FOLLOWING Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s recent comments about an article published in the Guyana Chronicle, Minister of State Joseph Harmon has called on the media to act more responsibly and to report in a manner that is fair, balanced and objective.During last Friday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, Minister Harmon said: “These are still early days of the Administration, and a policy is being considered but it is not fully complete.”
He was responding to the question of whether a corporate policy would be crafted for the State media, given that President Granger had, some time ago, announced that the Government would have less to do with these entities.

Minister Harmon said a number of things have to be done to assure responsible reporting of news in the media. “It is important that they establish clearly that there is a responsibility, which the media has to ensure, that news is put to the public at large, and it is responsible,” he said.

Harmon pointed out that the “Citizen’s Report” had inaccurately reported on proceedings in the National Assembly, and he said such instances have to stop. He said the media must conduct its business responsibly, because there is a greater degree of openness prevailing in the national space.

He said that Government is publishing more information, establishing greater connection between the public and the media, and is now able to facilitate more questions; but there must be a certain level of responsibility in what is disseminated for public consumption, given that the media, as the Fourth Estate, is an important element in the governance of a country.

“The media is not something that you can touch and do what you want [with], but it is early days yet, and we are certain that a policy will emerge soon,” Minister Harmon iterated. (Navendra Seoraj)