to call the governor and ask him if I had missed something,” Sinckler explained.
He also said there was no plan to retire Worrell at this time since he had given yeoman service since being appointed governor in 2008.
“I don’t discuss personnel issues in the public. There’s a course that is followed and I’m sure when that time comes, the public will be duly informed. We are extremely happy with the work which Dr Worrell has been doing in relation to getting the economy on track.
“As I said before, I have full confidence in his intellectual abilities and capacity to function,” the minister added.
(RJ)
