GOVERNMENT DENOUNCES INFLAMMATORY STATEMENT BY THE OPPOSITION THAT THREATENS PRESS FREEDOM
The Government of Jamaica is condemning the latest in a series of inflammatory statements made by the Opposition which threatens the erosion of press freedom. The Government notes that the highly divisive statement emanating on a political platform on the weekend has caused unease, consternation and significant fear among members of the media. These statements have no place in a modern democratic Jamaica. In pointing out the persistent attacks on the media, the Government has observed several incidents including the recent verbal assault on members of the media for wearing a particular colour, the careless and crass statement on rape and attacks on persons who have left media to give of themselves to serve in the public service. The facts will show that qualified persons from across several media entities have joined the public service to help modernise and transform services to the people of Jamaica. The succession of incidents and verbal assaults displayed by the Opposition have shown that it constantly feeds a rhetoric aimed at destabilising Jamaica’s media landscape and threatens the safety of individuals. Minister with responsibility for Information Hon. Robert Morgan has chided the Opposition stating, “Jamaica has enjoyed high rankings in the Global Press Freedom Index. In fact, Jamaica ranked 12, up to 2022. However, careless, unmerited and unwarranted statements by the Opposition has caused an erosion of the hard won gains in press freedom sullying Jamaica’s global ranking.” The Government calls on all well thinking Jamaicans to condemn and denounce the latest assault on the media by the Opposition and the inflammatory statements that seek to incite action against the media and cast aspersions on persons who are free to seek employment anywhere in the country and in particular those who are willing to give service to their country in the public sector.