Thursday, April 22, 2021
Ghana Today
  • Home
  • News
    A Great Asset For Ghana Football: Ghanatoday.net

    A Great Asset For Ghana Football: Ghanatoday.net

    Breaking News: Sellas Tetteh resigns as head coach of Sierra Leone – Ghana Latest Football News, Live Scores, Results: Ghanatoday.net

    Two cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ghana: Ghanatoday.net

    Two cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ghana: Ghanatoday.net

    Govt tightens border checks as coronavirus spreads: Ghanatoday.net

    COVID-19: Ghana confirms two cases: Ghanatoday.net

  • Politics
    Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

    Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

    I defamed an innocent man out of ignorance

    We’ll field John Mahama over and over again until the NDC wins power

    Business leaders and politicians regularly text Boris Johnson, sources admit | Boris Johnson

    You’re dumb to claim Akufo-Addo’s ‘Dumsor’ is better than Mahama’s

    You’re dumb to claim Akufo-Addo’s ‘Dumsor’ is better than Mahama’s

  • Entertainment
    Pulse Picks: Top 10 entertainment stories that defined 2020 [ARTICLE]

    Pulse Picks: Top 10 entertainment stories that defined 2020 [ARTICLE]

    From Manny Pacquiao to Shirley Temple: Seven celebrities who swapped the entertainment industry for politics

    From Manny Pacquiao to Shirley Temple: Seven celebrities who swapped the entertainment industry for politics

    At CES 2020 Panasonic Demonstrates the Future

    At CES 2020 Panasonic Demonstrates the Future

    Christabel Ekeh pictures, biography, boyfriend ▷ YEN.COM.GH

    Christabel Ekeh pictures, biography, boyfriend ▷ YEN.COM.GH

  • Lifestyle
    RI Council for Humanities Awards Over $150K to 15 Public Projects & Documentary Films

    RI Council for Humanities Awards Over $150K to 15 Public Projects & Documentary Films

    You can’t lead NPP as a Muslim and a Northerner- Alan’s boy roars at Bawumia

    DR. Mahamudu Bawumia Embodies Our Best Shot In 2024 (II)

    Your Eating Pattern Determines Your Health And Lifespan Including Should Women Fast?

    Your Eating Pattern Determines Your Health And Lifespan Including Should Women Fast?

    ‘I never thought the world would see my photographs’

    ‘I never thought the world would see my photographs’

  • Africa

    More than 10 countries in Africa report COVID-19 cases

    The Dance: the South Africans who finish high school against all odds | Global development

    Facebook, Twitter suspend Russia-linked operation targeting African Americans on social media – News – MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

    Facebook, Twitter suspend Russia-linked operation targeting African Americans on social media – News – MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

    The fight for west Africa’s fish

    The fight for west Africa’s fish

  • Business
    Date for 2020 Census to change – Ghana Statistical Service-Ghanatoday.net

    Ghana’s economy back on growth path – GSS-Ghanatoday.net

    Ghana President’s Bid for Re-Election Unopposed by Ruling Party

    International Business Machines Corp – Doc re Form 8-K – Yahoo Finance UK-Ghanatoday.net

    Ghana inflation rate for September inches down to 10.4%-Ghanatoday.net

    Moody’s rates credit profile of Ghana B3, negative outlook-Ghanatoday.net

    Ken Agyapong commends judge for jailing Poloo; says social media indiscipline ‘too much’-Ghanatoday.net

    Ken Agyapong commends judge for jailing Poloo; says social media indiscipline ‘too much’-Ghanatoday.net

  • Viral News
  • Videos
    Drama | Agar Tum Saath Ho – Episode 30 | Express Entertainment Dramas | Humayun Ashraf, Ghana Aly-ghanatoday.net

    Drama | Agar Tum Saath Ho – Episode 30 | Express Entertainment Dramas | Humayun Ashraf, Ghana Aly-ghanatoday.net

    Dinner at Jam Rock Jamaican Restaurant in Ghana – Nov 2018 Tour-ghanatoday.net

    Dinner at Jam Rock Jamaican Restaurant in Ghana – Nov 2018 Tour-ghanatoday.net

    "African Medley"  |  David Forlu  |  UNCEASING-ghanatoday.net

    "African Medley" | David Forlu | UNCEASING-ghanatoday.net

    Lavish lifestyle of Ghanaian Politicians gets Ghanaians talking…-ghanatoday.net

    Lavish lifestyle of Ghanaian Politicians gets Ghanaians talking…-ghanatoday.net

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    A Great Asset For Ghana Football: Ghanatoday.net

