CHAIRMAN of Parliament’s Internal and External Affairs Committee, Derrick Smith, has described as “abominable” yesterday’s lockout of media personnel from the question-and-answer segment of Police Commissioner Dr Carl Williams’ highly anticipated appearance before the committee.
Smith, who strongly opposed an in-camera session, had to relent as Government members insisted that the meeting should be private.
He later told the Jamaica Observer that this is the first time in the committee’s history that a meeting was closed to the media and the public.
“It’s pure politics, and the Opposition is totally against any suppression of the press,” he stated.
Williams and his team were summoned weeks ago to appear before the committee to give an account of the status of crime in the country.
Until yesterday, there have been no public objections to the commissioner’s appearance before the committee. Government members Mikhail Phillips, Arnaldo Brown, and Dr Winston Green were unrelenting as they closed ranks on the issue shortly after the commissioner and members of the police high command took their seats in the chamber.
They argued that information could come out in the meeting which could compromise national security.
“Some unfortunate comments were made outside this chamber, and we can’t divorce ourselves from those comments and the context in which this sitting is taking place… we should not expose the commissioner and his team to the likelihood of any intemperate and inappropriate questions being asked. Let’s have the thing in-camera,” Brown told the chairman.
“It is my right, as a member of this committee, to put it to the chair and the committee that we take a vote on the matter,” Phillips insisted.
“There is no need to get ourselves worked up. The committee approved the invitation, the committee members are very mature and experienced, and they are aware that we are dealing with matters of national importance and national security. As such, I would believe that certain types of questions would not be asked. So I don’t see what we are getting our backs up about this morning,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, Opposition member Delroy Chuck also objected to the in-camera hearing.
“No. I do not support this. Any sensitive issue that should arise, I’m sure the commissioner would indicate to us that he would rather not discuss them. These parliamentary committees must be open to the public. This committee has never had an in-camera meeting. I don’t think the commissioner is coming here to tell us timelines,” Chuck contended, stressing that the intent was not to interrogate Williams.
“So what is the purpose of the meeting?” Government MP Denise Daley interrupted. She argued that, since the report provided to the committee was detailed and straightforward, the only questions that were left to be asked would most likely be sensitive ones.
“I can’t see what we will get from questioning them today. If it is that they are not going to answer the questions, it doesn’t really necessitate the thing (meeting). This public appearance with the media, I don’t see it necessary,” Government member Dr Green added.
Chairman Smith, meanwhile, questioned the motive of the increasingly irritated members, who were pushing to have the meeting behind closed doors, remarking that: “I find it disturbing and unusual” that committee members who are usually co-operative were finding it “challenging” to proceed with the meeting publicly.
Ironically, the entire episode started when Smith, in his opening remarks, chided the Observer over a November 5 editorial, which he said “berated” him and committee members for inviting the commissioner and his team to answer questions.
“If a responsible newspaper publicises an editorial of this nature then I can only describe them as uninformed and ignorant. It is the remit of this committee, whenever they see fit, to invite persons dealing with internal and external matters. We have done it before, when the previous commissioner addressed the committee,” he stated, adding that the committee, in fact, has more Government than opposition members.
“So we have no intention here this morning to do what they are suggesting,” he asserted.
Following those remarks, Smith made it clear that he would not entertain any further discussion or comments from the other members, but it was at this juncture that Phillips and the other Government members began to resist the presence of people in the galleries, particularly media personnel.
The members eventually moved a motion to allow the press to remain while Commissioner Williams read from his Powerpoint report, but they were asked to leave as members prepared to start asking questions.
Chuck, who had said he would not stay for any in-camera portion of the meeting, swiftly excused himself from the chamber.
During the discussion, which went on for the better part of 20 minutes, at no point was the commissioner or any member of his team asked if they wanted an in-camera meeting.