Bringing in an Access Regime in Guyana

Guyana has to deepen its democratic and electoral processes to ensure that democracy works to help empower citizens and improve the competitiveness of the country by facilitating free flow of information.

For the last 40 years since independence from British colonial rule, Guyana has floundered socially, economically and politically. Partisan political interests by the two monolithic parties that governed Guyana since independence, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) have been given precedence over the national welfare.

It would, therefore, come as no surprise that a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, submitted to the Clerk of the Eighth National Assembly of Guyana by Khemraj Ramjattan on behalf of his colleague Raphael Trotman has not seen the light of day. The Government failed to even publish or circulate the private member’s Bill which, I was told, had been sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers for scrutiny several months ago.

Trotman had resigned from the National Assembly before its dissolution to concentrate on advancing the new political movement named the Alliance For Change (AFC). He was a former PNC/R opposition Member of Parliament and now Chairman of the AFC, while Khemraj Ramjattan was a former Member of Parliament for the governing political party, the (PPP/C) is the Leader of the AFC. They contested the recently held general and regional elections in August end as presidential and prime ministerial candidates, respectively, for the AFC party.

The AFC is of the view that a FOI Act is an important first step in steering the country in the direction of transparency and accountability and curtailing the high levels of corruption in the country. It has, therefore, given a commitment to the electorate to ensure that the FOI Bill is debated, strengthened and passed into law in the next Parliament of Guyana.

Since independence and during the tenure of successive Governments, citizens have experienced victimisation based on the expression of their political viewpoints. This has had the effect of limiting how citizens of all strata of society express themselves. It has also deterred citizens from requesting information from the state and public entities.

This is especially so as regards to the free expression of one’s political viewpoint to the extent that Guyanese really need a Freedom of Information Act. The Act should spell out exactly what information, on government’s operations especially, citizens are entitled to access. With this knowledge in hand citizens, could then know how to get information on those aspects of government’s operations that are of most interest to them. It is equally desirable that the Act should also cover some aspects of the operations of publicly traded private sector entities.

With access to information enshrined into law, Guyanese citizens could finally be empowered to scrutinise and investigate government and their public operations and come to their own conclusions as to how government is really serving them.

These facts serve to make Guyanese very aware about how the media ought to operate in a country in which the government routinely keeps information classified while claiming to be democratic.

Guyanese are mobile internationally, as it is estimated that some 700,000 live abroad and many others have relatives residing in countries all around the world. This serves to make Guyanese very aware about how the media ought to operate in a country in which the government routinely keeps information classified while claiming to be democratic.

A major part of the problem of poor access to information in Guyana, apart from the lack of a freedom of information law, is the fact that the PPP/C government that emerged victorious in the recent elections has refused to open the broadcast space for FM and AM radio transmissions. There is reasonable choice with regards to broadcast television in some parts of the country. However, government control of frequency management means that in some Guyanese communities citizens are fed a constant diet of government propaganda only. Moreover, in hinterland regions, citizens are without access to either local radio or television broadcast even though private operators are willing and able to offer radio and television broadcast to these Guyanese citizens.

However, for radio, the only choice Guyanese have right now is between two government-owned broadcast stations. There is some choice in terms of the fact that persons can access other radio stations internationally by means of the internet. However, the web based radio stations do not give Guyanese choice from broadcast entities which are located in Guyana and hence whose programming reflects Guyanese realities. With a Freedom of Information Act in place buttressed by a modernised and democratised Broadcast Act, Guyanese can get innovative radio and TV programming that reflects their tastes and desires to actively participate in the country’s fledgling democracy. For example, in daytime radio in Guyana there is currently no programming where views on the Guyanese reality can be freely expressed from all points of view. If one wants to get the government’s spin on any issue that is easy. However, Guyanese need to also be able to use the Freedom of Information Act to get information on government operations, then use that information in talk shows to oppose government policy or, in the case of supporters, provide reasons as to why current government policy and action is good for Guyana.

If the Freedom of Information Bill is passed along with government’s divesting itself from media operations except for the government information and news agency (GINA), then Guyanese would see an explosion of radio and more responsibly operated television stations that will in all likelihood take Guyana to where citizens in the other neighbouring countries have been for some time.

Regrettably, the PPP/C party in government still retains a philosophy that the central government has to control all levels of power in the country. With such a philosophy there is no urgency to allow the citizens to access more government information, because the more information citizens have, the more empowered they become and the greater their ability to challenge government functionaries. The PPP/C government in Guyana had even gone to the extent of not allowing the Alliance for Change party to air its political advertisements even though they were submitted and higher than normal fees demanded and paid in accordance with Government guidelines.

With the ruling PPP/C emerging victorious in the recently held elections, what Guyana, now needs is a government that empowers the people through a sensible Freedom of Information Act. Democracy can be meaningful only when citizens can make informed decisions and hold their elected representatives to account and keep officers of public companies honest. Such elements serve to help advance Guyana’s fledgling democracy and thus improve the lives of its people.