St Kitts-Nevis security minister asked to 'get off de air'

Minister Astaphan	Wesley Gibbings

by Norman 'Gus' Thomas
Caribbean Net News Special Regional Correspondent

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

ST JOHN'S, Antigua:  St Kitts and Nevis Minister for National Security, G. A. Dwyer Astaphan, was unceremoniously asked to "get off the radio" during a call-in programme with host Lennox Linton of the popular Observer Radio in Antigua on Monday.

Speaking with Caribbean Net News in a midday interview Monday, Astaphan explained that he had received a call telling him his good was "ill being spoken off" regarding a CSME matter and he had called the radio station in Antigua in a bid to clear the air. The St. Kitts and Nevis National Security Minister admitted that he was a bit steamy but went on to say, "I was in control of myself and knew what I was doing and saying."

Astaphan said there are some who are trying to personalise the issue, when it is not a Clive Bacchus matter: "You see, somebody has taken this and personalised it and it seems as though people in the region have swallowed this hook, line and sinker without trying to get to the bottom of it, which is very unfortunate, not unusual, but unfortunate."

In the telephone conversation with Linton, Astaphan also suggested that "people are saying also on your programme, that people in St Kitts are afraid to speak out on it and that it is a selective thing and that people are being targeted. I'm paraphrasing, nothing can be further from the truth."

Astaphan called the allegations preposterous, saying that "people are trying to turn this into something that it is not."

However, even though the Kittitian minister intended to "clear the air" on the issue, his apparent decision not to answer any questions from Linton created more problems when the journalist attempted to quiz him, as Astaphan did not give Linton a chance to ask his questions.

"You guys are doing, making this thing hysterical and making it sound as though this a witchhunt against one individual, when nothing could be further from the truth and you all should stop it, because it is wrong," said Astaphan.

"Minister, I have been trying to ask you a question for the past five minutes and..." Linton attempted but was interrupted with... "You are not going to perform any inquisition on me either Mr. Linton..." Astaphan said, to which Linton fired back... "No, well then, get off the radio."

The exchange sparked a huge debate forcing one media practitioner to comment on Astaphan's behaviour, "I think that people misunderstand the role of journalists so badly that it is really worrying.

"The fact is that Minister Astaphan got a call... and he felt it was important enough to come and defend his government, nothing was wrong with that. But, I think that Mr Astaphan came with an agenda, which was to dismiss the journalist. In the final analysis, he showed scant respect for the journalist and I really have to tell you, if I were sitting in your shoes, I would have dismissed him immediately, because that is what he deserved by his behaviour," said veteran broadcaster, now newspaper publisher, Julian Rogers.

The matter has also attracted the attention of the President of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) Wesley Gibbings, who joined the debate with the observation that "CARICOM governments have signed on to an agreement which suggests that in creating the single economic space, the CSME, that in the interim, during this particular phase of the CSME there are five categories of people who are going to enjoy the same status, the identical status of their nationals and this includes media workers."

Gibbings then went on to make the point that against this he is at a loss to fully understand what Astaphan means by non-locals having to comply with work permit provisions "particularly as it relates to media workers." 

St. Kitts and Nevis is a signatory to the CSME agreement.

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