Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Guyana Press Association asks GECOM to ensure comfort, safety of journalists covering recount
– no chairs, no washrooms for journalists
The Guyana Press Association (GPA) has made several demands of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure the safety of media personnel who will be providing coverage for the National Recount of the March 2, 2020 polls at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
The tents set up for the media
Deemed “important stakeholders” in the electoral process, reporters were given the assurance by the Public Relations Officer, GECOM’s Yolanda Ward that proper provisions will be in place for the media fraternity.
Prior to the commencement of the process, the Press Association had advocated for a special area inside of the Conference Centre Compound but this was advised against by the National COVID-19 Task Force.
Ward has disclosed that two tents would be set up outside the ACCC with chairs for the media. However, when the media showed up at the recount site on Wednesday morning, they were greeted with two tents with no chairs or washroom facilities around.
It was only after several posts surfaced on Facebook, that the PRO made provisions for chairs to be provided for the media. The media was also permitted access to the Aquatic Centre to use the washrooms there.
This means that for the recount period set to last 25 days, the media would be stuck outside and forced to make use of washroom facilities located an estimated 200meters away from the action.
Several complaints also were made relating to the safety of media workers when under the tent after several outsiders, who wore no protective gear, entered the tents.
The President of the GPA, Nazima Ragubir during a live interview at the recount site, stated that she also advocated for a special area for the media to prevent the infiltration of outsiders.
The GPA Head said that “We are not a special group of people, this is something I keep saying, but the very basic arrangements that can be made can be useful, because whatever we do as the press for this process is to really ensure that, or to show the public that it has the credibility that the Commission is talking about.
“We are not out here just doing our own thing. We are providing coverage to show what is really going on and if it is a credible process.”
“I did not expect us to be accommodated in the building but with these passes that we were granted, accrediting us to cover the elections, I’d want to think it would have given us some amount of clout, at least the accredited persons to get some better access there.”
She expressed hope for regular press briefings with GECOM.
“Of course it is a concern and the engagements between GECOM and the media is an overall concern and you would remember that we had raised the lack of communication from the Commission itself, early on, prior to elections and the lack of engagement and stuff like that.
“We got a few press releases and Ms. Ward spoke to us once but regular press briefings are needed at this time. Not only with the PRO but people who are critical to the process, that we can talk to them to ascertain what really is going on.”
The Head of the GPA, along with other media representatives, made requests for barricades to ensure that media operatives were safe. The GECOM PRO has promised to make these available today.
The media had unexpected assistance from the owner of Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat, who opened his mall for the media to utilize wifi, charging ports, washroom facilities and snacks when needed.
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