Press freedom in Guyana

May 09, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Press freedom in Guyana, do we have it here? The more appropriate question should be: is press freedom in the fullness of its meaning truly present in the Guyana in which we live today? The answer is that it depends on who is asked, and who know what it is to live with some of this freedom. The press has to operate in an environment increasingly hemmed in by attitudes and actions, some from elected public officials, others from their cooperating bedfellows in the private sector.
We have a huge state media apparatus that is conditioned to champion the government ways and causes, regardless of the ugliness of leadership excesses, the concealments that its professionals conspire with political players to keep away from the public. As if that is not bad enough, there are significant sections of the private media that are almost indistinguishable from the state funded and controlled media.
It is the worst time for this to occur with Guyana on the cusp of so much richness, and the many temptations that go along with such incredible levels of riches, previously unknown to this poor country. When solitary voices are raised defiantly and consistently against the frauds and untruths that rage in this society at high levels, then the law and courts are weaponised to drive fear, to compel to cowering retreat. This is a harsh reality of press freedom in Guyana: speak or write powerfully and compellingly and the swords are drawn to silence.
The media, particularly private media that holds itself out as independent, cannot be reflective of what is the equivalent of: see no evil, hear no evil, know no evil, and report no evil. In other words, to stand as collaborating guardians of the political and leadership evils that saturate this oil-rich land. The inarguable, hard history of oil is that wherever it has flowed to the surface, the forces of hell accompanied it. It is why, therefore, the media have this crucial role to play. It must be a wise and stern judge of what is put before its members. Its members must sift through the rubble, and come up with the oil nuggets that are buried deeply and deliberately.
In a joint statement on World Press Freedom Day, the resident diplomatic corps issued what called for much of the above and then some more. Compressed extracts from the joint ABCE statement read like this. “Press attention to accountability” stands as an unprecedented priority today. Further, that the press must focus on the spending of “large revenue streams” in that they highlight “a development agenda that cuts across all regions and races.” The heavy hitters in the local diplomatic community have spoken, done their part. The duty is now on the local media cohort to fulfill its own role, and to the hilt.
It is not what was said and when, but by whom and how. It is all locked into that single word in the joint diplomatic release: “accountability.” For the diplomatic bigwigs, domestic political powerbrokers, to employ that word “accountability” in the context of oil Guyana, leads to its interpretation in several ways. First, it is that we do not have a media emphasis on accountability by government with this oil bonanza. Next, that the Guyana media, however it pursues the vital responsibility of accountability in government, it is not doing enough.
It is not enough to report on a bridge in one Region, a boat in another, and a building in a third. The media must diligently drill down to determine that the “large revenue streams” from oil flowing into government coffers are part of an agenda that is EQUITABLE. That is, all Guyanese are befitting from this wealth stream, regardless of their political affiliation or their physical complexion.
The Guyanese media need to appreciate that diplomacy is a fine art, with its own nuanced high diction. There are so many messages about what the Guyana should be making its mantra, but is not. It is not what ABCE said, but what was left unsaid, so that our own media men and women can rise to the vast challenges of our oil times. Courage is called for, conscience, character, and conviction, too.

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