THE AFC renews its call for the PPP/C administration to honour its word by supporting the AFC’s Freedom of Information Bill that is presently awaiting parliamentary approval. It was in April, of 2009 that President Jagdeo openly pledged to have access to information legislation introduced within two months of his pronouncement. We are now months away from that promise and once again the President has reneged on another promise made to the Guyanese people. It is an incontrovertible fact that President Jagdeo and his cabinet are mortally afraid of instituting any governance reforms that will see the light of truth being shone on many corrupt and nefarious activities being carried out by government officials. The time for this legislation is now
The AFC lauds the Guyana Press Association for recently reiterating its principled position by demanding the Freedom of Information and Broadcast legislation be approved by Government soon. More stakeholders and concerned Guyanese need to support the call for greater freedoms. While Guyana’s officials pretend overseas that ours is a progressive democracy, there continues to be, worrying signs of a dictatorship as evidenced by the curtailment of rights of citizens; foremost amongst which is the refusal to allow citizens to access information in the government’s domain, and to enjoy greater freedom of choice from radio and television. Particularly, for the people of Region 10, this denial of rights is compounded by the stubborn and harsh refusal of the administration to allow those good citizens to enjoy television viewership other than that available on NCN. This is insulting and degrading to the people of Region 10.
The AFC also takes this opportunity to welcome the distinguished media practitioner Mr. Herb Frazier who is imminently expected to deliver a lecture on Press freedom and freedom of Information legislation, and meet with members of Parliament and media practitioners to advance the cause of press freedom in Guyana. Hopefully, at the conclusion of his visit, as it was at the end of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association sponsored workshop on Freedom of Information legislation in 2008, the quest of achieving true press freedom will be more within reach and the calcified position of the administration further chiseled away.
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