BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A claim that access to Nevis’ local television station has not been granted to the opposition Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) is being refuted by Minister of Information in the Nevis Island Administration, the Hon. Mark Brantley.
The claim was made on Monday evening (May 26) by journalist Stevenson ‘Steve’ Manners, who at that time functioned as the moderator of a round-table discussion on the Power of the Media at ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation’s studio.
During that discussion, Manners suggested that in light of a Court ruling handed down while Brantley was in opposition, which held that his constitutional rights were infringed by not being allowed airtime on Nevis Television, the situation prior to that ruling has practically remained the same.
“...The petitioner is not the Minister of Information in the NIA. I would have thought that the Hon. Mark Brantley, having said so often and so vociferously that he had struck a mighty blow for democracy, that on assuming office he would immediately introduce an equal time doctrine on NTV.
“Now this judgment has been handed down two years and two months ago. NTV in the past 18 months has simply highlighted a different administration, different faces. Simply put, it has been the same old shoe on a different foot; a politician simply being self-serving.”
In his response to Manners, Brantley explained that since assuming office the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM)-led Nevis Island Administration has instituted an open-door policy where the opposition is free to request airtime, which would be granted.
“Indeed, Mr. Parry has appeared on the local television station in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition. That was a privilege never before enjoyed by us when we were in opposition. We have carried exerts from a press conference that the NRP - the Opposition Party - held. At any point when they have sought to come on, they have been accommodated. Our position is if they need to come on, we would just interrupt our normal programming and we will indicate such.”
The Minister of Information said the requests from the opposition party have been “sporadic” and one of the most recent was to make a statement on the “salary issue”. However, according to Brantley, “he (Parry) never thereafter produced the statement”.
The Deputy Premier said “it is absolutely untrue for him (Manners) to suggest that things have not changed”.
He added that it is “unfortunate” that while Manners was “advocating for better journalistic standards, he himself was merely spewing political rhetoric...”
