A reminder that BU’s tageline is ‘bringing news and opinions to the people’.
It is unfortunate after many years of investing billions to education Barbadians there is a lazy desire to be news takers i.e. accept (no) news and (no) views from the traditional media without question. The traditional media is greatly influenced by interest groups -the advertiser and politician immediately come to mind. The niceties the establishment players of the media have to engage to not offend interest groups is well documented on BU pages and elsewhere.
It is no secret the geopolitical interest of China based on its investment policy now includes the tiny islands of the Caribbean. We can debate why Beijing sees value in funding tiny islands like Barbados. What cannot be refuted is he who pays the piper plays the tune. A look across the landscape of Barbados sees a growing Chinese group the result of the many projects funded by the Chinese government.
BU understands three DLP members of parliament recently returned to the island after being invited to China as members of a wider group. Earlier in the year three BLP members also benefited from a similar invitation. Some have dismissed the visit by six of our members of parliament as a non event – and perhaps it is, it does not change the fact that is is news. Given the aggressive position the Chinese government has taken in our region why should the traditional media not feel obligated to report and critique matters that arise from a Sino-Caribbean relationship? Why must the traditional media retreat to being (no) news takers?
Now that the six members of parliament have returned from China will the fruits of the visit ever be shared with BARBADIANS? In is interesting to note there is a discussion ongoing in the USA about the maverick approach to the press corp by President-elect Trump. The US media has been critical of Trump not providing ready access to his activities to ensure there is 24/7 reporting to inform the public he serves.
Barbadians deserve the benefit of full disclosure if six members of the political class were invited to be part of a delegation to China. Both government and the government in waiting should feel vested in the business of transparency -something that is very unfamiliar to the Chinese government.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.