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Close Topic OptionsTrinidad And Tobago Becoming The New Cuba?
Trinidad Tobago Cuba - Trinidad, Tobago / Caribbean - Posted: 30th May, 2007 - 12:47am
Posts: 1 - Views: 927
Censorship in T&T!
Trinidad And Tobago Becoming The New Cuba?
When I read this in the Guardian I was shocked. We are supposed to be living under a democracy, not so? There is not even ONE country that proclaims democracy but at the same time asks for a license from the government for newspapers and internet usage! Madness!
| QUOTE |
| Shortly after midnight on Sunday, the broadcast licence of a commercial, privately-owned television station in Venezuela was allowed to lapse, paving the way for its replacement by a state-backed public service channel. Predictably, given the socialist orientation of Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, the move has attracted ideological criticism that the Venezuelan leader is seeking to neutralise opposing voices in T&T's closest neighbour. While it is not necessary to delve into the complex intricacies of Venezuela's internal politics, it may be useful to note the dangers inherent in not ensuring an arms-length separation between politicians and the issuance of broadcast licences. The issue of the licensing of media houses was placed close to the forefront of public discourse last Thursday when former president Ellis Clarke made a presentation on some aspects of T&T's proposed draft constitution-including those pertaining to freedom of expression and thought and freedom of the press. The draft constitution was presented by Sir Ellis to Prime Minister Patrick Manning at the end of July last year. Two weeks later, the draft document was laid in Parliament by the Prime Minister at which time he announced he would chair a committee to facilitate roundtable discussions on the draft constitution. Sir Ellis is a member of that team and was invited by the local media association to explain aspects of the proposed draft constitution. It appears to be the intent of the Sir Ellis draft that the State shall not be prevented "from requiring the licensing of or other forms of regulating any means of broadcasting or publishing information or data to the public," to quote Section 14 (3) of the draft constitution which deals with freedom of thought and expression. Journalists at the meeting with Sir Ellis were very concerned about the possibility that this section in the proposed draft constitution could be used to require the licensing of newspapers-something that has been absolutely anathema since the development of the newspaper as an essential medium of communication in democracies. Such a licensing regime, it needs to be pointed out, may make newspapers in T&T subject to the Chavez treatment-with the licence being allowed to lapse and the newspaper being forced to close because it does not have a licence. On the face of it, the clause can also be read as having the potential to require the "licensing" or "regulating" of the use of the Internet by locals-or at least those parts of the Internet that relate to the "broadcasting or publishing (of) information or data to the public". This, of course, could include local Web sites, blogs, podcasts, net radio, video casting and other aspects of online publication of information and data. |
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TOPIC: Trinidad And Tobago Becoming The New Cuba?