(Trinidad Express) Executive Director of the International Press Institute (IPI), Alison Bethel McKenzie, yesterday expressed “grave disappointment” over Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s statement that “rogue elements” in the media were “either wilfully or unwittingly misinforming the society”.
In the same address the Prime Minister had responded to criticisms of her record on press freedom, pointing out that the Government had supported the IPI’s 2012 World Congress in Port of Spain to the tune of $300,000.
“While we are very grateful to the Trinidadian government for making our 2012 Congress in Port of Spain possible, we are disturbed by recent events involving the media in Trinidad and Tobago,” Bethel McKenzie said.
She added: “I have great respect for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, but I am deeply concerned about her statements directed at the media…In a democratic state such as Trinidad and Tobago, newspapers and broadcasters have the right to express their political opinions and report on the issues they—not those in power—deem newsworthy. We urge the Trinidadian government to end this pattern of ugly rhetoric seemingly intended to discredit the press.”
According to Bethel McKenzie, “press freedom does not include a government forcing the media to air its propaganda”, noting that Persad-Bissessar had prefaced her comments by insisting they “should not be construed as an attack on the media freedom but the evidence before me is troubling and it should trouble all of us citizens”.
In October 2012, the IPI had condemned as “highly inappropriate” personal e-mail messages sent to another well-respected journalist by Communications Minister Jamal Mohammed accusing the Express of being prejudiced against the ruling People’s Partnership and asserting that the media “have embarked on a sad journey to discredit and destroy.”
Bethel McKenzie noted that both Persad-Bissessar and then president George Maxwell Richards spoke at IPI’s June 2012 World Congress in Trinidad and on that occasion, Persad-Bissessar’s reiterated her country’s commitment to press freedom and last November confirmed the Government’s intention to repeal criminal-defamation laws, a move welcomed by IPI.
Bethel McKenzie added: “I have full faith in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s commitment to press freedom going forward, which should include the promised repeal of criminal defamation. But the Trinidadian government’s recent actions toward the media cannot be ignored. I look forward to discussing these issues with representatives of both the government and the media when IPI returns to Trinidad and Tobago to conduct a press freedom mission very soon.”
