Reporters trained on effective coverage of court cases

Members of the media recently had a unique opportunity to hear directly from the Judiciary of Guyana on the functioning of the justice system through the first of a three-part webinar series. The event which was a collaborated effort between the Judiciary, the Guyana Press Association, and the Justice Education Society of Canada, was aimed at training reporters on how to effectively cover court cases.
During introductory remarks, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards emphasised that the media plays an important role in the healthy functioning of a democratic society.

In this regard, she said, “the Judiciary is “not alone in our goal to serve justice. It has been said that the media acts as society’s watchdog or the public watchdog. There is the principle of open justice and you also feature prominently in that system. The principle of open justice requires court proceedings to be accessible to the public and the media. […] Despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic might have affected the institution, you were there with us as we tried to keep the wheels of justice turning, keep our doors open, and to make sure that cases were heard.”
High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds noted that law and the media have become inescapably intertwined. “Because a relatively small portion of the public has direct experience with the justice system, public knowledge and views of law and the legal system are largely dependent on media representations,” he said.

Meanwhile, JES Project Director Evelyn Neaman said that we all have a role to play in the justice system. She urged those who participated in the webinar to take advantage of this unique opportunity to hear directly from members of the court whether to enhance their understanding of and ability to work with the justice system.
President of the Guyana Press Association Nazima Raghubir noted that the media “have to make it our duty to understand legal terms, understand how to break those down for the public, understand the legal processes, dissect those processes so that we understand them and ultimately so that the public, who is accessing the court, can understand them too. We have to ensure that there is fair coverage, accurate coverage, and that the information we are putting out there can stand up to scrutiny.”

Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature Alicia Lowenfield was tasked with describing the court structure and the duties and functions of court personnel. Senior Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool presented on the process of appeals, while Justice Nareshwar Harnanan provided a brief overview of the code of conduct for judicial officers.
In addition to members of the media, a wide range of participants took part including Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn; professors and students of the University of Guyana; and representatives of the civil society and social service providers.
The webinar series will continue on January 16 and January 23, 2021, with additional presentations from Magistrates and Judges. The Judiciary’s Communication and Protocol Officer will outline her role and the kind of information she can provide to the media.
There will also be presentations on accessing the courts during the pandemic; specialised courts such as the Drug Treatment Court and Children Court; bail; stages of criminal proceedings in Magistrates’ Courts and restrictions on publications. Senior representatives of the Press Association will also provide presentations on the ethics of media professionals.