    A Great Asset For Ghana Football: Ghanatoday.net

    Breaking News: Sellas Tetteh resigns as head coach of Sierra Leone – Ghana Latest Football News, Live Scores, Results: Ghanatoday.net

    Two cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ghana: Ghanatoday.net

    Two cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ghana: Ghanatoday.net

    Govt tightens border checks as coronavirus spreads: Ghanatoday.net

    COVID-19: Ghana confirms two cases: Ghanatoday.net

  • Politics
    Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

    Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

    I defamed an innocent man out of ignorance

    We’ll field John Mahama over and over again until the NDC wins power

    Business leaders and politicians regularly text Boris Johnson, sources admit | Boris Johnson

    You’re dumb to claim Akufo-Addo’s ‘Dumsor’ is better than Mahama’s

    You’re dumb to claim Akufo-Addo’s ‘Dumsor’ is better than Mahama’s

  • Entertainment
    Pulse Picks: Top 10 entertainment stories that defined 2020 [ARTICLE]

    Pulse Picks: Top 10 entertainment stories that defined 2020 [ARTICLE]

    From Manny Pacquiao to Shirley Temple: Seven celebrities who swapped the entertainment industry for politics

    From Manny Pacquiao to Shirley Temple: Seven celebrities who swapped the entertainment industry for politics

    At CES 2020 Panasonic Demonstrates the Future

    At CES 2020 Panasonic Demonstrates the Future

    Christabel Ekeh pictures, biography, boyfriend ▷ YEN.COM.GH

    Christabel Ekeh pictures, biography, boyfriend ▷ YEN.COM.GH

  • Lifestyle
    RI Council for Humanities Awards Over $150K to 15 Public Projects & Documentary Films

    RI Council for Humanities Awards Over $150K to 15 Public Projects & Documentary Films

    You can’t lead NPP as a Muslim and a Northerner- Alan’s boy roars at Bawumia

    DR. Mahamudu Bawumia Embodies Our Best Shot In 2024 (II)

    Your Eating Pattern Determines Your Health And Lifespan Including Should Women Fast?

    Your Eating Pattern Determines Your Health And Lifespan Including Should Women Fast?

    ‘I never thought the world would see my photographs’

    ‘I never thought the world would see my photographs’

  • Africa

    More than 10 countries in Africa report COVID-19 cases

    The Dance: the South Africans who finish high school against all odds | Global development

    Facebook, Twitter suspend Russia-linked operation targeting African Americans on social media – News – MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

    Facebook, Twitter suspend Russia-linked operation targeting African Americans on social media – News – MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

    The fight for west Africa’s fish

    The fight for west Africa’s fish

  • Business
    Date for 2020 Census to change – Ghana Statistical Service-Ghanatoday.net

    Ghana’s economy back on growth path – GSS-Ghanatoday.net

    Ghana President’s Bid for Re-Election Unopposed by Ruling Party

    International Business Machines Corp – Doc re Form 8-K – Yahoo Finance UK-Ghanatoday.net

    Ghana inflation rate for September inches down to 10.4%-Ghanatoday.net

    Moody’s rates credit profile of Ghana B3, negative outlook-Ghanatoday.net

    Ken Agyapong commends judge for jailing Poloo; says social media indiscipline ‘too much’-Ghanatoday.net

    Ken Agyapong commends judge for jailing Poloo; says social media indiscipline ‘too much’-Ghanatoday.net

  • Viral News
  • Videos
    Drama | Agar Tum Saath Ho – Episode 30 | Express Entertainment Dramas | Humayun Ashraf, Ghana Aly-ghanatoday.net

    Drama | Agar Tum Saath Ho – Episode 30 | Express Entertainment Dramas | Humayun Ashraf, Ghana Aly-ghanatoday.net

    Dinner at Jam Rock Jamaican Restaurant in Ghana – Nov 2018 Tour-ghanatoday.net

    Dinner at Jam Rock Jamaican Restaurant in Ghana – Nov 2018 Tour-ghanatoday.net

    "African Medley"  |  David Forlu  |  UNCEASING-ghanatoday.net

    "African Medley" | David Forlu | UNCEASING-ghanatoday.net

    Lavish lifestyle of Ghanaian Politicians gets Ghanaians talking…-ghanatoday.net

    Lavish lifestyle of Ghanaian Politicians gets Ghanaians talking…-ghanatoday.net

No Result
View All Result
Ghana Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics
The Dwight Ball Show: How the COVID-19 briefings took a political turn

The Dwight Ball Show: How the COVID-19 briefings took a political turn

May 9, 2020
in Politics


Premier Dwight Ball is joined, from left, by Education Minister Brian Warr, Health Minister John Haggie and Chief Medical Officer of Health Janice Fitzgerald at the March 16 briefing. Physical distancing at the briefings started the following day. (CBC)

It was Monday, March 16, and the mood was tense. It was time for what was already becoming a habit: the daily update from Confederation Building in St. John’s on COVID-19.

