World Press Freedom Day Statement

On this World Press Freedom Day, the Media Institute of the Caribbean takes the opportunity to salute the dedicated journalists who daily search for truth and share their work with citizens in the region. The Caribbean, with some exceptions, remains a region that scores high on press freedom indexes. Jamaica, and to a lesser extent, Trinidad, are still known as places where journalists can do their work without undue pressure from the authorities. That is not to say that journalists in the region don’t have their fair share of challenges.

Journalists in several countries still work under the specter of defamation and libel laws that are punishable by imprisonment. Recent cybercrime bills could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and imperil journalists for simply doing their work. In some cases, the threats to free expression are often not from overreaching officials or oppressive laws. Through their hefty advertising budgets, governments can buy the media—in more ways than one. In Trinidad and Tobago, Reporters Without Borders recently noted how media outlets regarded as favorable to the government get the lion’s share of state advertising.

This practice in the twin-island nation is replicated in other Caribbean countries. Often times, the major obstacle to free expansion is not a bad law or oppressive government but tight newsroom budgets that could restrict reporters from having the resources to pursue stories in the public interest. With this is mind, the Media Institute of the Caribbean has devoted itself to training journalists across the region in investigative journalism through workshops, mentoring and engaging some of the top journalism trainers.

We want to say heartfelt thanks to our supporters, the people in the Caribbean who fight for freedom of the press, and the hardworking journalists who believe in the search for truth.