By Max Sterling
I firmly believe that we must deliver honour where it is due and share licks where appropriate.
I have been using this column for the last ten or so years to do just that and have several people looking forward to it week after week.
The recent visit to the United States (New York to be exact) of our newly elected Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and his delegation has seen a young man stepping out of his normal "realm" to do us Grenadians back home proud.
I am referring here to Michael Bascombe, former President of the Media Workers' Association of Grenada (MWAG).
This trip as important as it comes to the new administration which inherited NO TREASURY from the Mitchell Kleptocracy had its shortcomings.
Unfortunately, the conservative Thomas-led administration did not want to overplay its hand at a time when they are "cash strapped" and so never included a "press man" as part of his delegation.
I quite understand Prime Minister Thomas' position but I want to offer the following advice for future high level travel expeditions on behalf of the state of Grenada whether led by the PM or any other Minister.
We cannot underestimate the power of the media and the great impact communication has on people.
Considering that we are always communicating, we have to appreciate that some things are just integral to high level overseas delegations and professional and effective media representation is one of them.
If we do not do that, we may be communicating to the nation that we probably do not care to keep them informed. This professional media person I would like to see integral to any such delegation - ought to be capable as Michael Bascombe has shown himself up to be with technology and ought to be equipped with a digital camera, flash mike, lap top outfitted with the latest Adobe Audition for professional production and editing, and internet connection for transmission of audio/video and photo files.
These are investments which the new administration will have to make in order to equip the selected individual who will be integral to any such delegation in the future.
Michael Bascombe who reports for BBC Caribbean on a regular basis and who happens to be based in New York was clearly in the right place at the right time and hence we were not left out completely from the information loop of the Prime Minister's extended visit.
Of course Mr. Bascombe turned out to be helping out a situation as there was no other chance of us getting to know first hand of the PM's activities in New York.
All of us in the media whether at home in Grenada or in the Diaspora are eternally grateful to Michael Bascombe for his thoughtfulness to share.
I was so pleased to learn from a close friend of the record attendance at Medgar Evers College to see the Prime Minister, to the point where people had to be turned back as there was no way that the College could have accommodated more people.
Based on reviews from people who attended sessions at that location in New York presided over by past Grenadian Prime Ministers this one was the most oversold!
Where was that moment captured and brought to the Grenadian people? Nowhere! A missed opportunity, indeed!
I understand further that the Friday Night Black Tie Affair was another sell out with the facility packed to capacity and people who thought they would be able to get in without tickets by paying at the door - had to be turned back.
Where is that energy reported in the media whether local, regional or international? Again nowhere!
Public Relations is something which involves the public in relating to situations that they are not necessarily there to witness and participate in themselves.
This administration cannot afford to miss the mark as with NO TREASURY in Grenada, they need to provide the people with a ball by ball commentary of their every move whether locally, regionally or internationally. That will certainly justify the spending as people will be duly proud.
When people know what is going on with their government, the chances of suspicion which fuels "ole" talk becomes nonexistent.
The energy with which this last visit could have been reported by the correct person, equipped to so transmit would have justified the little bit of money which it could have cost the administration to include him/her on the delegation. I have absolutely no doubt about that.
"Left-overs" from Mitchell's Kleptocracy would run their mouths but as an administration you cannot fall for their criticism as their strategy is to back you in a corner for you to fail.
You've got to do what you've got to do LEAD! They have no choice but to follow as this is their time to follow and yours to lead.
The current administration in St. George's has no desire to travel on the private jets of conmen and international fugitives.
As far as my own recollection of the individuals who constitute this breath of-fresh-air administration goes they will pay their own way as they do not wish to be in the pockets of anyone. I am sure of that!
That said serious action must be taken to include a professionally effective media person on delegations for future important overseas missions whether it is led by the Prime Minister, or any other Minister.
We have to say thanks to Michael Bascombe that the Prime Minister's trip did not go undocumented.
I have noticed something in all of this that the media outfit which used to function as the media of choice in the past i.e. GBN was not even the media of choice for Bascombe's reports.
The independent Grenada Broadcast an internet based medium owned and operated by George Grant was the medium of choice for reflections of the Prime Minister's visit.
That says a lot about GBN and how relegated to the back they have become probably for their past sins of playing politics during Mitchell's reign as head of his Kleptocracy when people within GBN used to be afraid to move away from Mitchell's corner.
The Government Information Service (GIS) needs to be restructured to become a professionally trusted medium.
Had it been used to operating at that level it could have been the clearing house for worthwhile information on the PM's trip instead of Grenada Broadcast.
And even last Sunday, the government and ruling party missed another golden opportunity to showcase to the entire nation through the media the hundreds of persons who answered the call to come out and take part in the massive cleanup of some villages in St. David's.
The leadership of the National Democratic Congress need to pay more attention to getting its news out in this information age.
