The International Press Institute (IPI), with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, is calling on the Guyana government to show greater transparency in awarding advertisements to the media here.
The IPI, a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists who are dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of press freedom, protection of freedom of opinion and expression, and the promotion of the free flow of news and information, is also suggesting the setting up what it calls "a blue ribbon Advisory Committee on Advertising" drawn from recognized industry experts to ensure the equitable distribution of government ads.
The IPI in a press release on Tuesday was responding to reports in this newspaper that Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President Dr Nanda Gopaul had instructed the Government Information Agency (GINA) to withdraw advertisements from the Stabroek News in what has been construed by this newspaper as an attack on the free press.
And commenting on the issue, IPI Director, Prof. Johann P. Fritz said, "In order for the disposal of government advertising to be equitable, the government must create procedures that are transparent and accountable."
"I would call on the government to create a blue ribbon Advisory Committee on Advertising drawn from recognised industry experts in Guyana and tasked with the role of ensuring that the disposal of government advertising is carried out in a fair manner," Prof. Fritz is quoted as saying.
"In the present case, I would also encourage the parties to meet and to resolve this issue amicably. The government must accept that the media play a crucial role within society and the present disagreement, if allowed to continue, could have a chilling effect on all media who receive government advertising in Guyana," the IPI director added.
The IPI release noted that the "decision has led to claims that the government is seeking to penalise the newspaper for its critical reporting; a claim denied by the government, which argues that the newspaper does not have a monopoly on acquiring advertising." But responding to these claims, editor-in-chief of Stabroek News, David de Caires has said that the government decision was a reversal of its support for press freedom and an attack on the free press. In particular, the release added, de Caires had pointed out that the Chapultepec Declaration, signed by Guyana, rejects the idea that governments may use advertising to reward or punish the media.
Today, IPI has grown into a global organisation with members in over 120 countries. What began as a small enterprise in the early 1950s has expanded to become an ongoing dialogue between journalists throughout the world.
Since IPI enjoys consultative status with the UN, UNESCO, the Council of Europe and other intergovernmental organisations, it also issues letters of appeal to these bodies.
Every year IPI organises its World Congress in conjunction with the annual IPI General Assembly. These conferences bring together top media representatives, politicians and academics from all over the world and have proved to be very successful.
In several countries IPI members have established National Committees that support IPI in its work to improve the situation for the media. Being the world's oldest global press freedom organisation, the IPI community provides its members with an invaluable network of media contacts throughout the world.
The IPI secretariat also undertakes constant monitoring of media activities and has a large number of mechanisms at its disposal to detect threats to press freedom around the world.
The IPI has now added its voice to a number of others which have challenged the Guyana government's withdrawal of state advertisements from the Stabroek News, including the Guyana Press Association, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), the France-based Reporters Without Borders (Reporters San Frontieres), the Barbados Daily Nation, and the Jamaica Gleaner.