PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has criticised Guardian Media Ltd (GML), saying the company has yet to address allegations made by a former journalist despite declaring its commitment to fair and fearless journalism.
On Wednesday, the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) called on GML to urgently address claims by former senior investigative journalist Joshua Seemungal of political interference in its newsroom.
Seemungal said he resigned over what he described as “organisational ethical failings”.
In a front-page editorial titled “Fair and Fearless”, the Guardian newspaper yesterday stated that since its first publication on September 2, 1917, it has been a defender of free speech.
The newspaper also stated that it has often attracted the ire of those in positions of power who would prefer compliance, supplication and acquiescence.
“We are not and never will be that,” it stated.
The editorial said accusations of political bias are nothing new and noted that over the past 12 months, Guardian Media and its journalists had faced “scurrilous attacks by the current administration simply for doing our job: holding the new government accountable”.
It recalled that similar criticisms came from the former PNM administration and pointed to its August 2019 editorial, “Our Lawless State”, which questioned whether Trinidad and Tobago was on the brink of becoming a failed state.
“Throughout that administration, Guardian Media pressed for accountability and solutions to our nation’s problems. The then prime minister’s response was to deflect from the issues at hand by claiming media bias,” it stated.
The editorial added that successive administrations have accused Guardian Media of protecting its own interests.
It stated that Guardian Media is a publicly traded company with an independent and eminent board of directors and that its editorial team operates with “independence and high standards of professional integrity”.
“We are unapologetic for doing our job. Our published suite of editorial policies (available online)—including our corrections policy, code of conduct for our journalists, editorial and social media guidelines—invites the public to hold us to account,” it stated.
GML said it is not above criticism or correction, “but we will not cower to pressure”.
It added, “We remain committed to holding public officials accountable and delivering news coverage that is fair, balanced and fearless. We do not see red or yellow. The only colours we see are the red, white and black.”
Persad-Bissessar yesterday rejected the editorial’s assertions and responded in a social media post with a series of allegations against the company.
“Guardian media and those associated with it are a laughing stock. Instead of responding to the allegations of their disgusting behaviour from their own journalists and media association they hilariously attempted to deflect attention from providing a proper response.
“GML is a weapon used to smear and destroy individuals, businesses and organisations that compete economically with associates and special interests.
“They provoke racial tensions, use religious bigotry, allegations from anonymous sources, smears and innuendos as their tools of trade. It is a shameless organisation, motivated by the sick insatiable greed of those who economically exploit the country behind the scenes.
“Can someone please forward this letter from MATT to GML because it seems that they missed it,” she said.
