Press Association condemns Opposition’s attack on media workers

The Guyana Press Association (GPA) has condemned the attack of media workers perpetuated by members of the APNU+AFC opposition. The statement follows complaints by the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) of an attack of its cameramen who were attending the APNU Public Meeting held on Sunday 6th November, 2022 in the East Bank Village of Mocha.

NCN in a press release noted that the issue is not an isolated one. According to the state media entity, the employees were attacked and intimidated led by APNU + AFC Member of Parliament, Nima Flue-Bess who demanded that they present their IDs before instructing them that there was no need for them to record the event. “This was in spite of other cameras that were in place to cover the said event,” NCN said.

The media workers stood their ground to execute their duties but the MP reportedly called the Police who then threatened to seize their equipment if they recorded the event.

It was only after the intervention of a Senior Officer that the cameramen were able to proceed with the execution of their duties.

NCN detailed other attacks on its staff as follows:

1. This is not the first instance during which NCN’s staff have been attacked and intimidated and denied access to events hosted by APNU + AFC. During the National Toshao’s Conference in July, another camera operator who arrived to give coverage to the Opposition’s reception for the leaders at Bookland Gardens, Woolford Avenue, was turned away by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Aubrey Norton.
2. In May this year in Linden, the NCN team was again attacked during a poorly attended walk-about the Opposition had in Amelia’s Ward.
3. Last month, a member of the news team posed a question to the Opposition Leader over his threats to remove Jermaine Figuera as Region 10 Party chairman after he shook hands and interacted with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali while on a walkabout in Linden. After evading the question, Mr. Norton instead attacked the company’s coverage of his party’s events.

The agency condemned the attacks on its staff and said it is “a direct attempt to intimidate and prevent them for performing their duties at a public event.”

This, NCN pointed out, “exposes a glaring double standard by the APNU + AFC which claim that NCN withholds coverage of their events.”

NCN has since lodged a formal complaint with the Guyana Police Force and has informed the Guyana Press Association.

The GPA in its statement said it condemns what it deemed “reprehensible act of harassment and intimidation of media workers.”

As such, it urges the Leader of the Opposition Mr Aubrey Norton to first and foremost set the tone of relations with the media by being forthcoming with proper and detailed answers rather than being “abrasive and evasive” when asked for details and supporting evidence.

The Guyana Press Association reiterates that media workers are to be respected by all and call on politicians as well as other members of the public to respect the need for media workers to operate in an environment free of intimidation.

With the Local Government Elections (LGE) close by, the GPA said it expects that the media would be allowed to operate without intimidation, resentment and free from abuse, especially from those who hold political offices.