Today is World Press Freedom Day. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an entity that campaigns for media freedom and the rights of Journalists, has indicated in its 2017 World Press Freedom Index that there have been significant setbacks in Guyana over the past year, although the Constitution guarantees free speech and the right to information.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the Government’s Information Minister and media czar, responded with disappointment at the report, which places Guyana three places down from last year, with the observation that this is a country with ‘noticeable problems’.
The report asserted that “Although Guyana’s Constitution guarantees free speech and the right to information, officials often use its defamation laws, which provide for fines and up to two years in jail, to silence Opposition Journalists. The members of the media regulatory authority are appointed directly by the President. This restricts the freedom of certain media outlets, which are denied licences. Journalists are subjected to harassment that takes the form of prosecutions, suspensions and intimidation.”
The World Press Freedom Index measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries, including the level of pluralism, media independence, and respect for the safety and freedom of Journalists. The 2017 Index takes account of violations that took place between January 1 and December 31, 2016.
This refutes the contention of Nagamootoo that the report is “… deeply flawed and undated…”, inferring that the Report was based on findings condemning the previous Administration.
The Report concludes that “Journalists are subjected to harassment, that takes the form of prosecutions, suspensions and intimidation”.
Nagamootoo adamantly rejected the Report.
But the Guyana Press Association (GPA) has had reason to chide the coalition Government on several instances for abuse of power in attempting to control and restrict press freedom in the country.
In August of 2015, the media reported Nagamootoo as saying that “State media should favour Government’s view” .
This was in response to a headline in the Guyana Chronicle, which read “Govt Blunders on Budget Estimates…violates laws assented to by President Granger”.
Reporters were relentless in questioning the evasive Prime Minister on the matter, and he eventually admitted that his statement was “triggered by a headline” he saw in the newspaper and he and the reporter had a conversation. “I was disappointed. I was very disappointed. I didn’t think that it was an objective headline in the sum total of what transpired yesterday in the Parliament…it is a Government paper and I would expect that for a paper that it has a point of view that supports a Government perspective… is a Government newspaper…it is a fully supported established company of the State…one would expect that it would merit the views of Government.”
According to the GPA, the incident could have been viewed as a method of intimidation, which may have a dampening effect on press freedom.
The GPA again had occasion to chide Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan for a letter to the media, published April 3 in which he chastised editors, for what it concludes is a clear attempt to direct the editorial content of the State-owned newspaper.
His rebuke to the State-owned newspaper was precipitated by a front page article of the March 31 edition that gave front-page prominence to a story on oil instead of an activity conducted by his ministry.
However, the GPA contended “… in his letter, he even attempted to dictate the editorial direction of the newspaper! His missive, which appeared only in the Guyana Chronicle, can only be interpreted as an attempt to drive fear into the editors and reporters of that newspaper with the sole aim of securing censorship and self-censorship.”
According to the GPA, a senior Government official is controlling editorial policies and content at the State newspaper: “Further, a senior Government Minister continues to dictate coverage of his office to the Editor-in-Chief and often has stories sent for his approval once it has to do with his office or the PNC, the main party in the governing coalition.”
The GPA indicated its awareness of the weekly meetings between the Prime Minister and senior executives of the State media, which continues to be used as a tool to dictate editorial content and to silence or trivialise Opposition views.
These actions run counter and, in fact, are in direct opposition to President David Granger’s repeated assertions that his Government will allow State newspaper, TV and radio to function as independent entities.
The Reporters Without Borders Freedom Index media report is deemed by Information Minister Nagamootoo as not based on credible sources, but the GPA, considered by media operatives to be an impartial body, contends otherwise.
