MOST Guyanese should welcome the announcement by the government to restore the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) which was disbanded sometime ago. According to Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon, Cabinet has approved its reconstitution in light of the upcoming general elections later this year.
“The Media Monitoring Unit of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has gotten the green light and I should also advise that the government’s resolve for external observers of the elections has led to invitations being extended to CARICOM, the Commonwealth, the UN, the OAS, the EU, UNASUR, and the Carter Centre,” Dr. Luncheon disclosed.

The MMU’s role is important as it has the responsibility of influencing media operatives and owners to abide by the principles of the Code of Conduct and, as we now enter the electioneering season; its role becomes more critical.

In Guyana, while we have several responsible media houses, we also have many others which are engaged in unprofessionalism, sensationalism, distortion of information and a lack of objectivity and sensitivity and, in some cases, a clearly set political agenda. All of these of course are clear violations of the media Code of Conduct.

Our last national elections in 2006 was regarded as one of the most peaceful and well managed ones and in this regard the MMU certainly made a positive contribution and all would hope that at the upcoming elections a similar atmosphere would prevail. We must come out of that electioneering history of mudslinging, social tensions and irresponsible behaviour by some media houses.

To a large extent, how much we come out of such a history, will determine our level of maturity, civility and tolerance as a young nation working towards that goal of ‘One Nation, One People and One Destiny’.

Some media houses in Guyana seem to be unaware of the crucial role they have to play in fostering peace, harmony and the developmental process or are deliberately engaging in destructive and mischievous behaviour and action.

The Yemen Times, in an article published in August 2009, under the headline ‘The role of the media in development’, makes a pertinent observation: “All media instruments have a remarkable role in engaging the society in the development process and implementation of plans and programmes at both national and local levels. But this role would be complete with content of the constructive media messages and credibility of their harmony with requirements and needs of the society.
“Realisation of media message requires professional and technical skills and the use and direction of media tools to various segments of the society in order to attain the goal of actively engaging them in the implementation of development and services projects. Therefore, the media messages require taking care of the targeted people and development of their potentials for execution of the development objectives. The matter needs upgrading the condition of those working in the information field to enable them to convey clear and undistorted messages as well as stable which would not get influenced by psychology and circumstances of information messages makers.”

However, this does not mean the media should not engage in constructive criticism and its watchdog role because, if it does not, then it would be failing in the discharge of its social responsibility.

A very important disclosure by Dr. Luncheon is that invitations have been sent to several international organisations to observe the upcoming elections. He reported that CARICOM, the Commonwealth, the UN, the OAS, the EU, UNASUR, and the Carter Centre have been invited.

This is another demonstration of the government’s historical commitment to free, fair and transparent elections and those who may want to accuse it of not wanting to hold transparent elections will now have to rethink.