This briefing was different from the ones that had started only the week before.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, who had been addressing the media on the coronavirus, walked to the briefing room, but was joined by three members of cabinet, chief among them Premier Dwight Ball, whose appearance at the briefing — he was about to close schools and launch a week of closures that largely remain in effect — signalled that events had reached political significance.

Two days earlier, Fitzgerald had announced the first positive case of coronavirus in the province. It was not unexpected. Five days earlier, the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

“As a province and as a country and I guess as a world we are in unprecedented times,” Ball said in his opening remarks. “These are indeed uncharted waters and in these times, these unprecedented times, they call for some important decision-making.”

Ball showed up at the briefing because the coronavirus had emerged as not just the top priority for the government, but pretty much the only concern at the time. All other issues were either connected to the coronavirus (the collapse in oil prices, for instance) or simply eclipsed by it.

Ball went into that briefing in a remarkably unusual position. Just a few weeks earlier, he had effectively thrown in the towel, and announced that he would be stepping down, as soon as the Liberal party could find someone to replace him.

If COVID-19 had not happened, by the way, the day for that new leader to be picked would have been May 9 — today.

Leadership campaign, like much else, was halted

It was not to be. The disease that has upended so many things around the world stopped the leadership race in its tracks, which left Ball sitting somewhat indefinitely as premier.

As things turned out, Ball stepped into a role during the COVID-19 briefings that suited him. As the world was, well, freaking out, Ball brought a sense of calm to the daily appearances. Reactions, of course, on social media — never the best barometer, by the way, for measuring what the public actually thinks about actual things — were divided. Ball has always had his haters, but it was evident in March and into April that a lot of people were impressed with Ball for trying to handle a crisis.

Ball hosts the daily COVID-19 briefing, and often makes remarks on issues he wants to highlight. (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador )

As the weeks passed, things evolved. The sense of urgency in the briefings has subsided. You can actually track them according to the number of active cases, which soared through the rest of March, cresting on April 6 at 192 cases.

I’ve had a pretty good sense in public interest in the briefings because we have real-time metrics of audience behaviour. Leading up to the briefings, which usually start at 2 p.m., there was a surge of online traffic as people clicked in to watch the live stream. After Fitzgerald’s announced the headlines — whether there were new cases, and how many — people started to dial out. Quite a few stayed with the whole thing. The traffic pattern, day in and day out in those weeks, looked like a mountain.

Lately, it’s been looking less like a mountain and more like a hill. There’s still public interest in the COVID briefings, but it’s certainly not as intense.

But here’s the rub. While public attention might not be as acute as it was just weeks ago, the crises before the government are no less profound, if not overwhelming. Think about it: most parts of the economy are in grave shape, including the fishery, tourism, oil and much of the service sector. Our debt crisis continues to mount. 

These challenges will need to be addressed, and it will not take weeks but months and likely years — possibly a generation — to reset things. 

The premier as host 

The daily briefings have evolved, too. Ball opens them with a welcoming remark, turns things over to Fitzgerald for her briefing, gives his own remarks (which sometimes resemble a political speech), introduces Health Minister John Haggie, who is there most days, and then goes to questions from the reporters who have phoned in. Sometimes there are special guests, on topics ranging from seniors to mental health to food security.

Fitzgerald speaks to reporters during a March 11 briefing. The format would change the following week. (Malone Mullin/CBC)

It hasn’t gone unnoticed in political circles that Ball, who otherwise would be giving his farewell speech this week, has grown quite comfortable in his role as host of the daily briefing. It’s given him a platform to talk directly to the public. Even though it was designed for questions from the media, the time for those has sometimes been squeezed to accommodate the government’s messaging de jour.

Simmering away in the background has been a stalled leadership race and, possibly, some resentment among fellow Liberals that the regime change they wanted has also been stymied. There was also some yakking in the last few weeks about a supposed movement to draft John Haggie — whose colourful quips and unshakeable resolve dominated many a briefing — as the next premier.

