Ellis’ voice silenced, says Atherley

The island’s Opposition Leader is suggesting that Government’s appointment of veteran retired journalist and broadcaster David Ellis as its COVID Public Advisor may be to silence or dilute a strong public voice.

Bishop Joseph Atherley was responding to Ellis’s appointment which was announced on Monday by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

“One understands the urgent importance attached to communications relative to the proper management of our national COVID response. However, Government cannot escape the charge that its intention by way of this appointment may very well be to silence or dilute the force of voice of a strong public commentator and media practitioner,” Bishop Atherley contended.

The Opposition Leader said the proof of the pudding will be in the eating and hence one would have to see how Ellis performs himself in his new role.

“I don’t believe in the politics of personal attack and will not engage in that with reference to Mr. Ellis. There is too much of that in Barbados politics. I will judge Mr. Ellis based on his output going forward,” stated the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) leader.

He took the Prime Minister to task for telling the country that the prominent media practitioner would not be answerable to the government but to the people of Barbados.

“It is a non-sense for the Honourable Prime Minister to say that Mr. Ellis will not be working for the government but that he would be working for the public of Barbados. That represents an under-appreciation of the intelligence of the Barbadian public,” Bishop Atherley declared.

He questioned: “Who will pay Mr. Ellis? To whom will he report? How will his output be measured and assessed? Who has the power of termination of his contract if necessary? What will be his role in relation to the Government Information Service and the Public Affairs Unit? Will he need and will he be provided with a staff of his own?”

Atherley said that Ellis’ assumption of his new role represents a significant loss to the arena of public debate in Barbados, particularly and massively so in the area of political debate.

“This at a time when Barbadians will be debating constitutional and parliamentary reform, the whole issue of the country becoming a republic and other major issues over the next few months which will constitute a lead up to the next general elections in Barbados,” the Opposition Leader suggested.
(emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)