The Guyana Press Association (GPA) yesterday said it will oppose every effort to bring the media under control through the touted draft Professional Services Bill which the Caricom Secretariat has announced may come into effect in another three years and will regulate professionals, including journalists.
Should the bill become a reality, the GPA said, it will empower governments to decide which journalists ought to be granted the right to practice and punish those who seek to expose the truth or are critical of government policies.
The GPA in a release yesterday said while it recognises the need for greater regulation in the local media it staunchly believes that self- regulation is the way to go.
Efforts are already underway in this regard and it is the intention of the new executive of the GPA to see this through in order to bring to the Guyanese public a media corps better equipped to defend their interests and fulfil the mandate of the people’s guardian of democracy.
The GPA pointed out that while the draft legislation being circulated does not include a final list of professionals, Deputy Programme Manager for Services at the Caricom Secretariat Timothy Odle recently announced at a workshop on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) that the registering and licensing of journalists would commence within three years.
The draft bill set out that the government will appoint a council for each profession which would be tasked with the licensing and regulation of the said profession. Additionally, the councils will fall under the ambit of the subject ministers who will have the power to direct them as they see fit “in the public interest because of exceptional circumstances.”
The GPA said this was just another attempt by the authorities to muzzle the media across the region. “We believe it is a retrograde step towards the tumultuous politics of Latin America instead of progression in our fledgling democracies,” the GPA said yesterday in the statement. It pointed out that unlike other professions, journalism is “inextricably linked to the constitutionally enshrined right of freedom of expression and in some jurisdictions freedom of the media.”
The association echoed the sentiments of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers which had stated that there will be no negotiation on this matter and urged the secretariat to have the media struck off the list of professions to be licensed in the bill.
GPA, wuh yuh scared fuh ? You feel some of you in the Executive gon be struck off because you won’t pass a simple social science test ? Like you won’t be able to answer the question about democratic elections and the will of the people in the Guyana ?
This is a good move to have a Registry of Journalists to protect the publc from incompetents and scribblers.Next stop is the regulation of columnists like ignoramus Fretty Dissoon.
There are some compentent and dedeicated newsmen and women who learnt on the job starting as a “cub reporter” but those days are gone.
Please, moderator save us from the expected “de government dem gon use the Registry to restrict press freedom. Dis is another way for Jagdeo and PPP dem to stay in power.”
i agree with you, some of the information publish in the news papers in unprofessinal.
What a bitter man.
Do you read UK newspapers or you dont know to read?
Reddy, given the Jagdeo regime’s behaviour towards the private media, especially SN and KN, the GPA has every right to be concerned, not necesarily fearful. And assuming the regulations being drafted are designed to be largely punitive, I still want to know what were the known transgressions of media operatives in the West Indies that they suddenly need to be regulated? Or is the regulation desgined to protect them against governmental abuse?
Moderator, based on the GPA’s interpretation (“Should the bill become a reality, the GPA said, it will empower governments to decide which journalists ought to be granted the right to practice and punish those who seek to expose the truth or are critical of government policies.”), how about about a reaction/clarification from the Caricom Secretariat to allay the GPA’s fears?
In fact, if the GPA is right, even your newspaper should be duly concerned for its reporters’ sakes given that SN has been like a proverbial thorn in government’s side with its courageous reporting of news that make government uncomfortable. No Caricom government should have the power to issue or revoke licenses to regional media operatives given that governments can abuse this power!
This is pureplay nonsense. Licensed journalists? What is one going to have to do to qualify for a license? pledge allegiance to Jagdoe?
Ha, ha!
This is a good way of ensuring intellegent journalism in Guyana and internationally,,,this rubbish some of them write daily and publish on www will come to a halt…Hats off to the Government…
Intelligent Journalism or propaganda?
Intelligent like chranicle which no one reads or the trash that emanates from GEENA?
Come Lord Jesus!
muzzle de pitbulls..
dem does bark too much nonsense….
let dem decry and cry and cry until dem sleep an fade away…
Now here is something you might want to compare with the U.S. and Canada. To all the experts, is this what happens in those countries?
Meanwhile, anything to regulate press freedom will be wildly aplaused by the few government sycophants on this blogs who hate that people can speak their minds.