REPORTERS Without Borders (RWB) has released its 2017 World Press Freedom Index. This independent watchdog institution makes yearly analyses guided by the political, legal, and economic environment journalists worked in for the previous year. On a scale of 0-100, the closer a country is registered to zero the freer its press is said to be. Guyana ranks 60th on the freedom index, indicating a three-point decline from the previous year.
Decline has been registered not only for Guyana, but also for developed countries such as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, representing the lowest overall decline since its 13 years of analyses. Such decline understandably may bring with it the inclination of governments, adversely portrayed, to refute or question the report and quite rightly so,the Guyana Government described the report as deeply flawed.
Examination of the characteristics RWB uses in determining improvement or decline in press freedom not only serves as important indicators of requirements, but also a gauge for pursuing conformity. Allegations of suppressing press freedom under previous governments and threats of libel should also serve as a nudge.
Where private media houses, in the past, suffered the withdrawal of state advertisements for speaking to issues government felt uncomfortable about this presently does not obtain. Coverage in the state-owned media relating to non-government affairs and opposition views has drastically improved from the previous government, though admittedly there remains more to be done.
Government has moved to expand press freedom in other spheres of community broadcasting, notably in the hinterland regions, though the Linden Television licence matter has not yet been sorted out. The board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, which was non-operational for some years during the previous government, has been established, which could improve the playing field for diverse views, groups and communities.
Understandably, these among other positive press indicators, could suggest Guyana is deserving of a more positive index placement. At the same time it cannot be lost sight of that by RSF’s standards such are not enough to elevate the country’s ranking. What this would further suggest is the importance of introspection, comparing what is practised against expectations. Summarily, the report said though free speech and the right to information are constitutionally guaranteed, the use of defamation laws by officials; the president’s appointment of a media regulatory authority which is felt to have restrictive impact on freedom of certain media houses and the denial of licences; and harassment of journalists through intimidation, prosecution and suspension, have contributed to the decline.
It can be assumed that RWB did not intend to include some of these infractions it did because under the current administration many of these have never occurred. No journalist has been harassed, intimidated or prosecuted. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who has portfolio responsibility for information, is quoted in a statement issued by the Department of Public Information saying: “The Government of Guyana is not aware of a single instance of any journalist being subjected to harassment or prosecution in Guyana since May 2015 when the coalition Government assumed office. The Government of Guyana suspects that the Reporters Without Borders write up on Guyana is based on old information, which pre-dates 2015.” Prime Minister Nagamootoo also said that Guyana has since distanced itself from the crude subversion of the press, and its conversion into partisan political propaganda outlets under the previous government,” the statement added.
However, it could not be in Guyana’s best interest to ignore some of the areas of performance highlighted in the report. For instance, government may want to review the current Defamation Act and some of the punitive measures attached to it. Media experts over the years have called for this act to be reviewed or repealed, as it is presently an inhibition to press freedom. Mr Nagamootoo, himself an attorney-at-law, was quoted in a Stabroek News article back in May 2009 saying that Guyana’s laws are deficient and should be reviewed. On Saturday he told this newspaper that he and his government still hold this position with regard to the defamation act. He had said then that the existing laws are past their time and need to be brought into line with modern legislation, where people in public life do not believe that they are sacred cows. “While the right to privacy must be protected,” he said, “the right to freedom of expression is so cardinal to good governance [that] it requires a radical look at existing legislation.”
The RWB report also expressed observation of a global trend in strong-armed politics, which has influenced the decline in press freedom index even for developed countries that have historically seen the free press as critical to democracy. What could also be of concern to Guyana as a small society in the global arena is the analysis in the report that the decline in press freedom in developed countries had to do with the political environment that saw the rise in polarisation of partisan media outlets.
The U.S., whose press freedom has declined by two points, First Amendment warns “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The RWB has been publishing its report since 2002 and would have earned an international reputation and seen as a likely source to gather information for doing business with a country and shaping perceptions of a country. Another advantage of its analyses is that such would not only serve as a gauge to measure performance overtime, but also to secure improvement. Guyana applauds the work of RWB and would welcome the organisation to visit here and interact with journalists and officials.
