A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) yesterday promised to repeal the recently passed Access to Information and Broadcast laws if elected to run the affairs of Guyana for the next five years.
The two pieces of legislation were passed prior to the dissolution of Parliament last month. However, the opposition PNCR had already signaled that the broadcast law suffered from a lack of consultation on the draft that had been tabled in the National Assembly.
The Access to Information law had returned from a parliamentary select committee and was passed by the assembly in the absence of the opposition who stayed away from the House during the period that was originally set aside for recess.
APNU said its broadcast legislation would call for broadcasters not including anything in their programmes which offends good taste or decency and is likely to encourage racial hatred, incite crime, lead to public disorder or is offensive to public feeling.
News agencies will also be required to present all news with due accuracy and impartiality. In addition no abusive or derogatory treatment will be tolerated against any religion or religious denomination under an APNU government.
APNU criticized the recently passed bill stating that “it contains unacceptable provisions which are intended to withhold public information”.
