—Minister Mc Coy

—Media stalwarts receive awards

MINISTER within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Information and Public Affairs, Kwame Mc Coy, has said that in a world where journalists continue to face grave threats for doing their jobs, Guyana stands as a notable exception.

Mc Coy made this known while addressing a gathering of media professionals on Saturday at a brunch hosted by President Dr. Irfaan Ali at State House in celebration of World Press Freedom Day.

“Around the world, dozens of journalists have died this past year in war zones, in detention and at the hands of regimes that fear the truth,” he said. The minister stated that these men and women were not mere casualties of conflict but were guardians of public trust.

Contrasting Guyana’s media environment with more hostile global landscapes, Mc Coy reaffirmed the government of Guyana’s commitment to safeguarding press freedom.

He said, “In Guyana, we have no such case where our journalists are harmed based on what they report.” Against this backdrop, he emphasised the importance of responsible journalism and underscored the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration’s policy of embracing the freedom of the press.

“Sometimes it’s not always the reports that align itself with the truth and reality, but you will never find us at any time in our history or in future as the People’s Progressive Party Civic government harming our journalists because of what they report,” he affirmed.

Further to this, he reiterated that the government embraces the freedom, celebrates the freedom with journalists and looks forward always to working with them.

To this end, he expressed appreciation to members of the press and stated, “To all the journalists and media workers… who have walked the beat, told stories and held power to account, ethically and professionally, we thank you sincerely.”

Meanwhile, the Minister stated that as Guyana continues to participate in regional and international bodies like the Media Freedom Coalition, he called for continued unity in advancing a free, fair and ethical media landscape.

“Let us recommit to a media landscape that is free, but also fair, open, but also honest,” he said.

Meanwhile, during the brunch, several media professionals were recognised for their exemplary contributions to the media landscape in the country. President Ali presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Ronald ‘Ron’ Robinson; the Excellence in Media Award was presented to Zenella Tamaira Marks (NCN), Merrano Isaacs (NCN), and Tusika Martin (Guyana Times/TVG/iNews).

Guyana has increased its position in this year’s World Press Freedom Index, now ranking 73rd out of 180 countries. This is an improvement from its 77th position in 2024. Guyana scored 60.12 this year, a slight increase from last year’s 60.1.

Also present at the media brunch were the Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, government ministers, representatives from the diplomatic community and media fraternity.