Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 13, 2014 News
…says GPA President in response to Nandlall’s call for media regulation
The Guyana Press Association (GPA) has always pressed for self regulation in the media, according to its President Gordon Moseley, who in an invited comment yesterday responded to the calls made by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who recently spoke of the need for rules to be promulgated to hold the media accountable.
Nandlall is quoted in a number of reports as saying that the media demands accountability from all, “but to whom do they account to, who watches the watch dog…The media cannot be rotating in an unregulated atmosphere, there must be rules that are known and rules to which we can hold them accountable by must be promulgated.”
Moseley in response reminded that it is this very Administration of which Nandlall is a part that has in the past attempted to muzzle the local media.
He reminded of the withdrawal of Government advertisements as well as the banning of reporters from covering certain assignments.
According to the GPA President, Nandlall is a part of the same Administration that disbanded the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) which had operated under the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), particularly during elections period.
Moseley reminded that it is also the same Government that dissuaded the donor agencies when it had attempted to fund the MMU beyond just the monitoring of the media during elections.
The GPA President added too that this very Administration prevents the members of the state media from joining the Guyana Press Association.
He said too that the Administration also prevents the members of the state media from attending any of the training programmes hosted by the GPA.
Moseley reminded that the GPA is a signatory to a number of Codes of Conduct, including one related to the coverage of elections.
Nandlall is quoted as saying that press freedom is a great power, and with power comes responsibility.
“The press can destroy government; they can destroy characters of people and communities. And that’s why they are referred to as Fourth Estate, in recognition of that power.”
The Attorney-General stated that the law has fashioned certain obligations, which devolve upon the press, or those who seek to enjoy and exercise freedom of expression to do so within certain limitation. “…For example you cannot injure the reputation and character of others, you can’t jeopardise a nation’s security, naturally you will find different degrees of abuse in different press outfits. I’ve had to take two newspapers to court for things that are libelous.”
In observance of World Press Freedom Day recently, US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt was critical of the State as it relates to press freedom in Guyana.
Hardt reminded that the International Press Institute also raised an issue he has long found perplexing, which is the use of the term “opposition media” to describe any media institution that is not controlled by the government.
“This is indeed a demeaning term that fails to do justice to the vital role that an independent media must play in a modern, democratic society” the Ambassador had posited.
He noted that the use of the appellation was also inaccurate. “Anyone who reads or watches independent media in Guyana will see that there are letters to the editor supportive of the government, columns that advocate government positions and generally balanced reporting on actions of governmen.” Hardt noted.
By contrast, he said that in the state-owned and state-run media, which should hold itself up to an even higher standard of balance by virtue of being funded by taxpayers, one hardly ever sees a letter to the editor or a column supportive of the opposition or critical of the government.
“In fact, the public reads about instructions being passed by the government to state-run television criticizing staff for airing statements by an opposition party directly after the government’s position was presented, and indicating that such presentations were only to be aired late at night when viewership was lowest,” the Ambassador had stated .
JAGDEO ADDING MORE DANGER TO GUYANA AND THE REGION
Apr 18, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been named Wisden’s leading Twenty20 Cricketer for 2023, as she topped all and sundry, including her male counterparts. Alan Gardner looks...Kaieteur News – Compliments of the Ministry of Education, our secondary school children are being treated to a stage... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]