I refer to Act 1:2001, which prohibits any person or political party from causing racial or ethnic violence or hatred. It further states that any person who makes or publishes or causes to be made or published any statement or takes any action which results or can result in racial ethnic violence or hatred among the people shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a fine of $100,000 together with imprisonment for two years.

They should encourage the Government to respond more vigorously to breaches of the law by members of the media and civil society.

The Government is the prime target for most of the misgivings in this society and therefore persons feel free to hold them to ransom for the flimsiest of wrongdoing in this country, the majority of which, there is failure to find evidence for back up.

Regarding talk show hosts, they continually violate the laws, the ethics of journalism, and more so the principles of development.

Amnesty International should encourage Guyanese to commit themselves to the harmony and well being of this country, no group should be exempted.

There are no set rules that govern the practice of journalism in this country by the way practitioners behave. Nobody is putting a tab on freedom of expression. What we are interested in however, is “responsible” journalism.

Some factions of the media have initiated exactly what the Government is trying daily to eliminate, not of their own selfish reasons, but for the development of this country.

They operate as allies to the Government, anti-government machines, and there is no need for such behaviour. This is not Colombia, where everything you say against the Government or members of Government result in death for Journalists. There is so much freedom in this country especially over the past five years or moreso over the last two years that members of the media are allowed to meet with Government officials frequently.

They are given the opportunity to interrogate them on topical issues or issues that are important to the media, all at the expense of the Government. There are no secrets about the plans and policies of this Government, so the antagonism reflected by factions of the media and the opposition is unjustified.

I hope Amnesty International is listening.
David Gentle