By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said he respects the press and would not try to dictate what the media should do.

His comment yesterday came after he suggested the press should not print murders on the front pages, saying it harms the country. He claimed other newspapers in the region do not publish murders on their front pages despite numerous examples to the contrary.

His comment drew criticism from many, including Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, who noted that Mr Davis was the chief defender of the Progressive Liberal Party’s decision to erect billboards around New Providence highlighting the murder rate under the last Ingraham administration.

“I’m not trying to censor the media,” Mr Davis told reporters yesterday after a walkabout in Nassau Village.

“I’m not a dictator. I believe all of you who are in the free press appreciate that I have the highest respect for the press and its involvement in the dissemination of information.”

 “Any view that I may be trying to dictate to, you all were present, and I would have expected those who were present when I made that statement to be able to say the context in which I said it.

“I did say specifically, this is not to dictate to you what you ought to do, but I want you to consider how you go about reporting these things.

“I asked you to take a look at how it is done around the world and see whether or not it is as prominent a feature in a newspaper as it is in our newspapers.”