Embattled Region 5 REO attempts to muzzle Guyana Times Journalist

…official complaints filed with GPA

Guyana Times Berbice Correspondent Andrew Carmichael has said he is being targeted for harassment by the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice), Ovid Morrison, over his reportage of issues emanating within that Region.
Carmichael has said the latest attack came on Thursday, as he was in the Boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council Building at Fort Wellington to cover the RDC’s statutory meeting. He explained that as the meeting commenced,

Morrison requested that Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal have him (Carmichael) removed.
Morrison’s request was denied, and he was told that he is not allowed to address any issue prior to the examination and adoption of the minutes from the previous meeting.
This was not well received by the REO, who then proceeded to use his cell phone to call one “Inspector Kelly” to come and remove Carmichael.
The female Police Sergeant arrived, but was promptly informed by Region 5 Chairman Vickchand Ramphal that the REO is not allowed to give any instructions at the RDC meeting; thus the Officer departed the premises.
Morrison then left the Boardroom, resulting in the premature adjournment of the RDC Meeting. Guyana Times reporter Andrew Carmichael has noted that this is not the first time the Region 5 REO has attempted to harass and intimidate him. “Several months prior, while I was at the said boardroom covering an RDC meeting, the REO walked over to me just before the meeting was called to order and told me that I would have to leave, and could not stay in the meeting. I then told him that he was making an illegal request, since if the RDC did not want to have me there, someone would first have to table a duly constituted motion to the

house, and it would have to be voted on before any decision can be taken.
“I further told him that since his request was unconstitutional, I was not going to support that illegal request in any way. He then asked the Regional Chairman to ask me to leave the room. However, the Chairman told the REO that he could not do that, and that he should only act on the orders of the RDC,” Carmichael explained. “I feel that my rights as a journalist to be free to inform the public of issues and events as they unfold and occur are being violated. I am also of the opinion that the REO is trampling on press freedom. My concern in this regard is even more pronounced because I seem to be his target,” Carmichael explained. Management of the Guyana Times has since written the Guyana Press Association to lodge an official complaint detailing Carmichael’s experiences, and has called on the GPA to condemn the behaviour of Region 5 REO Ovid Morrison.