Dennie Quill, Contributor

Recent media stories of impending changes to Prime Minister's Bruce Golding's Cabinet must have left the administration feeling a bit stupid. Media representatives appreciate leaks and valued sources are relied on to pass information on the sly.

A savvy reporter knows, however, that the leaker has an agenda and is not merely passing on critical information because he or she wants to advance the journalist's career. So last weekend when the headlines forecast Trevor MacMillan's ascension to the position of national security minister tongues wagged. Many dismissed it as speculative, but as events unfolded it became evident that the media got it right down to the man in the Senate who would be asked to step aside to make way for the colonel. Who says the local media do not have its finger on the pulse?

A leak falls into one of two categories - authorised or unauthorised. Usually a government gets to choose the appropriate time to make announcements. On the other hand it is the media's job to dig hard into the public's business and that makes for a healthy democracy.

Then there are always questions about national security and the public right to know. Recall World War 11 when soldiers were given a manual titled, Loose lips sink ships, which detailed who they could talk to and about what.

Authorised leak

In this case, the premature disclosure of changes in the Cabinet appeared to have been an authorised leak designed to gain momentum ahead of the official announcement.

I was a bit taken aback by the Colonel's cockiness in confirming to journalists that he would in fact be the new man at the national security ministry. As a journalist I understand that background information and off-the-record exchanges between politician and journalist are routine. I also understand the sensitive nature of the relationship between officials who leak information and their contacts.

In the case under discussion I would expect the stock response to a question of one's impending appointment to be something like 'wait for the prime minister's announcement' or 'you have to direct that question to the prime minister' instead we have MacMillan saying, "Yes, it is true."

I gather that many JLP higher-ups are rankled by these events. The out-of-control murder rate must be giving Prime Minister Golding sleepless nights and as he contemplates an increasingly fearful public pitted against fearless criminals he is impatient and wants results.

It is understandable that changes in personnel may help. What is not understandable is the untidy manner in which events unfolded. There is a strong view that the prime minister needs a course on how to finesse matters.

If press reports are accurate, the incumbent Derrick Smith was preparing his presentation for the sectoral debate when he learnt that he would be replaced. Thankfully, this leak might have buoyed a few egos and bruised others, but did little damage to national security.

Word of caution

But one cannot help wondering whether authorised leaks will be the hallmark of this administration. We recall that in opposition, the JLP was the beneficiary of critical leaks. A word of caution, however; in the matter of national security critical information prematurely released might do more harm than good.

At the end of the day, many people welcome the colonel's appointment and hope that he can make a difference.

At the time of writing there is news of another kind of leak which has tainted the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exami-nation's communication studies Paper II.

Press reports allege that someone in the CXC office in Barbados got hold of the paper and emailed it to an individual in Trinidad. The paper was then given to a student there who copied and sold it.

On Wednesday, the registrar and chief executive of Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), Dr Didacus Jules, called a press conference in Port of Spain to explain that thoughts of postponing the exam across the region were dismissed after the council was given certain assurances that the leak had not spread beyond Trinidad.

Still, many speculate that with the growing Internet use, the information might have been shared with other territories. This is one instance where a leak will likely cause damage.

There is the matter of the integrity of the CXC system. There is also the stress likely to overcome students, teachers and parents. Then there are the financial obligations to reset the examinations.