–authorities say immediate focus will be on streamlining social media news, current affairs outlet into workable framework

RECOMMENDATIONS stemming from the National Press Freedom Conference and Symposium will be consolidated into actionable outcomes in specific areas discussed, according to the Department of Public Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister.

The event organised by the Department of Public Affairs, concluded on Wednesday evening with the final panel assembled among social media actors, interrogating the rise of the citizen reporter and trends for 2022 and beyond.

Earlier panels examined the case for partnerships in communication for development and issues surrounding ethics and legal frameworks.

Partner stakeholders, local and regional delegates and resource experts participating in the two-day event, have roundly hailed the quality of engagement facilitated through its consultative format.

Of note was the ground-breaking unveiling and activation of the virtual Guyana Media and Communication Academy, developed in partnership with the world’s largest online learning platform, COURSERA.

The first of its kind academy for the Caribbean region promises to kick start the process for partnerships in communication for development, with the government taking a fresh lead in the areas of upskilling and knowledge advancement for the Guyanese media fraternity.

The conference and symposium which saw key-note participation from the Minister of Home Affairs and Information of Barbados, Wilfred Abrahams, as well as the Press Secretary in the Office of the President of Suriname, Alven Roosveld, received support from the Office of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Guyana, several civil society and corporate bodies, and saw attendance of over 400 media and communication operatives from across the country.

The event was also attended by groups of CAPE Communication students from leading secondary schools.

Over the past two years, the government has taken steady, decisive measures to continue building its legacy of respect for the press and the universal freedom to which it is entitled, with marked changes in access for the press over what obtained under the previous coalition government, including frequent engagements and the reinstitution of the constitutional office of Commissioner of Information.

The 2022 global press freedom index saw Guyana’s ranking improved by a whopping 17 points.

This year’s inaugural conference served to reinforce the unwavering positions of the PPP/C administration in support of free environment for the Guyanese press, with the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, declaring, in emphatic terms, that his administration could be judged on its record, even as he committed to never supporting nor embracing any surveillance or other clandestine measure against the press that could undermine its freedoms.

In keeping with the government’s commitment, even as the Department of Public Affairs moves to consolidate the recommendations of the symposium into actionable outcomes, there also plans to continue engagement with key actors across the local spectrum.

Chief among the issues emerging as most urgent is the need for streamlining of social media news and current affairs outlets within a workable framework in the Fourth Estate.