Media hurdles must be removed - JCC head

A diligent, fearless, and proactive media is an indispensable guarantor of democracy, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) President Milton Samuda declared yesterday.

Samuda was addressing journalists at the John Russworm's Excellence Award Luncheon held at the Mayfair Hotel in St Andrew.

The luncheon culminated the National Association of Caribbean-American Journalists' (NACAJ) three-day workshop and conference, which included journalists from the Caribbean and the United States.

"We must remove unnecessary hurdles to the media performing its role as a guarantor and watchdog of governance and accountability," Samuda argued.

He said that too often, journalists have come up against public figures who often have the mindset that what is in their best interest is in the public's interest.

Samuda noted that another common experience was that when in opposition, politicians tend to be 'true' friends of the media and are in overwhelming support of transparency and accountability until they get back into power.

"The root of this, I believe, is the fact that once in office, they once again begin to identify with the view that information is power and access to information is in fact privileged, and so parties in power tend to have an uneasy relationship with the media," he said.

In addressing the issue of defamation law, the JCC president said, "Only yesterday, after almost two and three-quarter years of process, we finally heard that the joint select committee has approved the Small review of Jamaica's libel and slander laws which recommends wide-ranging changes to Jamaica's defamation laws."

Gargantuan fines

He added: "Now we must ensure that the law comes swiftly and prevents journalists and media houses from being imprisoned or subjected to gargantuan fines for publishing information that proves unfactual, even where there is no evidence that this was deliberately done; and that those sanctions must not apply where wire stories are the source of such information and are republished in good faith; and that if after good-faith efforts to gather and provide accurate information, we proceed to publish or indicate that we will be publishing information, we cannot be coerced into not doing so because of the threat of a lawsuit."

Samuda commended the NACAJ work-shops, particularly because he saw the emphasis on teaching, learning, and the honing of skills within a framework of adherence to ethical standards.

"I couldn't help thinking that something like this should be around for our politicians," he quipped.

Participating journalists in the programme said the workshops were a real eye-opener. The workshops focused on strategies and legal advice for navigating access to public meetings, documents, and data in the Caribbean and the US; ways to produce high-quality investigative stories; and watch-dogging governments in the Caribbean.

Local organiser, Desmond Richards, said the evolution of journalism in Jamaica had come a far way, but "we need to turn a new page by getting behind the news".

He thanked the participating journalists from overseas who shared their knowledge.

"A seed has been planted. It will grow and you will see the fruits down the road. I hope my colleagues will be able to use it to sharpen their skills," said Richards.

Ann-Marie Adams, president of the NACAJ, presented the John Russworm's Excellence Award to Jennifer Kay from the Associated Press for her work in championing the cause of the Caribbean Diaspora.