VIP record on press freedom 'undisputed' - Willock
Mr Willock, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works with the Government of the Virgin Islands, gave his views on the issue on the Morning Ride Show hosted by Paul Peart aka Gadiethz on ZROD 103.7 FM earlier today, April 28, 2014.
“For anybody to suggest that the Virgin Islands Party is hostile to the press is totally devoid from the facts,” Willock stated in defence of the party.
While calling for journalists not to ‘write stories out of anger’, Mr Willock said that persons emerging from a recent meeting of the VIP spoke to the media house of their choice, including Hon. Julian Fraser, RA and Hon. Andrew A. Fahie.
Mr Willock said he did not hear Opposition Leader and Chairman of the VIP Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal OBE threaten journalists who had requested an interview following the meeting.
“I was there when the Honourable Leader of the Opposition was leaving the room and I personally did not hear him say that so I don’t know where they get that from,” Willock said.
He described the Virgin Islands’ electorate as being sophisticated and said they know which government brought the law to parliament to censor the media. “It wasn’t the Virgin Islands Party,” he stated.
Cultural exchange MoU needed with USVI
The former PS described as ‘jungle politics’ the way a situation was handled which involved local artistes who were denied access to perform in the neighbouring United States Virgin Islands (USVI), and suggested that there was no diplomacy involved.
“The whole situation I think was handled terribly. It was unfortunate for any decision to be made simply saying that if one band cannot participate, we’re pulling out everything,” Willock stated, “that is certainly not diplomacy. That is jungle politics.”
Willock said the Virgin Islands’ relationship with its neighbour, USVI goes deep and wide and encompassed cultural, economic, social, family and religious aspects.
He further suggested a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cultural exchange be drafted “so that there could be free movement of bands, troupes etc. between the Virgin Islands”.
“We have to engage in diplomacy,” he added, “we have to look at the long term effect of preserving this relationship that’s why we need to have the right people in the right places.”
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