Address to ACM workshop on Media, Democracy and Elections

Georgetown, 17 August 2006

Lennox Grant, Independent Refereeing Panellist 

I want to add my own to the welcome sentiments extended by the chairman--my comrade, colleague -and, now--neighbour, Bert Wilkinson and to those of Julia Johnson, president of the Guyana Press Association.

And to say that I am honoured to be in a position to welcome you--as a member of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago-and almost as a new resident of Guyana. 

For today marks one solid month that I have been in Guyana in the capacity of an Independent Referee for the Media Code of Conduct.

It is, indeed, the longest continuous period I have ever spent in any Caribbean country other than
Trinidad and Tobago.

Though lived and worked more than a decade in North America, I have before now made only relatively quick turns in and out of other Caribbean countries, including Guyana.

I must thus thank the Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers for this opportunity to make a Caribbean man of me!

My own welcome here last April, on the first visit of this assignment with colleague Wyvolyn Gager of Jamaica, contained elements of drama that were a fitting curtain raiser to all that has followed.

In our introductory call on a high official, he said to us, "Welcome to Wild West of journalism!"
Wyvolyn and I, when we had got over the impact of that opening volley, wondered if we were being sworn in as joint sheriffs of this Wild West town, given badges of office for our chests, but no guns to wear on our hips.

As we found out, there had been earlier warnings.

Our predecessors, Harry Mayers from Barbados, and the late Dwight Whylie of Jamaica--the Independent Referees of the last elections--had reported:

"Racial and political divisions distort the media's purpose to inform, educate and entertain into tool of sectoral political interest."

They also found bitter polarization:

On one side:

"Blatant use of the state media by the ruling party to get its message across."

And on the other side:

"A blitz of rumour, defamation, sedition and racist comment and indecency from talks show hostsŠFew voices were heard in the rational middle road of full information and fair comment."

Also after the 2001 election, one Commonwealth report said:

"The behaviour of the media has been a powerful factor in recent elections in Guyana and has had a major impact on the electoral process."

The successors to Mayers and Whylie are yet to come to a final determination of how "powerful" a factor the media will turn out to be in Guyana's 2006 elections.

But enough has happened to convince us that collective reflections such as we are engaged in today on Media, Democracy and Elections are timely and compelling.

The record in this election year will show, among other things:

* The mystery shooting death of one broadcaster ;

* Some ten media people--including reporters, talk show hosts, and owners of media houses-signed up as election candidates;

* A concerted attack by the ruling party on one daily newspaper, and on its publisher by name--this attack including an advertising boycott;

* Verbal and physical attacks on camera crews of the state-owned TV by participants in rallies held by the main opposition party.

* The consequent decision by the state-owned TV management not to cover events by the main opposition party.

* The upper hand exerted by the ruling party over the state broadcast media to deliver saturation coverage of its messages in prime time.

* The use of the state information service to attack the political opposition.

* The murder of five press room workers, on the job, as they were about to print the night's paper.
* The defiant response of the management and staff of that paper to bring out a historic edition on the next morning, covering that unimaginable atrocity and other news.

Well, is this the Wild West of journalism or not?

The two-member Independent Refereeing Panel have continued to ride high in the saddle, the better to see what's going on, as if in obedience to the old Papal injunction, "See everything, overlook a lot, correct a little."

I welcome you, then, under the auspices of the Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers, to see
everything that's going on here, and to apply wisdom and good sense and judgment in deciding what to overlook, and what to try to correct.

Thank you.

Lennox Grant