Dear Editor,
I refer to the SN editorials “Many voices” (Apr 21) and “Government and the media” (Apr 11). Both are freedom of the media related.
As one of the editorials pointed out, a free, untrammeled press is a hallmark and a prerequisite of democracy. But government, regardless of which party holds the reins, had sought to intimidate a truly free press and independent minded reporters. Governments historically sought to silence the press. An independent press post-1966 was largely absent during the reign of the PNC. The arrival of Stabroek News rescued democracy and the beginning of a free press.
The PPP since 2000, has had a history of bullying media houses and reporters. Reporters who are pro-government are favoured and rewarded with all kinds of perks and even taken on trips. Independent minded reporters are punished or ignored.
We remember well the PPP’s termination of advertisements to media houses that carried articles critiquing the government and excluding from press conference reporters who questioned government’s policies. And we saw what the party officials recently did to reporters at the outreach on the West Coast and sycophantic supporters did to female journalists on social media for raising tough questions to the government. Reporters were routinely insulted at press conferences for asking questions relating to oil and gas.
Clearly, our country does not have absolute freedom of the press as exists in developed countries like the USA, Canada, UK, France, Japan, etc. We have limited press freedom. It is shocking, therefore, that Guyana is ranked 34 in press freedom.
For the PPP, the media should not poke into government’s policies and expenditures. It wants the media to simply promote what government does. The PPP hid the Exxon audit. Had it not been for SN, the country would not have known about unaccounted expenditure related to the industry. The PPP government is yet to make a formal response on the audit findings and on the unaccountable US$214M. Thank you SN for your investigative reporting and exposures of wrongdoings of government.
The state media and a private media house are great mouthpieces for the government. The state-owned Chronicle and another private owned press are government aligned. President Carter, in multiple visits to the country, appealed to the PPP government to grant access to state media to the opposition and civil society. Half of state media time should be given to the opposition and civil society. The other ‘unofficial state media’, the PPP aligned media house, should also give equal coverage to the opposition and civil society. In other countries, the state media is not so slavish towards government as in Guyana.
Only the two independent newspapers, SN and KN, practice real freedom of the press. They are the true fourth estate. They are engaging in the best journalism in print in the country. They subscribe to the best practices of a free press. They are the most courageous media houses. They are a thorn against governments, the ruling class.
Both SN and KN stood on the side of democracy and gave unlimited press to the PPP during the five months ordeal. Without them, the nation would not have had access to information about the many wrongdoings of governments.
Yours truly,
Elijah Whitley
