…MoTP calls for immediate retraction, apology
THE Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) has condemned a statement issued by the Guyana Press Association (GPA), which misconstrued remarks by President David Granger during his live interview with Kaieteur Radio, On Friday November 1, 2019.
During the interview, Senior Journalist Leonard Gildarie asked President Granger about his position regarding the withholding of government advertisements. President Granger, in reply, said government advertisements should be directed to media houses that are willing to provide fair coverage on public events.

In a verbatim transcription of the recording, the President is noted as saying: “There must be fairness. We believe that the advertisements should be directed to the media houses based on their willingness to disseminate news fairly…We need to have media houses which are fair and balanced. I do not believe that it is the right of any editor or any media house to…deliberately not report on public events out of bias.”

“But coming back to your question, I do not support the withholding of advertisements… Papers must be guaranteed, well, media houses because now we’re not only dealing with the four urban based newspapers… they must all be given fair access to the advertisements of the State. It is a State resource. It is not a private resource,” said the President.
However, in its statement, the GPA said: “The gist of the President’s remarks appears to be that allocation of paid state advertisement is contingent upon favourable coverage of his administration.” MoTP regarded GPA’s statement as patently false and malicious because at no time, during the interview, did President Granger say or imply that he was seeking favourable media coverage of his administration.

“It is, therefore, malicious for the GPA to replace the word “fair” with “favourable” in its statement and attribute same to the Head of State,” said MoTP.
The definition of ‘fair’ is unambiguous, impartial, honest, and free from self-interest, prejudice or favouritism. The President said only that media coverage must be “fair and balanced”, both hallmarks of ethical journalism.

In that regard, the MoTP said President Granger’s statements during the interview reflect his long-held position on the importance of professional journalism. The President, during his numerous interactions with media practitioners, over the years, has always said that journalism, like any other profession, must be based on a sense of social responsibility and ethics. MoTP said President Granger stands by his call for fair coverage and called for an immediate retraction and an apology from the GPA.

Meanwhile, the GPA added, in its statement, that it has always held the position, which is in keeping with international thinking on this matter, that State advertising should neither be employed as a form of reward nor as punishment for perceived media transgressions.
“President Granger said he does not support the withholding of ads and the GPA encourages the government to examine how all media houses can benefit from such ads. In this very critical time in Guyana, when all should be informed, media houses ought to be reminded of their need to provide the truth and fact-based journalism. Editorial activism has its place but citizens right to be informed must always triumph,” the GPA statement ended.