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EU report urges reforms to strengthen media Independence and transparency
(Kaieteur News) – The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has called for strengthening the independence of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) in its final report on the 2025 elections.
The mission emphasized the need for an impartial and inclusive appointment process for the GNBA’s board members, as well as greater accountability through a transparent decision-making process. This recommendation stems from longstanding concerns that political interests may influence the GNBA’s board appointments and decisions, undermining its independence.
Journalists at the European Union’s observervation mission press conference.
The EU report highlighted that the GNBA is tasked with overseeing compliance of audio-visual media with the law and licence requirements, and it operates a media monitoring unit. However, the mission noted that the regulator does not release its monitoring reports for public scrutiny, which further erodes public trust in its impartiality. The report also pointed out that the GNBA’s board is largely composed of nominees from the ruling party, and its hearings are closed to the public. These practices contribute to a lack of transparency in decision-making, which the EU believes diminishes media confidence in the regulator’s ability to act independently.
In addition, the EU criticized the lack of equitable coverage provided by state-funded broadcasters during election periods, an issue frequently raised by opposition parties. The mission explained that the legal and regulatory framework governing the media is insufficient. “The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and criminal defamation was deemed unconstitutional in June 2025.31 However, costly and complex civil defamation lawsuits are often used by the government and business community, to target critical reporting. The right to access information of public interest is not fully guaranteed,” the EU stated.
The mission further highlighted that although the 2011 Access to Information Act allows individuals to request government-held information, its implementation is weak, and journalists face significant barriers in obtaining information. This issue has sparked protests against the Commissioner of Information, with the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) promising to replace the Commissioner if re-elected.
The mission also noted that the 2011 Broadcasting Act governs broadcast media licencing, while the Telecommunications Act regulates the ICT sector, including online media. “The 2017 Broadcasting (Amendment) Act aimed to expand the legal provisions and clarified the definition of different types of broadcasting services, though not providing mechanisms for the state broadcaster’s operations,” the mission added.
The EU pointed to instances where the GNBA failed to monitor government programmes that often dominate the media, reinforcing concerns about the regulator’s lack of independence.
A notable example of this was PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo’s repeated accusations against independent media outlets, alleging they were working with the State-run WIN during weekly press conferences. These accusations were echoed by pro-PPP/C influencers on social media, which led to defamation lawsuits.
The EU mission viewed such cases as indicative of broader issues with media freedom and the abuse of State resources to target critics. Overall, the EU described the media landscape in Guyana as “vibrant but highly polarized with numerous outlets aligned with the government, resulting in a disproportionate coverage in favour of the ruling party.”
Additionally, the EU mission stated that, “State-run media favoured the government, while the editorial output of most private broadcast, print and digital outlets reflected their owners’ political alignment, more frequently with the PPP/C.”
However, the mission noted that few private outlets, “upheld journalistic standards, providing nonpartisan scrutiny of candidates, their policies, and the electoral process.”
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