Drayton: I was the chairman

“I was chairman and that’s it,” Drayton told Newsday.

Questions arose yesterday on whether Drayton – who is also chairman of GISL – was properly appointed as CNMG chairman on Monday when she took a decision to call CNMG CEO Ken Ali to make a query on the press conference.

Drayton has denied giving any instructions which resulted in the station pulling the press conference abruptly on Monday evening.

“I am not going into that nonsense at all,” Drayton said. “Rest assured my instruments of appointments were signed and sealed. I was aware of that and it was handed to me formally.” Asked if she had her instruments on Monday, she said, “I am not answering questions on that. I was chairman and that’s it.” Communications Minister Maxi Cuffie yesterday said it mattered not whether Drayton had received her instruments.

“No, because I know when the instrument was signed and when it was available, I spoke to the minister when it was being signed,” Cuffie told Newsday. “It was the same day of the broadcast which was that evening. Somebody could make that an issue in a legalistic way. I don’t think it was. In her conversation she did in fact ask the questions that a chairman could ask. Mr Ali basically said it was a news decision.” At a Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minsiter, St Clair, Cuffie defended Drayton and questioned why CNMG had cut-short its broadcast of the swearing-in of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley three weeks ago. He also stated he made no calls in relation to the UNC press conference and expressed confidence that no member of Cabinet did so as well.

“Three weeks ago, at the swearing- in of Dr Rowley, CNMG interrupted the broadcast, they cut it short and I was watching and I watched at the swearing-in and I had to switch to TV6 and CNC3,” Cuffie said. “Nobody asked me why was the Prime Minister pulled on that occasion.” Cuffie continued, “This week you had an Opposition Senator and a process server holding a press-conference which was not carried by either TV6 or CNC3 which CNMG decided in its wisdom that they would carry. But I was not aware that they were carrying it until probably somewhere near the end when they were calling me.” Of his own conduct, the Minister said, “I called no one at CNMG and I am the Minister responsible for CNMG. I am part of a disciplined Cabinet. Nobody would call CNMG without calling me. So I can say pretty much that I have confidence that no Government minister called CNMG. I did not call CNMG.” He defended Drayton, saying she acted properly.

“I see in the Newsday... that the chairman of CNMG admitted to having a conversation with the CEO,” Cuffie said. “I think it right and proper for the chairman of a State-owned corporation to have a conversation with the CEO. She said that she did not issue any instruction and I see nothing contrary to say that she issued an instruction.” Cuffie said Ali – whose performance comes up for appraisal by the CNMG board – had on Wednesday informed him at a meeting called by the Minister that the decision to pull the press conference was one taken by the newsroom. “I think I asked at the meeting and he informed me that the decision was a decision of the newsroom as news people are entitled to do and I took his explanation,” the Minister said.