PPP allows Kwame McCoy to disrupt press conference
Members of the media were forced yesterday to ask the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, to silence Information Liaison to the President, Kwame McCoy. McCoy kept interrupting the press conference which was addressing the issue of Elisabeth Harper’s selection as the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
Information Liaison to the President, Kwame McCoy
McCoy walked into a press conference yesterday at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown. The press conference was hosted by Rohee and moderated by PPP Executive Secretary, Zulfikar Mustapha.
McCoy was not part of the panel, nor was he there in representation of any media house. He certainly was not there in his capacity as Information Liaison to the President.
McCoy utilized every opportunity possible to distract, embarrass and frustrate media operatives as they posed questions to Rohee.
He shouted, “Shut-up; you are stupid; you do not listen” as various reporters from independent media houses tried to pose questions.
At one point, Kaieteur News’ Editor-in-Chief, Adam Harris, had cause to ask Rohee to control McCoy who was very annoying and distracting at this point.
One reporter claimed that he was behaving like an uncontrolled pit bull.
The government representative contained himself for about two minutes after Harris’s appeal to Rohee, then went on another rant.
Another reporter then had cause to ask Rohee for “protection” as McCoy, who was sitting right next to him, began to get more verbally abusive.
Neither Rohee nor Mustapha attempted to control McCoy. In fact, there was little attempt to do so.
Even after the press conference, a fish market-like McCoy attacked reporters calling them crooks.
When apprised of the unsavoury development, Kaieteur News’ Publisher, Glenn Lall, said that he was not surprised by McCoy’s continued disrespect for the independent media.
He emphasised that this attitude must be dealt with by those in authority.
“I don’t want anyone to be disrespecting my reporters. If this continues I would have no other choice but to stop my journalists from covering the PPP press conferences. They are the ones who invite the media houses to provide the kind of coverage they are looking for as a political organization…more so the party in government. How then can they allow someone like Mc Coy to insult them?
“To invite media operatives and try to belittle and embarrass them in the fashion in which Kwame McCoy did yesterday will no longer be tolerated. If this type of behaviour continues, my journalists will not show up for their press conferences any longer.
“I have been told on numerous occasions of similar behaviour at government-sponsored press conferences. They’re carrying it to their house now. But that won’t be for this newspaper any longer!” Lall stressed.
