— says GPA amid calls for more critical thinkers in the media

The Guyana Press Association (GPA) said it will lobby for press freedom to be expressedly guaranteed in the country’s Constitution.
The GPA made its intention known as it joins similar bodies the world over in observance of World Press Freedom Day 2017 held under the theme “Critical Minds for Critical Times”.
Freedom of the press is the right to circulate opinions in print without censorship by the Government.

The United States of America (USA) is one of the country that enjoys freedom of the press under the First Amendment to their Constitution.

Though time has changed and the press is no longer limited to print, there are still restraints to what is published, printed and posted by local media outlets. Matters of press censorship and ways in which the local media fraternity can be enhanced were brought to the fore during a World Press Freedom Day discussion among journalists, writers and well-wishers at Moray House on Wednesday.

GPA had pointed out to a United Nations (UN) team meeting with stakeholders on Constitution reform that expressed freedom of the press is absent from the Guyana Constitution.

Though their call has not gained traction as yet, GPA Executive Nazima Raghubir said whenever the consultation resurfaces again, the GPA will be advocating for the addition of press freedom to the Constitution.

“We want to make sure that freedom of the press is explicitly stated in the Constitution,” Raghubir told the gathering of mostly journalists, who gave their full support to the GPA’s push.
English lecturer, Dr. Joyce Jonas, who also addressed the gathering, emphasised the need for more critical thinkers in the media.
“The local media needs to stop being a fan club… they need to be more assertive and ask relevant and necessary questions… enhanced investigative journalism must also be something to look at,” Dr. Jonas said as she encouraged journalists to be objective in their reporting and not to self-censor themselves.
GPA President Neil Marks hailed the country’s veteran journalists for setting a “Code of Conduct” that somewhat governs the coverage of General and Regional elections in the country.
Marks said because of the reportage, there have been less violent elections and the trend of positive changes is one that needs to be seen more often. The Government in its World Press Freedom Day message said the press in Guyana has the freedom and latitude to pursue, publish and broadcast whatever it wishes without fear of hindrance or harassment.
“The enabling environment for journalists has undergone progressive change in the past two years to allow for a strengthening of the conditions under which they operate,” the Government said.