Freedom of expression in Guyana is second to none

Jan 16, 2009 News

---

– Donald Ramotar

…but Govt. defeats Motion to air unedited Parliamentary sessions

By Gary Eleazar

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party and Member of Parliament, Donald Ramotar told the National Assembly that freedom of expression in Guyana is second to none in the world.
However, his party did not support the Motion tabled by People’s National Congress Reform Aubrey Norton to have Parliamentary sessions aired live or unedited.

The lively debate commenced one week ago and according to Norton, with the exception of touching on the cost factor attached to the move, the government benches did not address any of the issues that he had raised in the House when the motion was tabled.
Among those speaking on behalf of the Government were Ramotar, Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira, and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee. They all debunked the motion whilst it was staunchly defended by its mover, PNCR Member of Parliament Mervyn Williams and Alliance For Change’s Vice Chairperson, Sheila Holder.
According to Ramotar, there were already mechanisms in place to cater for adequate coverage of the National Assembly.
He pointed to a motion that was approved in the House some time ago which allows for journalists to have access to the proceedings and could report. He added that journalists were also allowed to cover the work of the various Parliamentary committees.
He noted that countries that do cater for live coverage of the activities in the Parliament such as Canada and Australia were among the richest in the Commonwealth. “So we have to make a decision on how to spend our limited resources.”
As it relates to the opposition argument that they were not given adequate coverage, he pointed to a newspaper article, the contents of which, he said, focused more on the opposition.
But the opposition benches argued that the state-owned National Communication Network radio and TV had the most reach into remote areas and as such were the viable options for live broadcasts.
Teixeira also pointed to the aspect of cost. “We will move, over time, towards live broadcasts.”
The objective of the Motion was something already being dealt with at the level of a Parliamentary Management Committee.
She noted that according to a 2003 survey, only five of the 60 Commonwealth countries provided live debates with Trinidad and Tobago following suit recently. She pointed out, however, that in the majority of cases the live broadcasts were not conducted by the State but rather by private personnel.
She noted that in Trinidad it was broadcast over a cable service for which only subscribers were able to access it.
Teixeira added also that the idea of the live broadcast was so prohibitive that even Britain was moving towards having the sessions aired via the internet.
She noted that in Guyana, apart from the newscasts, there was also the Parliamentary roundup programme which was circulated to various television stations and aired.
This programme was lambasted as biased and did not represent the views of the opposition, and as such could not be an adequate alternative.
She added also that even in the countries that do deliver unedited broadcasts, only a limited amount, “less than five percent,” would pay attention, calling it a niche audience, meaning people who were politically oriented.
Attorney at law Basil Williams in defending the motion told the House that the populace, despite of which party they supported, deserved the right to view how they are being represented by the elected officials so that they can make informed judgments for themselves.
He reminded the House, too, of a call by the President of the Guyana Press Association who during a workshop for media operatives and MPs held by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association had called for the live broadcasts of Parliamentary sessions or allocate radio frequency to do same.
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee lambasted the motion by Norton as being politically motivated with no proper research and “void of any economic thinking”.
He added that apart from the financial burden of unedited broadcasts, there were legal implications in that there “could be a slip of the tongue” and persons could make slanderous or libelous statements.
He said that the time was not right for the motion and Norton should have consulted with other stakeholders first.
Norton, who defended his motion, told the House that his argument was based on the fact that the unedited broadcast will firstly familiarize the populace with the workings of Parliament; it would place the views of MPs in contact with the populace; it would complement the work of the media; it would act as education for the people, especially the youth; it would make politicians more accountable; it would contribute to democratic values; should be seen as a service to Guyana as well as allow people to make informed decisions.
He said that the motion was firstly born out of a public demand for the service.
Norton added that he was pleased with Ramotar’s presentation. His argument that the article he referred to vindicated his position that there is need for the unedited broadcast of parliamentary sessions.
“I find it strange that he did not support the motion.”
He also lashed at comments made by Teixeira, saying that non equals could not be compared further she was using the info out of context.
He added that the use of NCN was suggested because of the fact that NCN is the property of the people of Guyana and is supported by the money of taxpayers.
As it relates to the argument of a prohibitive cost attached, he noted that the facility to conduct the broadcast was already in place and that it was just seeking to have that extended.
The Budget presentations and addresses by the President in Parliament are broadcast live.
During the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) X international singing sensation Akon was brought into the country, “and we saw everybody seeing Akon for free…is that more important than Parliament?”

---

---