The Guyana Press Association (GPA) has expressed consternation over President Bharrat Jagdeo’s most recent statements against a section of the private media.
“We would encourage the President to seek wider avenues to express his concerns rather than to keep going down the same narrow one-way street over and over again,” the association said in a release issued earlier this week.
The association said while it is understandable and expected that politicians will never see eye to eye with the media, officials ought to recognize and respect the role of the media.
It said that President Jagdeo in “sort of a subtle threat” at the recent dinner of the Private Sector Commission, sought to lecture the businessmen on the role he sees for the media.
“Mr Jagdeo sought to encourage those businesses which advertise with the Kaieteur News to pull their ads because he is not happy with the probing reports that have been appearing in the Kaieteur News,” the release said.
The President also expressed his concerns about stories of crime being on the front page of the newspapers, and went as far as to accuse the newspaper of making up stories.
The GPA said the statements by the President ought to be rejected “totally and are both a clear attack on the freedom of the press.
“The President must understand that he ought not to use the bully pulpit to carry on with his tirade about the media,” the GPA said while adding that the latest outburst is a “clear attempt by the highest office in the land to use its influence to get to private businesses that choose to advertise with the newspapers.
“When the President had differences of opinion with the Stabroek News, he withdrew the government ads, ironically turning to the Kaieteur News embracing the newspapers and its coverage and reach,” the GPA pointed out.
And two years later, it said, the President now has differences of opinion with the Kaieteur News and he turns to the business community to pull its ads.
“Mr Jagdeo having served as President for the past decade must now realize that his way of doing business with the media is no business at all and he must seek better ways to vent his concerns,” the release said.
Meanwhile, GPA reminded all media houses that they have a responsibility to be “fair and balanced in their reporting and in the gathering of information,” for reports. “They must hold themselves up to a much higher standard,” the release stressed.
“Media operatives too ought to be reminded that their pens should not be used as swords to wage private and personal battles.”
The GPA said it will continue to monitor all developments with regard to the local press and has already taken steps to inform its Caribbean and International partners about all these latest developments.
It said it remains open to talks with the Guyana government about several issues of concern to both the administration and the local press corps.
