St. George's, Grenada, Thursday May 7th, 2009:

Salutations

I am extremely pleased to address this Caribbean Media and Communications Conference and to welcome you to Grenada. I wish to extend to you a cordial Grenadian welcome and urge that you find some time to savour the hospitality, heritage and warmth of our people.

Your choice of Grenada to hold this Conference is timely for us as a new administration, as we are currently engaging stakeholders on a proposed freedom of information act and are about to commence engagement on a new media policy.

It is my hope that we all can benefit immensely from the dialogue and discussions over the next two days. I am advised that UNESCO in collaboration with the Caribbean

Broadcasting Union (CBU), the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), CANA, CARIMAC and the Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG), are jointly hosting this "Caribbean Media & Communication Conference.

I wish to applaud this level of collaboration and more importantly the fact that policy makers and civil society are incorporated into your annual forum to discuss issues facing the media.

This is certainly consistent in this new dispensation where stakeholder involvement and consultation is recognized as a fundamental and integral component of the new governance process. A process,  that is inclusive, interactive and values constant dialogue.

I am also pleased to note your conference theme “Media and Dialogue” and your plans to explore how the media can facilitate and encourage dialogue among all within the society.

It is my government’s articulated view that the role of the media is critical in facilitating the exchange of views. The media can give voice to the voiceless and empower the marginalized and disadvantaged. 

We believe that this facilitation is absolutely necessary to improve governance and ultimately deepen and strengthen our democratic process.

A fundamental tenet of my government’s philosophy is respect for and protection of our institutions and constitutional rights. As such, we are pursuing our legislative agenda to buttress this commitment.

In this regard we have already circulated a draft Freedom of Information Act for inputs and feedback.

On enactment, the Act will allow for enhanced access to public information. We view the freedom of information, and the freedom of expression and opinion as essential for a free and democratic society. These freedoms should be guarded at all costs and all stakeholders particularly the media should endeavour to protect them unreservedly.

We in the Caribbean have during the last two decades witnessed an explosion of information access. This has largely resulted from technological leaps emanating from the convergence of telecommunication and computing and the resultant merging of communications and entertainment services. Television, broadband internet access and telephony are now available on one network.

The liberalization of the telecommunications sector as well as increasing consumer demand  for cheaper, convenient and better quality service have also served to change the media industry.

This is reflected, for example by the proliferation of various media throughout the entire Caribbean. Television stations, Cable TV and FM radio stations abound. Markets are now highly segmented and competition for listenership and advertising revenues are extremely keen. Our experience in Grenada is typical with thirteen radio stations serving a population of 104,000.

However, this proliferation and the modus operandi of many operators, have led to a number of concerns being articulated. Some of these concerns speak to the changing role of the media and what role it should or need to play in the national development process.

Issues over programming content, management style and capability, standards and operating philosophy are being questioned. Some glaring occurrences in Grenada have served to highlight key concerns.

For the first time in recorded history, a choice was made by a major media house not to carry the opposition’s response to the 2008 budget debate.

Many in the public felt that they were shortchanged and considered themselves disenfranchised as the subject was one of national interest. Commercial considerations were flippantly cited as the rationale for such actions.

The growing trend towards sensationalism also played out recently when an unfounded rumour was reported as fact during prime time as “breaking News”. This was further compounded with a subsequent follow up story without any known attempt at verification from the authoritative source.  This colossal error which had the potential for public disquiet given its national sensitivity was not remedied.

We are also witnessing the blatant misuse of paid programming  to project the unbridled and sometimes disgusting utterances of  many within our society.  Some media houses seem to think that a mere disclaimer appendage, is sufficient to absolve them from the need to adhere to high ethical behavior and standards.

Disc jockeys and other hosts promulgate music and programmes that appear to appeal to the young without due consideration to traditional values, ethics, civics, our heritage, patriotism and national pride.

What all this points to is the need for urgent policy intervention to guide and inform professional media practice. Simultaneously there is a need for comprehensive training as well as an across the board commitment to adopting improved standards and practices.

Media owners in particular need to better understand their roles and responsibilities as well as the impact they have on our societies. All stakeholders need to be aware of their collective responsibility to pursue continuous dialogue if we are to maintain appropriate checks and balances.

Technology and liberalization has spawned increased investment, improved access, and diversity in our local media offering. Our society now need to catch up in terms of regulation, monitoring and engendering collective responsibility.

This is urgent if we are to realize the true potential and impact of the media in our Caribbean societies.

It is in this context that your discussions and deliberations over the next two days are extremely important.

I urge you to deliberate wisely and to set a timely agenda to address our current issues.

I wish that you maximize this opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our people and the continued development of our democratic process.

I look forward to a successful conference.

I thank you