Re-emergence of a sinister trend

Nov 27, 2013 Editorial

A dangerous trend has resurfaced that once more threatens Guyana’s progress towards true democracy and development, and all right-thinking citizens should take urgent action now to defuse this menace before it regains the momentum it had gained during the previous administration.
This threat is evident in the re-emergence of insidious attacks on the independent media in general, and Kaieteur News in particular, by powerful persons in Guyanese society. These attacks emanate from various sources, including government and private sector personalities.
It is important to establish up front that we are definitely not referring to anything that can be reasonably interpreted as constructive criticism or justifiable condemnation of poor journalism.
We are referring to palpably malicious attacks that seek to malign media houses and media workers for drawing the public’s attention to obvious instances of inefficiency, ineptitude, discrimination and corruption in our society.
In any country that aspires to be a democracy, freedom of the media must be sacrosanct. The primary role of the media is to be the diligent watchdog of the public’s interests that holds every individual and organisation fully accountable to the people for their plans, words and actions. Democracy flourishes where the media fulfil this role in a manner that is proactive, investigative, resourceful, professional and fair.
At this point in Guyana’s history, the nation is enduring particularly challenging times in which the socio-economic and political climate is especially volatile. In these circumstances, the independent media continues to expose a plethora of problems that are of compelling interest to the public. In the process, we have quite properly held certain powerful persons accountable to the public for their words as well as deeds and, in so doing, mashed some very sensitive toes.
Unfortunately in recent years, when high-ranking officials find themselves in the unflattering glare of public scrutiny, far too many of them adopt a most reprehensible self-defence strategy. When faced with accounting for their questionable statements, decisions and actions, instead of facing these problems squarely by taking appropriate action to address the legitimate concerns of the public, these officials opt to abuse, harass and intimidate media houses and reporters.
If they get the chance, they spew their venom in public, but they usually prefer to do so surreptitiously, from the cover of their high offices. Their attacks cover the gamut of intimidation, both overt and covert. They commonly threaten probing journalists with lawsuits; permanent denial of information; career derailment; social snubs; and sometimes even physical injury. They have refined a perverse repertoire of intimidation to stop or delay the media from accessing information that is of vital importance to the public.
The Guyanese people have an inalienable right to get full media coverage, and to engage in public commentary and debate on issues and events that they deem worthy of such attention. Editors, journalists and all fair-minded citizens of Guyana must resist these vile attempts to stifle media freedom and disrupt the pursuit of democracy in Guyana. They must fight with every available resource to preserve the media’s right to have full and timely access to information that is of public interest, without intimidation by the powers that be.
Government and other senior public officials are the servants of the people, not the other way around. When their words and deeds have a bearing on the public’s welfare, they are accountable to the public. The media have a right to facilitate such accountability in the public’s interest and to protect democracy and, in doing so, have a duty to exercise their role professionally and responsibly.
When the media do wrong, they should be subjected to the same public scrutiny and censure. However, ensuring that the media fulfil this role appropriately must not and cannot include the type of unfair, baseless attacks that characterise this re-emerging trend in Guyana. This is absolutely unacceptable.
This trend must not be allowed to continue; it would seriously impede the media’s ability to seek truth and accountability. Thereby the Guyanese people would not get the quality of information that facilitates healthy, educated debate on issues and events that deeply affect their lives, and be able to make informed decisions when required to do so.

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