THE Guyana Chronicle last evening swept the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Media Awards for Excellence in Health Journalism with Senior Reporter Svetlana Marshall being adjudged the overall winner of the competition.

Marshall won in several categories, including in the categories of Best News Feature and Best News Article in the print media and Best News Feature and Best New Article online.

Tajeram Mohabir of the Guyana Chronicle won handsdown the prize for Best News Story (print), followed by Marshall at second and David Papannah of Stabroek News who was placed third.

In the category of Best News Features (Print), Marshall copped the first prize, followed by Dreylan Johnson and Delicia Haynes.

Jessica Daw, Jeanna Pearson, and Shunza Samuels were the winners in the category of Best Television News Story, while Anadia Holladar and
Handel Duncan won in the category of Best Television Feature.

In the category of Radio Feature, Cloreen Joseph and Marcey Parker were adjudged winners, while in the category of Best News Story online Marshall again emerged among the winners. The other winners were Rabindra Rooplall (The Chronicle) and David Papannah (Stabroek News).

In the category of best News Feature (Online), Svetlana Marshall copped first place, followed by Ravin Singh and Alva Solomon, both of the Guyana Chronicle.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who delivered the feature address told the well-attended gathering at the Pegasus Hotel that there is no room for bias, prejudiced reports from the media.
The Prime Minister, a former journalist himself, noted that partisan journalism and personal attacks must be a thing of the past.
“There must be no room for partisan journalism, for bias and prejudiced reports and accounts. There must be no room for personality attacks and character assassination; no room for reports that incite racism, hatred and religious bigotry.”

According to the Prime Minister, too often unbalanced and lopsided reports are published under the guise of news, and as such, he implored the country’s journalists to “eschew these temptations.”
He noted that big businesses, especially the pharmaceutical industry, have deep pockets and they use journalists to report on shortage of drugs when there is no shortage, or to report about an epidemic when there is no epidemic – all to stimulate need for their medical supplies.
“Journalism, in its most pristine state, must always seek to serve the interest of the public – to inform and educate the public about affairs which affect their lives and which enrich their existence. Journalists must be ultra-conscious of this and zealously and uncompromisingly guard it.”

The Prime Minister made it clear that journalists can ill-afford slippages and to yield to temptations of gifts and enticements, while noting that the demand for modern-day news causes erosion of basic and sacred tenets of journalism.
Nagamootoo highlighted instances of fear-mongering, hatred and division that resulted in inaccurate reports being published.

“This worries me as it is a betrayal and bastardisation of journalism. We see too the media being used to engineer and perpetuate misinformation and disinformation.”
According to the Prime Minister, since taking office in May 2015, the APNU+AFC coalition Government has not interfered in the work of journalists, noting that the “media have been able to conduct their work freely and openly; have been able to report without fear of intimidation or victimisation, even in the State media.”

Mr Nagamootoo said the administration of which he is a part condemns previous, “brazen acts of intimidation and suppression” of journalists and will not pursue an “oppressive agenda.”
Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who holds responsibility for the communications sector, also encouraged local journalists not to be the purveyors of untruths and falsehoods.
“My Government will continue to guard your right as journalists to work in an environment which allows and affords you freedom and independence, to report and comment on facts,” he said.

Commending PAHO/WHO for the initiative, the Prime Minister reminisced on his time in the local media fraternity, noting that journalism was never deemed a “rewarding profession.”
“But something new must have happened in Guyana that encourages recognition of the work of journalists, and we must not only welcome this fresh air of appreciation, but must all work to keep it this way,” he said, reminding those gathered at the award ceremony that in the past local journalists who did not toe the line, were lumped among the “enemies of the State.”

He noted that technology has transformed the landscape and workflow of journalism and noted that with the advent of social media, news is delivered within minutes, if not seconds.
But even as the Prime Minister reminisced about the past and assessed new-era journalism, he committed his Government’s support to the PAHO/WHO initiative, along with other similar initiatives that seek to recognise the work of media professionals.