Speaker of the House of Representatives Michael Peart makes a point to journalists and media bosses at a meeting at Gordon House, yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The controversial door installed to bar journalists from entering the Hansard stenographers' area of Parliament will remain, House Speaker, Michael Peart, declared yesterday. At the same time, he has created additional space for the working media after bitter complaints that the existing press box is inadequate.

Mr. Peart told journalists and media bosses during a meeting at Gordon House at Duke Street, downtown Kingston, yesterday that the Hansard area is a restricted one, and given security issues the rule must be enforced. "No strangers from whatever corner will be allowed in the Hansard corner," he emphasised.

Pressed by media representatives, the House Speaker relented on an earlier decision that television cameramen and photographers would be relocated outside the existing press box. They along with reporters will still occupy the press box in addition to newly assigned sections of what is now the public gallery, which will be equipped with the necessary facilities to aid their work.

Mr. Peart urged the media to work with the new arrangements and emphasised the existing space problem at the Parliament building. "We have some limitations and some of us have to suffer some inconvenience; that's the reality," said the House Speaker.

Reviewing access

Several suggestions were put forward by the media representatives to improve their working environment and access to parliamentarians. Mr. Peart promised to review these with the Clerk of the House and the President of the Senate, Syringa Marshall-Burnett, who also attended yesterday's meeting. Both parliamentary leaders indicated that they were revising plans for a new parliamentary building to be constructed in the medium term - a matter they intend to discuss soon with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. "I only have the power of Parliament, not the budget," said Mr. Peart, while indicating that funding to either extend the existing building or construct a new one is yet to be identified.