Hired guns? No way, Senator

I expect politicians from the government or opposition parties in the Senate (Upper House), to make inflammable statements in the Parliament because that is the nature of an adversarial political system such as we have here. But you don’t normally hear such contributions coming from the Independent benches although they are not shy in making similar pronouncements from time to time. But this one from Independent Senator Anthony Vieira cannot be allowed to get a free pass.

The goodly gentleman, whom I have never had the pleasure of meeting, was in his element, sounding off on the media from their managers to us lowly scribes. And the source of his irritation? Well, it was more than just being irritable. Senator Vieira, one of the new kids (no disrespect meant, sir) would put all the media houses in jeopardy if he had his way.

No. No. I never said that the Senator wants to shut us down. He wouldn’t dare make that bold suggestion in a country which takes pride in all its 30-something radio stations, several TV stations, three daily newspapers and a few weekly “papers,” some of them I wouldn’t so classify. But that is what you get in a thriving democracy. Right?

In the Upper House last week Vieira called for media houses to say which political party they do or do not support. I want Senator Vieira to think a while about what he has said, that is, if the newspaper reporter got him right. And as far as I know he has not objected to the story as published.

http://www.guardian.co.tt/digital/new-members