More than 50 sign on to Media Code of Conduct

Oct 09, 2011 News

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–as General Elections near

More than 50 media personnel, including individual journalists and owners of media

houses, signed on to the Media Code of Conduct yesterday, a quota which represents two times the amount that had signed on last year.
The strategic move was preceded by a two-day media workshop at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara. That workshop concluded yesterday. It was held under the theme ‘Promoting democracy through Journalist Excellence’.
The workshop commenced on Friday and was aimed at preparing media workers for fair coverage of the upcoming elections and served to enlighten participants by providing them with details as it relates to the Code of Conduct for the media for reporting on the General and Regional Elections this year.
According to Dr Paloma Mohamed, who chaired yesterday’s proceedings, the initiative was basically a re-training process for media workers since a similar activity was undertaken last year.
She said that while some media houses had signed on to the Code last year the workshop was geared at having them recommit while others got the opportunity to embrace it as well.
“We are cognizant of the fact that a lot of the people have changed in the media and there are a number of new faces…For instance, there was no Guyana Times and TV G was different…right now we have a different mix of media workers…and so the major objective was to ensure that the young people, in particular, had an idea of the Code and understand how it should be applied.”
The training session was characterized by a number of presentations and hands on participation which saw those in attendance utilizing the Code of Conduct to solve various scenarios.
The workshop, which was spearheaded by the University of Guyana’s Centre for Communication Studies and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It entailed an elaborate presentation yesterday by officials of GECOM who highlighted some of the key areas of consideration for the upcoming elections.
“The targets were the journalists ( on Friday) and editors and media owners  (yesterday)… It is not expected that individual journalists will be holding their respective organizations to the Code; that’s the job of the owners and editors. But the journalists can sign on once they know what they are signing on to…” Dr Mohamed asserted during an invited comment.

And indeed there were several journalists on hand from the various media houses who took the opportunity to sign on yesterday as did the editors and media owners, an undertaking that was kicked off by Kaieteur News  Publisher,  Glenn Lall.
Other notable media owners and editors included Mr Chandra Narine Sharma and Savitri Singh of CNS Channel 6, whose broadcast licence was recently suspended by President Bharrat Jagdeo; Editor-In-Chief of Capitol News, Enrico Woolford; Editor of the Guyana Chronicle, Mark Ramotar; Martin Goolsaran of the National Communication’s Network and Cheryl Springer of Stabroek News.
Presenting closing remarks yesterday was facilitator of the two-day workshop International Media Consultant and President of the Caribbean Media Workers Association, Mr Wesley Gibbings, who pointed out that yesterday’s signing was in fact “news and history-making simultaneously.”
“I am very, very happy and gladdened by what I have witnessed here today…”
He added too that he did not recognize any inconsistencies between the requirement of the Code of Conduct, sound journalistic practice and freedom of the press even as asserted that the Code promotes freedom of the press and is something that all journalists of Guyana should grasp with two hands and fully embrace.
Fully endorsing the proceedings yesterday was GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, who said that not only was it a complete success but went on to stress that the beauty of the Code is that it is a self regulatory measure.
“Self regulation is the essence of it; nobody is forcing you to follow it, it is a personal responsibility. I hope that the journalists progress into a greater force so that they can help GECOM with its own thrust to ensure a fair and free election.”
He alluded to the fact that while there will always be hiccups as the elections near, the challenges up to now are not insurmountable and therefore “I think that we are heading inexorably and wonderfully to fair and free elections…That’s what I am convinced of.”
US Ambassador, Brent Hardt, noted that the event was in fact another manifestation of the longstanding support provided by the United States Government to the people and Government of Guyana to strengthen and support democracy.
“I am delighted that we were able to partner with GECOM and the University of Guyana in this effort,” Hardt said. He added that a free and vibrant media is an indispensable foundation of a strong and democratic process.
He made reference to US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s World Press Freedom Day remarks this year which alluded to the fact that a free press was essential to an empowered citizenry, to Government accountability and to responsible economic development.
He noted that he was especially pleased that USAID had opted to support the training right at the outset of anticipated national elections. Since the 1990s the US Government has been active in supporting Guyana to strengthen democracy and good governance, he added.

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