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Social media 'a crucial link' for parliamentarians

MANAMA, September 18, 2014

Parliamentarians from across the Arab world have been urged to engage more with their electorate through the use of social media.

The call came from the opening session of the Third Annual Arab Parliaments' Association of General Secretaries Conference, which concludes today (September 17) at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa in Manama, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Outgoing chairman of Bahrain's parliament Dr Khalifa Al Dhahrani, under whose patronage the event is being held, described media 'in all its forms' as a vital link for MPs to get their message across.

“Media is the bridge between us and the people and it has to be utilised in the proper manner,” he said.

“Bahrain is already a leader in this, with parliament and the Shura Council both having media directorates that deal with professional and social media - because legislators have to engage the media to ensure an easy flow of information and keep the public updated.

“With this in mind, we are willing to host specialised workshops to teach and train other Arab MPs on the use of media - we in Bahrain have already come up with a strategy that we could share.”

Dr Al Dhahrani said an 'open door policy' was key in all dealings with the public, to ensure transparency and the responsible use of power.

“We are at the dawn of a new age, a new world in which the media is more important than ever - and because of this, those handling or dealing with it are also very important,” he added.

Parliament's acting general secretary Jamal Zowaid described social media as the 'future', but decried the fact that most MPs were not using its full potential.

“Social media is vital to democracy and trust as it reveals the truth and allows the public to monitor our work,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it is still not being utilised properly - and because of that, we here in Bahrain have offered to help.

“Arab parliaments form part of a chain of communication, which needs better and stronger links.”

Meanwhile, Arab Parliaments' Association of General Secretaries president Alam Al Koundari said advancements in technology meant that people nowadays have to be very careful what they share with media.

“Media today is much faster than it was before and once something has been released it can't be stopped, whether it's true or false,” he said.

“Because of this, we urge MPs to share all the facts with the public to ensure that the right information is out there.”

Arab Parliament secretary-general Nouraddin Bushookaj added that the Arab world had to embrace the future, whatever it may hold.

“The issue of media is vital since it falls in line with democratic reforms,” he said. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: media | arab | world | social |

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