The erection of a door inside Gordon House to prevent reporters from accessing an area designated for Hansard writers will be discussed this afternoon at a meeting to be chaired by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Peart.

Media representatives have been invited to participate in the meeting, which will also be attended by President of the Senate, Syringa Marshall-Burnett; Clerk to the Houses of Parliament, Heather Cooke and other parliamentary officials.

The door was installed following the publication of a photograph in the Observer newspaper, of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller 'doodling' during a recent debate on a no-confidence motion against the Government in Parliament.

Opposition members in the Lower House and their colleagues in the Senate have raised strong objection to the move, arguing that the restriction of the media was unwarranted.

Call to open door

At Friday's sitting of the Senate, Leader of Opposition Business, Anthony Johnson, urged the Senate President to open the door so that cameramen could move freely from the press area to the visitors' gallery.

Mrs. Marshall-Burnett, however, explained that she was being informed for the first time that a door was installed. However, she said media personnel could walk around the opposite side to gain entry to that area.

The Opposition, in a statement yesterday, chided the Government for acting quickly to "restrict the movement of media personnel," while doing nothing to "improve the woefully inadequate conditions under which the media have had to operate to provide coverage of Parliament."