| The Alliance for Change (AFC) is convinced that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic is not practicing what they are preaching, even as it welcomes recent statements by the PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee.Rohee, who is also the Minister of Home Affairs, had recently stated that “all media houses have a duty to be responsible in providing balance coverage of political views.”AFC executive member Cathy HughesAFC Executive Member, Cathy Hughes emphasized that the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) and the Guyana Chronicle should listen to the words of the Minister, as she reminded that her party is continuously shunned by the television station on their request to purchase airtime.Hughes said that since 2012, repeated tries to the NCN have proved futile as the party is blatantly denied the right to air their program on state television. According to Hughes who has a well known background in the television broadcasting industry, the party had even met in November 2012 with members of the station’s Rates Committee, and at their (NCN) request, provided a copy of one of the party’s programs for perusal. However, she said that the party was subsequently informed via telephone, that, “there was absolutely no airtime available, at anytime, during any day.”Hughes added that prior to that, in March of 2012, the party wrote to NCN’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) drawing attention to the need for equitable coverage for parliamentary parties, and quoted recommendations by the Commonwealth Observer Group of 2001 which stated that, “state owned media should be free to become more independent and truly serve the interest of the entire population of Guyana and not that of just the government of the day.”She added that the letter also demanded the right of reply to statements broadcasted on NCN. “Needless to say,Jerseys NBA China, we have not seen any shift in NCN’s position, neither were we offered the standard in journalistic best practice, the right of reply.”Hughes said that in May 2013, the party again wrote to NCN about their obligation to the people and highlighted the need for the public to be presented with facts and opinions from all sides. She said, in that correspondence, reference was made to statements by the Attorney General at a World Press Freedom Day event, where the AG expressed that, “the Opposition ought not to suffer as a consequence of the denial of press freedom.”But according to Hughes, “Today, almost a year on, the AFC is still being denied the right to reply to the numerous statements made against the party, representative and leaders.”Another letter was sent in June 2013, Hughes said, but this time to the President and Information Minister about the Opposition’s lack of access on NCN.A number of points of concerns were expressed including “NCN’s news coverage is appallingly biased in favour of the government, and its radio and television stations consistently refuse to convey to the public the views of the Opposition parties along with their supporting rationale; the elected representatives who appear and share views on NCN’s various programs are almost exclusively from the minority government political party, and the station routinely broadcast lengthy presentations of pro-government positions made without any opportunity for contrasting views to be expressed.”The statement made by Minister Rohee about “biasness”, against another print media organization, has certainly raised eyebrows especially since questions are being asked about what the government is doing to ensure that state media gives balanced coverage to all political parties.Additionally, what is being done about the monopoly which the government has on NCN? Hughes said that the party intends to write the station again for the purchase of airtime. |
