The management of the Guyana Times newspaper, in a released statement, has outlined that persons who claimed to be agents of the Government have been calling and threatening the publication, that it will face “dire consequences” should it continue to publish news items that are critical of the incumbent Administration.
“As an independent media house, Guyana Times has striven to express the views of all Guyanese irrespective of religion, race, creed, or political background. This media house, over the past 10 years, has stood firm as a watchdog of our democracy and against Government excesses” the statement said.
Moreover, the popular publication cited Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration which speaks to the protection of Press Freedom and emphasised the part of the Declaration which says that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
The media publication says it views the reported threats as “being aimed at silencing us as a media house from performing our role as the fourth estate of democratic government.”
To that end however, Guyana Times says it “will not be intimidated by these threats and will continue to report and cover the news fairly and fearlessly as it unfolds.”
See their full statement below:
Guyana Times has received a number of threats from persons, who claimed to be agents of the Government to stop publishing news items, which are critical of the Administration.
These persons have threatened that should this newspaper continue to pursue articles which are critical of the Government, its owners, management and affiliate companies will face dire consequences.
As an independent media house, Guyana Times has striven to express the views of all Guyanese irrespective of religion, race, creed, or political background. This media house, over the past 10 years, has stood firm as a watchdog of our democracy and against Government excesses.
Guyana Times, along with its sister companies Television Guyana (TVG-CH 28) and Radio Guyana Inc (RGI), is housed at the Sanata Complex, Ruimveldt Industrial Site, Georgetown.
We are of the view that this threat is aimed at silencing us as a media house from performing our role as the fourth estate of democratic government.
Freedom of the press is protected by Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration. This article is explicit in its protection of freedoms and more significantly, points to: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
In the past, this media house has been threatened by Government officials. In particular one Government official called for the torching of Sanata Complex, which houses among other entities, Guyana Times newspaper, Television Guyana (TVG-CH 28) and Radio Guyana Inc (RGI).
Guyana Times assures our readers and public that we will not be intimidated by these threats and will continue to report and cover the news fairly and fearlessly as it unfolds.
