Greetings to all media workers across the Caribbean on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day being observed on May 3.
The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day- “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights”- throws the spotlight on the invaluable role of the freedom to receive and impart ideas.
2023 also marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
Freedom of Expression is not only enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but is listed as a fundamental right in many of our constitutions in the Caribbean. Indeed, a small number of countries have gone a step further and have enshrined press freedom.
World Press Freedom provides an opportunity to focus on the immense importance and connection of freedom of expression to all other human rights such as education, health, freedom of movement, rest and leisure, and the free will of the people to elect their leaders.
In the absence of freedom of expression, more often than not through the media, the public cannot be properly educated and informed about the other human rights to which they are entitled.
Therefore, the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) urges Caribbean decision-makers to utilise the rapid advances in Social Media as a mass communication tool to facilitate the two-way flow of information on all public interest subjects that touch and concern the many facets of the other human rights. The ACM takes a dim view of the increasing practice of decision-makers, especially those in the political sphere, who have resorted to one-way communication through Tweets and Facebook video, and text posts. This approach appears to be a clear avoidance of scrutiny at press conferences and interviews. We urge an end to such a practice that robs the public of details that will potentially allow them to make rational decisions. These deficiencies in freedom of expression are leading to dysfunctional societies.
With the proliferation of Social Media and all its attendant ills of misinformation and disinformation, the ACM’s unwavering position is that there is invaluable space for journalism as means of freedom of expression.
Professionally practiced to ensure accuracy and fairness; journalism is the only conduit to cultivate the public as change agents for transparency, good governance, and accountability.
On behalf of the executive and members of the ACM as well as all other media workers across the Caribbean, the ACM urge all of us to be vigilant and guard against new laws, regulations, and practices that violate the tenet of freedom of expression.
No such things like freedom of press and freedom of speech in Dominica.
No such thing as freedom of press and freedom of speech in DA! Those days have gone. Blame your vindictive CM for it.
You take DNO to task for everything that is not posted in your favour.It is a good thing DNO has buried you up to your eyebrows in a pit toilet.Lying hypocrite.The media whore is a talkshow host,singing the corrupt songs of UWP.
Thank you very very much. This is a lesson expressly to Toto. The freedom of speech and expression go hand in hand with individual privacy. One could be sued for violating these rights.
There needs to be some introspection done by folks who think that they have the right to publish and disseminate people’s privacy online. They better be very careful. As such negligence has serious repercussions for the third party as well. Stop running your tongue and fingers indiscriminately.
A free and objective PRESS is one of the most important institutions in any society. Whoever controls the PRESS, controls the minds of the people. The PRESS is so influential that it could have you hating the people who are oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.
Some noteworthy objectives of the media:
*To report in the best interest of the public
*To prevent the public from being misled especially by unscrupulous politicians
*To detect or expose crime, corruption or a serious misdemeanour
*To prevent the public from being misled by an individual or organisation
Are the various media houses in Dominica meeting these objectives? My honest opinion, no, not one. Many of the owners and management of the local news outlets are in the pocket of the corrupt, ruling, elitist plutocrats.