…says GPA had agreed to take full responsibility

THE Government on Tuesday said it wants no role in the accreditation of media workers here, but has offered to help finance the production of media cards-something which the Guyana Press Association (GPA) has agreed to, the Department of Public Information (DPI) has said.

The DPI was responding to a statement by the GPA on Monday, which sought to blame the administration for the delay in the issuance of media passes. The Director of Public Information Imran Khan, in his statement confirmed having met with the newly elected GPA executive on January 30, 2018. He said the meeting was cordial and productive and a number of matters were raised by the GPA executives.

According to Khan, while the GPA raised the delay in the issuance of 2018 media accreditation, contrary to its statement, it was he (Khan) who broached the issue of the rightful agency for issuing media accreditation. Khan outlined that unlike what had obtained previously, government is not the proper authority to issue media accreditation nor was the Coalition Government so inclined. “This was unanimously agreed to by the GPA executives present. As per best practice worldwide, Mr. Khan conveyed that it is the responsibility of the GPA to ensure that its members are duly accredited by whatever mechanism it chooses,” the DPI statement read.

ASSISTANCE
According to the DPI, Khan being aware of the financial constraints of the GPA and the not unsubstantial cost of producing the media passes, he, in good faith, offered to the GPA, government’s assistance in the form of covering the cost of the production of the media accreditation cards only. “Mr. Khan proposed to the GPA that it should decide on its process for receiving applications, reviewing and approving same and either: (a) send a list with the relevant information for [the] DPI to produce the cards and return to the GPA for distribution, or (b) GPA produce the cards at a provider of their choice and [the] DPI cover the cost (providing that the relevant quotations are submitted beforehand and approved).”
According to the DPI statement, Khan explained that given that this proposal involved the use of government funds (budgeted for in 2018) it required ministerial sanction.
He clarified that at the time of the discussion, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootooo, the subject minister, was overseas for a medical procedure. Vice President Carl Greenidge who acted in his stead, in addition to a hectic travel schedule was exceptionally busy attending to matters relating to Guyana’s defence of our territorial integrity and other matters and only belatedly had an opportunity to review the agreement document drafted by the GPA. By this time, Prime Minister Nagamootoo had returned to Guyana and assumed his substantive function, and has been even as he continues recovery, been attending to a considerable backlog of matters.

The DPI said during the meeting with the GPA, Mr. Khan submitted that for events such as post-Cabinet press conferences and other high level events, a special level of accreditation should be done for select members of the media who cover these events. This, he said is not dissimilar to the higher level of accreditation for the White House Press Corps in the United States. “This was strongly resisted by the GPA executives present who were adamant that all media personnel, with their standard media accreditation, should be permitted to cover all events regardless of the nature or stature. Mr. Khan agreed to this on two conditions: (i) that the GPA sends a list to [the] DPI of all media accredited by the GPA so that [the]DPI can distribute to all ministries and government offices (ii) that all media accredited by the GPA receive clearance by the Guyana Police Force (a system which is currently in place). Both of these were agreed to by the GPA executives present.”

NOTHING STOPPING THE GPA
Meanwhile, the DPI clarifies that absolutely nothing is preventing the GPA from producing 2018 accreditation for media personnel, outlining that it is not government’s responsibility or desire to accredit media and that government will not do so and that the GPA must decide on its own mechanism for same. Additionally, [the] DPI said that media workers are not being prevented from executing their functions in any way, as prior and further to the discussions with GPA [the] media had been advised that until the new accreditations are produced the 2017 accreditation will be accepted for entry to all government media events.
“DPI wishes to reiterate that consistent with best practice worldwide and as a departure from the ‘control freakism’ of the previous administration, this Coalition Government has removed itself completely from accrediting media and this responsibility falls entirely with the Guyana Press Association. It is the GPA’s sole responsibility. The decision of government to remove itself from the media accreditation process is at the core of freedom of the press and one of the most significant measures taken in recent history to strengthen press freedom in Guyana,” the DPI statement added.

It said that the Coalition Government will continue to act in good faith with the media and provide support to the GPA and media workers where feasible. Further, the DPI and the Coalition Government reaffirmed their commitment to the strengthening of press freedom in Guyana and have acted demonstrably in this regard.