The Government of Guyana has declared that “allegations of censorship in state media have no basis in reality or fact.”
This declaration comes days after a US State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2015, cited actions of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo under the heading of ‘Censorship or Content Restrictions’.
The 2015 report on the Humans Rights Practices in Guyana states in the area of Freedom of Speech and Press that the law provides for freedom of speech and press, and the government generally respected these rights. However, it goes on to state, under the heading ‘Censorship or Content Restrictions,’ “in August the prime minister issued a directive that all headlines in the state-owned print media be first scrutinized and approved by his office before they are published. The directive was a response to a headline criticizing the government. The prime minister also serves as minister of information.”
However, a release issued yesterday by the Department of Public Information declares that “the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana repudiates in the strongest terms irresponsible allegations repeated in the media alleging censorship in state media.
“Such claims are wholly false and baseless and attempt to damage the image of the coalition government which is trying to repair democratic institutions, including state media which had been left in a shambolic state under the previous administration. The coalition government has established independent and professional boards for the major state media entities and has noticed that persons with strong political and social views outside of the state media staff have been enlisted as paid contributors.”
The release continues, “The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana reiterates its commitment to the free media that provides for national coverage that is not driven by partisan politics. For the first time in many years, state media have been carrying articles and reports critical of the government while providing extensive positive coverage to the opposition. Allegations of censorship in state media have no basis in reality or fact.”
Stabroek News had reported last August that Nagamootoo generated concern about possible government interference in the state media when he told reporters at the Public Buildings that he was “surprised and disappointed” by a headline which appeared in the Guyana Chronicle. Nagamootoo spoke with the reporter who wrote the article and subsequently said the Chronicle “is a government paper and I would expect that for a paper that it has a point of view that supports a government perspective…”
He had further argued that the Chronicle “…is a government newspaper…a fully supported established company of the state…one would expect that it would merit the views of government.”
Subsequently, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said that government is working on a policy to ensure responsible reporting by the state media. Harmon said the policy is being considered and is not yet completed. “It is important that we establish clearly that there is a responsibility, which the media has, to ensure that news is put to the Guyanese public and the public at large, the international community at large, that is responsible,” he said.
In its manifesto, the APNU+AFC coalition had pledged to guarantee the independence of the media, freedom of access to information, the liberalisation of broadcasting and the removal of barriers to access to the state media.
Writing in its column in Stabroek News in April last year, the APNU+AFC alliance had said, “The state-owned media will operate independently of government. Privately operated media houses will no longer be subject to harassment, intimidation and threats of violence. Freedom of the press will be made a reality in Guyana. And the coalition will undertake to review and repeal existing laws which suppress and oppress the media.”
Last year, the AFC had slammed calls by the then PPP/C administration for government regulation of the media, saying it was a duty for the media profession itself. “AFC is opposed to the state or politicians legally regulating or controlling the press. Though we admit that standards ought to be raised… this should to be done by self-regulation,” Nagamootoo had said.
The veteran journalist/ politician explained that by self-regulation his party expects journalists and their professional associations to adopt high standards of ethics, and have greater regard for truth, verifiable facts, balance and fairness in their work. “Several of our journalists, mostly in the free and independent media, have already distinguished themselves for adopting these higher standards,” he had said.
