Douglas Hampande wrote The Ministry of Information and the Presidents media handlers should announce the head of states departure and itinerary - whether local or abroad - a day or so before the trip takes place not days after the President has already left the country. In the midst of so much speculation, such delayed announcements coming after the head of state has already left only leave people to think the motive was to hide the trip from the public, even when this may not be the case. Good, effective public relations demands truthfulness, honesty, good intentions and trust between the organisation practicing public relations and its several publics. It will not do for Hon. Mwansa Kapeya to start fire-fighting now on where the President is, when he left and why, when all this information could have been given to the nation days before the head of state left and, as such, calm down the increasing suspicion that the government seems uncomfortable having the public know that President Sata will be or has travelled out of the country.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:28:29 +0000