The Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) is lambasting the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government for exercising political control over the state media and denying them access.
The state owns the Chronicle newspaper and the National Communications Network (NCN) which controls radio and television. The state-owned media, which are funded by taxpayers’ money, are the only outlets that have the furthest reach in Guyana and distribution in the Diaspora.
The Opposition, in noting the domination and control of the state media, has accused the PPP of being a dictatorial regime, pointing out that in democratic societies the state media are obligated to be balanced in its reporting and report in a fair way the activities of the opposition. “In Guyana today this is not the case,” said the Opposition.
The Opposition and those considered not friendly to the Government are denied access to state-owned media, including the right to respond even when wrongly accused or maligned. When the Opposition and others perceived unfriendly to the government get coverage such is usually unflattering.
The state media under the political direction of the PPP continue to refuse to carry the views of the opposition or anyone they assume not supportive of them, stated the APNU+AFC in a recent press statement.
To this end, the APNU+AFC has accused the PPP of shedding every semblance of fairness and justice in its mismanagement of the state media. Further, “this political control of the state media by the PPP is another indication that there is no One Guyana.”
