(Barbados Nation) “An open attack on press freedom.” That is how the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) has termed the threats made by the Prime Minister’s political advisor, Hartley Henry to Sunday Sun editor Carol Martindale.
Henry called the journalist on Saturday and told her he would tarnish her reputation if she did not give the front page treatment to the results of a poll commissioned by the governing Democratic Labour Party.
He alleged that the past several Sunday Sun editions were geared towards publicising and enhancing the image of Opposition Leader Mia Mottley.
“If the story is not played the right way, I would turn Barbados against you,” he told Martindale.
In a statement from ACM president Wesley Gibbings, the ACM described Henry’s actions as “absolutely unacceptable behaviour on the part of a senior government operative.”
“Ms Martindale is a cherished member of the fraternity of Caribbean journalists and we stand with her and the Nation newspaper as they confront this attempt to interfere with the independent operation of a media enterprise,” the statement continued.
