The Guyana Press Association (GPA) says it is entering 2026 with “immense expectations” for improved performance by journalists and technical staff, while warning that growing restrictions on access to information are undermining press freedom and the public’s right to balanced reporting.
In its New Year’s message, the GPA said its “ultimate priority continues to be service to the public with quality journalistic content based on internationally recognised standards including ethics.” As part of this mandate, the association plans to host several professional development sessions during the year and encouraged practitioners from both private and State-owned media to participate when applications are opened.
The GPA also announced that it is continuing preparations for a Media Literacy Campaign aimed at increasing public awareness about the importance of quality journalism to society. According to the association, these initiatives are critical as journalists confront misinformation and disinformation, particularly in what it described as an environment of increasing information control.
The association said journalists “must now formulate new strategies and tactics to access information for the public good in an era of creeping information control by the Guyana government,” adding that while a “veneer of press freedom” is presented through claims of media plurality and access to officials, “the reality is vastly different.”
The GPA criticised what it described as highly choreographed press engagements, stating that journalism is being “suffocated by highly choreographed and curated pseudo press conferences,” where journalists are either barred from asking follow-up questions or informed in advance that none will be allowed. It cited a December 30, 2025 event at which “a so-called panel of pro-government questioners and students was put together to ask the president ‘likeable’ questions.”
According to the association, such engagements do not substitute for open press conferences. “A phone interview or face-to-face semi media scrum on the side-lines of a major event is no substitute for a free and unrestricted press conference that allows for a wide variety of subjects to be addressed,” the GPA said, describing current arrangements as “lame excuses for media access.”
The GPA also lamented the discontinuation of weekly post-Cabinet press conferences, a practice it said was a hallmark of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration when it took office in 1992. It noted that Guyana now “stands out as a sore thumb in the Caribbean Community” for the absence of post-Cabinet and Heads of Government press briefings.
The association further criticised what it described as the replacement of these forums with weekly political statements by the General Secretary of the PPP at the party’s headquarters. It also raised concerns about the Guyana Police Force’s reported refusal to respond to media queries via the Joint Services media WhatsApp group, alleging that officials ranging from the Commissioner of Police to other senior officers no longer engage with journalists.
“The result is a Guyana Police Force, most likely in complicity with or permission of the government, that is unaccountable to Guyanese whom the media serve,” the GPA said.
On access to information, the GPA challenged the government to remove Retired Justice Charles Ramson from the post of Commissioner of Information, arguing that this would allow the Access to Information mechanism to function effectively. It warned that the administration appears to be pursuing a system of information control that threatens transparency and accountability.
The association also pointed to what it said were troubling actions by elements within the private sector, alleging that some have acted as “co-conspirators against press freedom,” including a claim that one private sector figure offered to devise a plan against the privately owned Stabroek News newspaper.
Looking ahead, the GPA said it will closely monitor whether the government intends to use Australia’s model on social media access by minors as a basis for tighter controls on journalistic content or broader restrictions on freedom of expression.
“In conclusion, the GPA will continue to be active in the fight for openness and transparency in support of quality journalism,” the association said.
The Guyana Press Association (GPA) welcomes 2026 with immense expectations for a year filled with success by journalists and technical personnel in the field of journalism.
Our ultimate priority continues to be service to the public with quality journalistic content based on international recognised standards including ethics.
In this regard, the GPA plans to hold a number of professional development sessions, as we have done over the years. Practitioners from all private and State-owned media are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities when the calls for participants are issued.
The GPA is also continuing plans to create greater public awareness about quality journalism and its importance to society through a Media Literacy Campaign.
These initiatives are all the more important if the practitioners of journalism are to produce and disseminate high quality news and current affairs content. Our programme of work, in collaboration with regional and international partners, is now more than necessary to not only combat misinformation and disinformation.
In fact, journalists must now formulate new strategies and tactics to access information for the public good in an era of creeping information control by the Guyana government. The veneer of press freedom is being presented as one in which there is media plurality and supposed access to officials.
The reality is vastly different, and it is one that adversely impacts ultimately on the public’s right to fair, accurate and balanced reporting. Journalism is today being suffocated by highly choreographed and curated pseudo press conferences.
At these events, journalists are virtually barred from or told in advance that there will be no follow-up questions. As recent as 30th December 2025, a so-called panel of pro-government questioners and students was put together to ask the president ‘likeable’ questions.
Officialdom’s only objective is to avoid as much as possible searching questions. A phone interview or face-to-face semi media scrum on the side-lines of a major event is no substitute for a free and unrestricted press conference that allows for a wide variety of subjects to be addressed. These are lame excuses for media access.
The key weekly feature of the People’s Progressive Party Civic-led administration when it came to power in 1992 was its weekly post-cabinet press conference. This has died and with it a certain blow to transparency and public accountability. Guyana stands out as a sore thumb in the Caribbean Community when it comes to post-cabinet and Heads of Government press conferences.
Apparently, this has been substituted with a weekly (up to recently) diatribe, for the most part, by the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) at his political party’s headquarters.
As if it is now official government policy that is extended beyond the Cabinet, the Guyana Police ranging from the Commissioner of Police to his Deputies, the Public Relations Officer and the Office of Professional Responsibility have now opted not to respond to questions from the media in the Joint Services media WhatsApp group. The incontrovertible evidence is there as solid proof. The result is a Guyana Police Force, most likely in complicity with or permission of the government, that is unaccountable to Guyanese whom the media serve because they are expected to provide accurate, timely and relevant information.
When it comes to the governance of the State, particularly in the arena of information management and access, the PPPC administration appears to have devised a plan to use capitalism as the gateway to Stalinism.
If the government believes this is accurate, then the GPA challenges the PPPC-led administration to remove Retired Justice Charles Ramson from the post of Information’s Commissioner and allow the Access To Information mechanism to function effectively.
Sadly, there are elements in the private sector, who either fought for democracy pre-1992 or are today beneficiaries of the largesse of the State one way or another, who actually are co-conspirators against press freedom. In fact, one private sector actor is on record as offering to hatch a plan against the privately-owned Stabroek News newspaper. He might have been better off advocating for the government to honour its debt to the newspaper whose company is a long-standing member of a private sector organisation.
Penultimately, the GPA will be paying keen attention to whether the Guyana government intends to use the Australian model on social media access by minors as the precursor to or the basis for tightening control on journalistic content or broadly fetter freedom of expression for its narrow political objectives.
In conclusion, the GPA will continue to be active in the fight for openness and transparency in support of quality journalism.
