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November 27, 2019
PRESS RELEASE
Media Association Jamaica Limited aligns with the statement of the PAJ earlier this week, and the editorial published today by The Gleaner, in altogether rejecting the notion that our media cannot stand up to criticism. It is something we encourage and deal with daily in the spirit of free speech.
The “broad brush” comments used by the PM seek to distract from the valuable work done on behalf of this nation by a press fraternity celebrating excellence days later. It further appears the Prime Minister is only prepared to support the media when it suits his purposes.
These utterances are not consistent with the leadership of a country ranking in the top ten globally for press freedom and serve only to undermine the national trust in the media. It is the type of tactic increasingly employed elsewhere in the world, more recently in the United States, which polarises persons in a democratic society to detrimental effect.
Our work does not allow us to take sides, and therefore the role as guardians of truth holds us to a higher account in offering our audiences fact from fiction.
We encourage PM Holness to recognise the gravity of his statements and correct the same in what is the beginning of a critical period where voters make choices about who will lead this country. We encourage all politicians to focus on the merits they bring to the electorate rather than chastise the institutions which work to keep them transparent. Mr Holness owes that to Jamaica’s democracy.
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