Basil Jarrett | The pen is still mightier than the sword

It’s not every day that the small spice island of Grenada makes the news. After all, with a population of barely 114,000 persons, it takes some doing to make headlines here in Jamaica. But that’s exactly what happened last week when the Grenadian government decided to exclude media representatives from the swearing-in ceremony of its new cabinet ministers, sparking outrage from the Media Workers Association of Grenada (MWAG). The unprecedented action marked a worrying departure from the country’s history of press freedom, prompting the MWAG to denounce it as a “dangerous new low” in the government’s treatment of independent media.

A display of “total contempt for both local media and the Grenadian people” is how the MWAG described the government’s actions, as it demand an apology from the government and an assurance that such restrictions on media access will not occur in the future.

GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP

In response, the government declared a 24-hour period of silence towards the press following the formalisation of the new cabinet, and refused to supply journalists with visuals and details about the event. The move was the latest in a series of actions designed to limit media access to the government, coming on the heels of the removal of regular post-cabinet briefings and a government official limiting information sharing with the media on a “need-to-know basis”. The MWAG has rightly urged various civil society groups in Grenada to join them in condemning the government’s press restrictions, seeking broader support to address this concerning development.

And all this in a country barely 21 miles wide.

The challenges faced by the press and press freedom advocates in Grenada serve as a poignant reminder of the vital role that a free and independent media plays in any democratic society, and the danger that lurks when that freedom is compromised. It also raises serious concerns about how solid a foundation our assumed press freedom here in Jamaica is built on.

THREATS TO A FREE PRESS

As we’ve seen, Jamaica, despite having a fairly impressive record on press freedom, has also shown occasional glimpses of the vulnerability of its press. These cracks are usually exposed when issues of growing crime rates and concerns about corrupt public officials arise. In these instances, attempts to frustrate and deny the press usually take the form of defamation lawsuits and legal threats, political and financial pressure, stonewalling through Access to Information denials, and on occasion, actual physical threats against journalists and reporters. Thankfully, the latter is relatively rare, but they do happen. In November 2022 for instance, a Television Jamaica cameraman and a Gleaner reporter were attacked while covering a teacher protest in St Catherine. In 2019, two reporters from Nationwide News were verbally attacked by a number of activists while covering a political meeting in Clarendon. As I said earlier, these events are rare, but still, reporters must weigh carefully the threats posed to them by the country’s high crime rate when they are investigating a particularly sensitive subject. Indeed, you’ve got to have incredible testicular fortitude to make a living as a journalist here.

Nonetheless, freedom of the press is relatively strong in Jamaica, and we continue to rank among the safest in the world for journalists. But the recent actions taken by the Grenadian government are a stark warning against complacency. Jamaican media outlets must heed the warning from this incident, and fortify their resolve to ensure accountability, transparency and respect for rule of law.

PRESSING THE LAW-ENFORCEMENT ADVANTAGE

Press freedom must not only be seen as a fundamental pillar of democracy, but also as a powerful tool to shed light on criminal activities, expose corrupt practices, and ensure that the public is informed. It must unearth the truth, irrespective of political affiliations or societal status, and present the information to citizens in their best, shared interest. Journalists must therefore see themselves as holding immense power in their hands — the kind of power that can lead to truly transformative change. As the watchdogs of society, acting in the best interest of the public, this power must be wielded responsibly, fearlessly and judiciously in order to catalyse the much-needed reforms for a more transparent and accountable society.

And to its credit, it has been. The Jamaican press’ extensive coverage of the early days of the lottery scamming industry, for instance, helped to shed critical light on the burgeoning criminal activity, leading to increased awareness and international pressure, as well as crackdowns and arrests. Through in-depth reporting and strong investigative journalism, our news media exposed the sophisticated networks behind the scams, prompting international attention, discussions, and law-enforcement activity to tackle the problem.

The Jamaican press has also been critical in exposing grand corruption, especially in the awarding of government contracts and breaches of government procurement policies. Newspaper reports of inflated costs, kickbacks, fraud and mismanagement in public projects have led to numerous investigations and calls for accountability and transparency in government business.

PRESS-INSPIRED ACTIONS

Jamaican media outlets have also investigated and reported on allegations of police corruption and abuse of power over the years, bringing attention to cases involving police officers engaging in unlawful activities, such as bribery and extrajudicial actions. Such reporting has spurred discussions on police accountability and reform efforts within law-enforcement agencies, as well as helped to fast-track the creation of entities such as the Independent Commission of Investigations.

In more recent times, our press has helped to expose numerous financial scandals involving prominent individuals and institutions. Investigative journalism targeting fraudulent schemes, embezzlement, and other financial irregularities has brought attention to white-collar crimes, prompting investigations by regulatory bodies and calls for stronger financial oversight. ‘Fit and proper’ violations by key players in the financial sector have also been uncovered by reporters, highlighting the instrumental, supporting role that the media can play towards law enforcement. These events have not only brought these issues to light, but have also stimulated public discourse, instigated official inquiries, and contributed to efforts aimed at addressing systemic issues and accountability in the country.

Needless to say, I am a massive believer in press freedom, so you can imagine my surprise when I heard of the Grenadian incident. I’ve since found out, however, that in retaliation for the ban, the MWAG has issued a directive that Grenadian media workers should boycott a news conference called by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell to introduce members of his new cabinet following his behind-closed-doors cabinet reshuffle earlier.

Let’s hope that good sense prevails over there. After all, it may be 2024 but the pen is still a mightier weapon than the sword.

- Major Basil Jarrett is a communications strategist and CEO of Artemis Consulting, a communications consulting firm specialising in crisis communications and reputation management. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Threads @IamBasilJarrett and linkedin.com/in/basiljarrett.