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By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 3 March 2013:
Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was asked at Thursday’s press conference by a member of the press for . . .[restrict]his reason for not appointing an official spokesperson.
The media would like, in this day and age of fast moving news, a constant contact point at the Prime Minister’s office who can respond instantly to fast moving events. This is all the more urgent in view of the advent of the internet and the ability for rumours to spread fast.
Currently, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan is content to give just a once a week routine press conference on Thursdays. This leaves a whole week of unverified facts, news and rumours for the media to deal with.
On Thursdays, rather than utilizing all the press conference making government announcements, the Prime Minister and his Ministers have to often spend quite a bit of time just dealing with rumours.
“I like to be in contact directly with the Libyan people”, Zeidan responded initially. “I have not appointed an official spokesperson because I could not find an appropriate person yet”, he then added.
Meanwhile, “you can communicate directly with my head of media”, he added and at which point I turned and look at his head of media.
Clearly caught by surprise by the Prime Minister’s announcement that she would answer queries direct from the press, she grimaced her face. But I think she was relieved to hear her boss quickly add: “I hope to appoint an official spokesperson soon”. [/restrict]
