After 2 years unpopular Governor Duncan wants media censored
Already rated as one of the most unpopular and ineffective Governors ever to hold office in the Virgin Islands for what his critics described as his blatant violation of the constitution and not committed to good governance, Governor Duncan has now taken aim at the media and freedom of the press.
Media needs to be roped in- Duncan
He came with an agenda against some media houses and strained his relationship with the local free press when he held a press conference a few days after his arrival in 2014 with selected media houses cherry picked by his advisors.
Virgin Islands News Online (VINO), the number one news site in the Virgin Islands, was shut out, although a few weeks later he granted our newsroom an exclusive interview after coming under pressure.
The National Democratic Party (NDP) government, whom he met in power, has a history of being hostile to press freedom and has passed a censorship Bill called the Cyber Act to put journalists in jail for reporting on some items, a Bill that has been condemned by the International Community. Governor Duncan was in Cabinet when the Bill was passed.
Public not satisfied with media- Duncan
Now comes word that Governor Duncan himself wants the press to be censored. At a press conference at the Governor’s Residence on August 19, 2016 he told the local media that he is having discussions with Leader of Government Business Premier and Minister of Information Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith and the United Kingdom officials about “instituting measures that would help check and balance the press”.
Many persons, civil society and most in the media fraternity see this as another step by a Governor, who many have called for his removal from Office, as a move to further erode press freedom.
When Governor Duncan was pressed by a reporter, he said he wanted to see a “information commissioner” who responds publicly on behalf of the people who feel that they have been defamed by false media reports.
Without knowing more specifics of Mr Duncan’s “check” on the media, one can only conclude it’s a move towards more restriction and censorship.
Laws on books a new excuse for censorship?
Currently, there are defamation, slander and libel laws, whether by Common Law or Statute, on the books that protect the public from false reporting; however it’s unclear why the Governor will be seeking to further censor free speech and press.
Residents over the years have successfully used those laws in court to get remedy when they had a case of defamation, slander or libel.
The very unpopular governor, whose own integrity has been under scrutiny after he was caught on tape by this media house in a bold face lie in May of this year when he told the BVI Beacon that this news site had misquoted him on his statements on Claude O. Skelton-Cline's contract renewal, claimed that the public is dissatisfied with the media in the Virgin Islands.
However, he never addressed in his press conference how much the public, civil society, the media, talk show hosts and especially most senior civil servants and many in Cabinet are dissatisfied with his performance and lack of genuineness since taking office.
I want to tell the press what questions to ask- Duncan
In support of his thinking to censor the press, Governor Duncan told the press conference, which was called in observance of his two year anniversary as an Overseas Territory appointed Governor, that “I need the press to be asking the right questions, not fixating on things that are not germane or material”. He did not elaborate as to what were the “right” questions.
Again, many have blasted this as censorship, if a Governor can dictate to the free press what they should and should not ask.
The governor became unpopular, marginalised and distrusted when in the face of blatant victimisation of all kinds in the civil service, including sexual harassment, and police officers taking the former Police Commissioner to court to protect their rights and both the Virgin Islands Party Opposition and civil servants making representation to him on specific cases of misconduct, said he saw no victimisation.
His credibility further took a nose dive when after some five reports, one from a former Auditor General, the House Of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, former Ports Developer Hugh E. Darley and representation made from the former BVI Ports Authority Chairman on alleged corruption in the over $100 Million Ports Development Project, Governor Duncan claimed he found no evidence of corruption and the reports were merely rumours.
It is also reported that his extra year in the Virgin Islands as Governor has already been approved.
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20 Responses to “After 2 years unpopular Governor Duncan wants media censored”
What century do they think we living in, really?
We always knew there was something fishy about this man, possible funny as well.
sometimes websites are blocked or specific info at online newspapers. sometimes VINO is played with too.
often the interference has to do with banking and commodities prices as well. its already bad.