…says Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon
HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon, has noted that Guyana has consistently been recorded as a country where press freedom is recognised.
The Cabinet Secretary was speaking yesterday at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.
Guyana joined the rest of the world yesterday in celebrating World Press Freedom Day 2012, under the theme ‘New Voices: Media Freedom Helping to Transform Societies’.
Dr. Luncheon said, “The PPP/Civic administration takes note of the sector’s development in Guyana, particularly the operators, their quality, and importantly, the more recent splurge in ICT solutions that have entered into commercial operations”.
The Cabinet Secretary said, “However, like fire, press freedom is clearly a good servant and a bad master, and press freedom has been shown, in the context of Guyana, to be a good servant but a bad master”.
“Modern moves, up-to-date rules and regulations captured in broadcast legislation in Guyana have been resorted to, to lessen the likelihood and the impact of press freedom gone astray,” he pointed out.
“Of course, you would note that the legislative initiatives have been thwarted by the continued reluctance and refusal by the Leader of the Opposition to have constituted the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, a body tasked with implementing the provisions of the Broadcast Act,” he stated.
He posited that Guyana, over the decade, has been praised for its attention and treatment of the press, and its ranking in terms of press freedom.
“The international observers and analysts have taken onto themselves the task of classifying the world and countries on the basis of their criteria, and notwithstanding this, Guyana has consistently been recorded as a country where press freedom is recognised,” he stated.
He added, “On that basis, the Office of the President wishes media operators, owners, practitioners – past present and to be – a happy Press Freedom Day”.