Boston – Members of Boston’s diverse ethnic media recently had a unique opportunity for a face-to-face roundtable open discussion with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker covering a variety of issues of importance to their communities. The roundtable was the fourth and final such meeting for 2015 and about twenty members of the ethnic media were in attendance. Members of Boston’s Hispanic, African-American, Polish, Portuguese and Haitian communities were among those represented by the press to pose questions to the Governor at the State House.
The discussion covered topics ranging from expansion of the MBTA green line, small business development and funding to prevent violence against women; to the safety and security of state residents in the current dangerous climate of terrorist attacks in the U.S.
Governor Baker asked MA Health Connector Executive Director Louis Gutierrez to open the meeting with information about enrollment to the program. Gutierrez stressed the need for residents to meet the December 23 deadline for filing an eligibility application, picking a Health Connector plan and paying the first month’s premium for January 1 coverage.
However, it wasn’t long before the discussion turned to probing the Governor for his position on various current events garnering headlines in the news. Governor Baker was, once again, asked about his opinion regarding various incendiary statements made by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump about Muslims and refugees. “I think his comments were ridiculous”, Baker firmly stated, “They go against everything people in this country believe; but also, on a much larger global way, his comments don’t make any sense as well.”
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The Governor added the state has already recently accepted some refugees and would continue to do so with careful oversight. However, Baker also adamantly clarified that he never stated Massachusetts would not receive refugees, as some media outlets and individuals had previously reported.
“What I said was, that I was concerned about the vetting process”, said Baker, “especially when you’re dealing with countries that are either hostile to the United States; or with which the U.S. does not have a structured relationship”.
Baker acknowledged his position as Governor of Massachusetts creates the expectation among some for him to weigh in on wider national and global issues. “My primary focus is going to be on Massachusetts”, said Baker, “The people of this state want me to talk about what’s being done to fix the T, what am I doing to fix DCF, what am I doing to fix the Health Connector… I’m going to focus on ( those things ) because that’s really what most voters believe my job is all about.”
