Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday called on President Granger to hold press conferences and accused the Head of State of not allowing himself to be challenged as should be done in a democracy.
“I have a serious issue with the president and his accountability to the nation. He hides behind these pre-packaged interviews and I think it is the time the media say to him ‘we are not going to be complicit in these pre-packaged sort of thing’ because by doing that you create the impression that he is facing a free, independent media corps and is accountable to them…,” Jagdeo said at a press conference.
He stated that the President has not held press conferences because he does not want to be accountable on the “several matters that are happening in his government. So he packaged these things and he deals with safe subjects in a safe environment.”
Recently, President Granger was asked about this issue and he said he would consider holding a press conference but will continue to engage journalists when he meets them at functions.
He had stated that he has been engaging the media “frequently” through various means, thereby ensuring that questions are answered and the public is provided with information.
“I don’t have an objection to having a larger press conference. I have a very busy schedule… and it is very difficult to spend a lot of time with the media and I try to make it possible every week but if that is the desire of the Guyana Press Association, that can be arranged with my press team,” he had said.
He was asked when his next press conference will be held and if it will become a regular feature of 2017. Since his election, Granger has held only one press conference, which was in October of 2015.
