WEBVTT - Andrew Whitfield analysis 

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<v Speaker 1>Right, let's get into this issue. Then we do, in

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<v Speaker 1>fact have Vincent mcgwenia presidency spokesperson on the line to us,

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<v Speaker 1>actually at an airport in severe in Spain. Mister Mogwenea,

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<v Speaker 1>let's just jump straight into this while we have you,

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<v Speaker 1>I want to start with the origins of this particular

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<v Speaker 1>matter and ask you this question. Unless you are disputing

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<v Speaker 1>that then Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield wrote requesting permission to travel.

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<v Speaker 1>What would be the explanation for the fact that over

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<v Speaker 1>a ten day period he never got a response to

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<v Speaker 1>his request. Why would that be?

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<v Speaker 2>I'm g John and grafton on to your listeners. John,

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<v Speaker 2>I think at this point that postmotem is no longer helpful.

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<v Speaker 2>The President has already made his decision. He's a waiting

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<v Speaker 2>for MINNESOTAIS and m the DA to give him a

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<v Speaker 2>name that proposing for the role and the replacement for

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<v Speaker 2>former Minister Whitfield, I mean Deputy Minister Whitfield. And that's

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<v Speaker 2>where we are now. We are looking past this issue.

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<v Speaker 2>The President has already made that decision. I don't think

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<v Speaker 2>a postmatum of who said what, who did what will

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<v Speaker 2>be any helpful.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, with respect, Miss Mark gwen you in your statement

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<v Speaker 1>have engaged in exactly that kind of post mortem of

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<v Speaker 1>who said what? My question I think is relevant. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>struggling to see why it's so difficult to answer.

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<v Speaker 2>No, it's not difficult to answer the bottom line, John, Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 2>the then deputy minister did not get permission. There is

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<v Speaker 2>no prescribedterialist to when the President can respond to a request.

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<v Speaker 2>At the end of the day, he did not have

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<v Speaker 2>permission to travel, and he went ahead and traveled. He

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<v Speaker 2>understood the gravity of his actions, according to Minister Stenaisan

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<v Speaker 2>to the President, he was expecting the sanction and so,

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<v Speaker 2>as I said, it doesn't help to start need picking

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<v Speaker 2>at days and to start net picking and who said what,

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<v Speaker 2>who did what. The President issued that statement simply because

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<v Speaker 2>he needed to clarify the matter that in the exercise

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<v Speaker 2>of his constitutional prerogatives, he doesn't have to explain himself. However,

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<v Speaker 2>because of the distortions coming from Minister Stenaisen and former

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<v Speaker 2>Deputy Minister Whitfield in needed to clarify the issue.

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<v Speaker 1>Can can you at least then confirm mister Magwenya that

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<v Speaker 1>mister Whitfield never got a reply to his request.

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<v Speaker 2>He never got permission that I can confirm to travel

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<v Speaker 2>to the US.

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<v Speaker 1>Why wouldn't the President not just simply have said no,

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<v Speaker 1>permission is not given.

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<v Speaker 2>It also it also that if you are not informed

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<v Speaker 2>that you've been given permission, you are not to travel.

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<v Speaker 2>So there would have been a number of things on

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<v Speaker 2>the president's desk that the president felt were priority to

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<v Speaker 2>attend to, and so the permission was not given.

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<v Speaker 1>What what are what is the range of offenses that

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<v Speaker 1>the president would consider in removing someone from his cabinets?

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<v Speaker 1>What are the main factors that he takes into consideration.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, in this particular case, John, it's quite inevident. It

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<v Speaker 2>has been articulated in the statement that there was a

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<v Speaker 2>clear violation of rules, rules that are well known to

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<v Speaker 2>all members of the National Executive and rules that were

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<v Speaker 2>affirmed during the induction, as well as by the President

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<v Speaker 2>himself when he addressed the members of the National Executive.

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<v Speaker 2>And so that is a factor in this particular case.

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<v Speaker 2>I cannot talk to either cases. I can talk specifically

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<v Speaker 2>to this case that this is what informed the president's decision.

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<v Speaker 1>So let me use a phrase that is in the

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<v Speaker 1>President's statement, a clear violation of rules and established practices

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<v Speaker 1>governing the conduct of members of the executive Now that

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<v Speaker 1>presumably is the framework within which these decisions are made.

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<v Speaker 1>Is that always, though ultimately the president's prerogative, that even

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<v Speaker 1>where there are clear violations of rules and established practices

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<v Speaker 1>governing the conduct of members of the executive which presumably

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<v Speaker 1>would be the oaths that they take when they take

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<v Speaker 1>their offers, it is still it's not an automatic step

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<v Speaker 1>that the president takes. He can weigh it up and

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<v Speaker 1>decide yes or no.

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<v Speaker 2>It depends on our case furcase process, John. Each case

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<v Speaker 2>has its own factors, Each case has its own merit

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<v Speaker 2>that the President will consider.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you very much, Vincent Mgweny, Presidency spokesperson,