Georgetown: The Private Sector Commission, accompanied by representatives the United Nations Development Programme in Guyana, met Friday ( March 27, 2015) with editors of the print and broadcast media and updated them on efforts being made to contribute to the maintenance of a positive environment that is conducive to the upcoming Elections of May 2015 being free and fair.
The Commission also listened to the concerns of the media operatives as these relate to the challenges they face in the execution of their mandate.
The Commission was heartened to learn that most of the media houses had signed on to the updated Media Code of Conduct put out by the Guyana Elections Commission and would like to urge all other media operatives to lend their commitment and support to this.
The Private Sector Commission shared its conviction that all political parties contesting the upcoming elections should be allowed fair and equitable access to all media entities for paid political advertisements and party elections broadcasts. In this regard, the Commission calls for transparency by the media entities of the spots and spaces that will be made available for political advertisements and for transparency in the pricing of such allocations.
The Private Sector Commission is concerned at reports of harassment, intimidation and threats to media operatives whilst covering political events and calls upon all political parties and their supporters to accord due respect to all members of the media and to ensure the safety of such operatives at all times. The Commission also calls for all accredited members of the media to be accorded free and unimpeded access to all public rallies and other political events.
The PSC is also deeply concerned about the current rhetoric being uttered by political campaigners from their platforms and strongly condemns all language equivalent to incitement and breeding of hate amongst the citizens of our country. In this regard, the Commission also calls upon all political parties to facilitate early adoption of the Political Parties Code of Conduct and comply with its tenets and intended philosophy.