There was no real movement, though. There were tweets and some political gossip, and the ever-colourful Haggie — when asked by my colleague Ariana Kelland during an interview for a profile — said he wouldn’t rule out a bid if the Liberal leadership race was reopened.

Liberal president John Allan said this week there has been no pressure on the party calling for leadership nominations to be reopened. (Terry Roberts/CBC)

“If the water on the beans changes in that regard, I’ll certainly look at things again,” he said a couple of weeks ago.

But it’s the same water, and the same beans.

The party said no, and a few days ago party president John Allan made a point of saying there was no groundswell at all for a reopened race.

The next few days will be important. The party is set to reconsider the stalled campaign on this Monday. My colleague Terry Roberts reported that some in the party would like to have the leadership campaign concluded by the end of June, with voting happening online or by phone — which is not that different than how many would have voted anyway — but with no traditional meeting to crown a winner.

Candidates John Abbott and Andrew Furey parked their campaigns, and their ambitions, early in the public health crisis.

Dwight Ball parked his retirement plans. He has said since that he is prepared to stay on as long as necessary.

We may know by Monday how long that may be.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador



Source link

Tags: all ghana newscelebrity news ghanacitinewsroomcurrent affairs issues in ghanadaily graphic jobsdaily graphic today page 30daily guide newspaper headlines todayentertainment news in ghanagh webghana electionsghana government factsghana news sitesghana news todayghana news today latestghana political historyghana political partiesghana political systemhot gossip in gh todayhttp peace fm sports newsjoy news liveKeywordlatest news in ghanamodern ghana musicmodern ghana sportsmodern ghana tvmost educated president in ghanamyjoyonline latest news for todaymyjoyonline news latestmyjoyonline news todaymyjoyonline sportsndc congress 2018 resultsndc elections resultsndc parliamentary primaries 2019ndc presidential primaries 2018peace fm contactpeace fm kokrokoopeace fm online entertainment today newspeacefmonlinepeacefmonline latest news todaypeacefmonline picturespolitical issues in ghanapolitical newspolitics in ghana pdfpulse ghanastarrfmonlinethe most learned president in ghanatrending political issueswho is the head of the legislature in ghanawww myjoyonline com politicswww peacefmonline com politicsyen news educationyen.com downloadyen.com.gh news today
Previous Post

10 Hilarious Special Effects Scenes in African Movies-ghanatoday.net

Next Post

VIDEO: Small GHS10k donation to ‘macho men’ not a crime

Next Post
VIDEO: Small GHS10k donation to ‘macho men’ not a crime

VIDEO: Small GHS10k donation to ‘macho men’ not a crime

Kentucky Politics Distilled: Beshear’s Budget Address

More Testing Needed As State Reopens

Your parents never trained you well

Your parents never trained you well

Advertisement

Recent News

Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

April 21, 2021
0
LeVar Burton to guest host ‘Jeopardy!’ after viral campaign draws nearly 250K signatures – FOX23 News

LeVar Burton to guest host ‘Jeopardy!’ after viral campaign draws nearly 250K signatures – FOX23 News

April 21, 2021
1
I defamed an innocent man out of ignorance

We’ll field John Mahama over and over again until the NDC wins power

April 21, 2021
0

Business leaders and politicians regularly text Boris Johnson, sources admit | Boris Johnson

April 21, 2021
0
You’re dumb to claim Akufo-Addo’s ‘Dumsor’ is better than Mahama’s

You’re dumb to claim Akufo-Addo’s ‘Dumsor’ is better than Mahama’s

April 21, 2021
1

PM to create No 10 unit to push through policy agenda | Politics

April 21, 2021
0
Ghanaians descend on Inusah Fuseini for asking Mahama to declare himself president

NDC not clay-legged elephant -Inusah Fuseini replies Abodakpi, NDC cadres

April 21, 2021
0
ADVERTISEMENT

About Us

Welcome to Ghanatoday.net. Your premium website which brings you all the news from different Ghanaian news platforms. We appreciate all the sites which have contributed immensely to make this website a possibility.

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Politics
  • Videos
  • Viral News

Recent News

Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

Lisa Murkowski just reminded us of how politics used to be normal

April 21, 2021
LeVar Burton to guest host ‘Jeopardy!’ after viral campaign draws nearly 250K signatures – FOX23 News

LeVar Burton to guest host ‘Jeopardy!’ after viral campaign draws nearly 250K signatures – FOX23 News

April 21, 2021

Copyright © 2019 Ghanatoday.net. All rights reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Africa
  • Business
  • Viral News
  • Videos

Copyright © 2019 Ghanatoday.net. All rights reserved

Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.