Canadian High Commis-sioner to Guyana David Devine yesterday urged the government to create a framework in which free media can flourish, including “a level playing field,” as the Guyana Media Proprietors’ Association (GMPA) was launched.
“I encourage the government of Guyana and its parliament to enhance the conditions in which free media can flourish…Treat all players on the same level playing field, requiring only that they all serve the public good,” Devine said at the Ocean View Convention Centre, where the GMPA was inaugurated.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was instrumental in the formation of the Association and Devine, noted that the media is a critical ingredient in empowering people and communities.
He recalled that recently President Donald Ramotar, during his inaugural address to the parliament as head-of-state, emphasised that Guyana is poised for rapid economic growth and development. “One cannot have economic and social development without democracy. You cannot have democracy without the active participation of its own citizens and you cannot have a forum that engages citizens without a strong independent and responsible media,” Devine opined. He added that the media is “critical to empowering people and communities; fostering national reconciliation; social justice; fighting poverty and disease. That is why Canada’s commitment to the development of democracy includes support for the strengthening of media institutions and media governments, not only in Guyana but throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.”
CIDA, through its Deployment for Democratic Development Programme, he said, has worked to make a meaningful and tangible contribution to the media and broadcasting landscape in Guyana “by encouraging stakeholders to take a responsible and unified approach towards the development towards developing this sector.”
Devine told the gathering that media freedom and media responsibility are two essential elements to a robust media system and as a result the media must feel free from pressure from any source and at the same time demonstrate that it is conscious of its responsibility to earning the public’s trust. He urged the GMPA to lead by example and encouraged it to be a source of reliable information and an accessible forum for discussion.
Crucial
Meanwhile, head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Guyana Ambassador Robert Kopecký said that the EU recognises the important role of civil society in the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
He noted that helping civil society “to become an effective force for political reform and defence of human rights through capacity building” is the aim of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and a core objective of EU’s development policy.
According to Kopecký, under the EIDHR, a contract approximately valued at €100,000 was awarded to the GMPA to enable the local media to promote and strengthen human rights and democratic reforms in Guyana.
The project, he explained, will also support the print and broadcast media while promoting the facilitation of public dialogue and civic engagement across Guyana. He said that over the next three years, the Association will play close attention to advocacy for legislation and regulation/development of self regulation; public consultation and engagement; election preparedness: fair and balanced coverage/public awareness campaign; professional development; and commissioning and production of print and broadcast materials. “The role of the media is crucial to the development of any country and the success of this project depends on all stakeholders involved, both private and state ones,” he said.
Kopecký added that the quality of accessible information will greatly influence a person’s ability to participate in the political process. “In other words journalists have a responsibility towards their fellow citizens to provide correct and analytical information,” he explained.
Freedom of expression and information includes the right to seek, receive, express and disseminate opinions, ideas and information without interference, orally or in writing through any media, he noted. Further he said that this is therefore a precondition for strong and functioning media. Governments, he added, play an essential role in assuring a thriving media environment and he stressed that the recent granting of radio licences, breaking decades of a state monopoly, is heartening. Further, Kopecký said that early establishment of the broadcast authority will ensure that the process of regulating “all the players is a transparent one which is free from political influence.”
Democracy
Meanwhile, in brief remarks, Chairman of the GMPA Board Jacob Rambarran emphasised the Association is not political and was established to serve the interest of all its members.
Outlining the primary objectives, he explained that the GMPA seeks to address the best interest of all its members at all times, whether it is advancing the calls of media freedom “whereby we will be in a better position to inform the nation or helping to foster the growth of democracy, whether by a level field that would be established for all media houses or just fighting to protect the rights of an individual media house to operate.”
Rambarran said that the media is an industry and each entity is entitled to a fair return on its investment. “…free economic and political stability are conditions that democracy eventually brings, without which there will always be uncertainties and investors will always be reluctant to invest and economic expansion will definitely die,” he said noting that such a situation will result in economic stagnation.
GMPA, he further said, recognises that business must be conducted to serve the interest of the people. “When democracy is suppressed, men with ideas are the first to leave. You would read in the papers these days that we don’t even have skilled labour anymore,” he said.
Among the GMPA Directors are Anand Persaud, Editor-in-Chief of Stabroek News, Charles Griffith and Godfrey Washington.
GMPA is a non-governmental organisation that was formally established in April 2010, through the work of owners and operators in the television sector. Among its objectives are championing the cause of media freedom and media responsibility; promoting a fair, open and competitive business environment for media; serving the interest of the Guyanese public; and building capacity for media progress and media development.
The GMPA has been involved in public education campaigns and matters of media governance as it deems these vital areas for the deepening of democratic practices in the society. “Further it has concerned itself with the improvement of the technical aspects of the operations of members and is set to unveil programs and initiatives relative to media responsibility, local programme development, and collaborating with other bodies in the interest of building media capacity,” the association says.
Government representatives were invited but were unable to attend.
