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Oct 14, 2011 News
The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) has taken umbrage to recent statements made by Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo in relation to the media in Guyana.
The ACM has since called for a public apology and demanded that the president make a retraction.
The statements in question include President Jagdeo at the most recent PPP/C rally in Kitty calling media operatives’ vultures’ and ‘carrion crows.’
The ACM charges that the utterances are inflammatory and designed to endanger the lives of media practitioners and their families.
“The ACM cannot allow this to go unchecked and as such we call on President Jagdeo to publicly apologize and retract his statements…We do not want to see a precedent set in the region of public officials, inciting hatred and violence against media houses and professionals, and being allowed to get away with it.”
The ACM further called for the complete withdrawal of the suspension against CNS TV 6, which is now set to take effect from December 1.
“The matter is in the hands of the court of law and a continuation of the directive to suspend the Channel could be seen as tantamount to muzzling.”
The ACM said that it fully endorses the swift response of the Guyana Press Association, which unmistakably assisted in forcing the postponement of the suspension.
“ACM will continue to monitor the situation in Guyana and stands ready to lend further support to the Guyana Press Association.”
The media watchdog in the Caribbean had earlier acknowledged “with deep concern, the decision by outgoing Guyana President, Bharrat Jagdeo, to shut down the privately owned television station CNS TV Channel 6…The decision was made even as the case relating to the station broadcasting a defamatory commentary on its airwaves is engaging the local courts.:”
The ACM says that it views the initial directive to close the station at the height of the election season, as a direct attack on press freedom.
“The subsequent announcement of the reversal of this directive, even at a political rally, is evidence of efforts to stifle free expression and to promulgate political interference in the work of the fourth estate.”
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