Journalists group writes to Grenada prime minister
Thursday, June 10, 2004
NEW YORK, USA: The US-based Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ) has written a strongly-worded letter to Grenada
Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell, calling on him to "desist from any efforts
to curtail the work of the press." The letter
was dated June 9, 2004 and copied to a number of international media
organisations, the OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and Lorne
W. Craner, United States Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and
Labour. The letter says the CPJ is "alarmed
by the Grenadian government's recent attempts to intimidate the local media,
including legal actions against the press for reporting alleged wrongdoing by
you." The organisation referred to a criminal
libel lawsuit in Grenada brought by the Prime Minister against Miami-based
financial newsletter Offshore Alert and its publisher, David Marchant, a
British national. It also mentions the suspension on May 11, of Odette
Campbell, news director for the Grenada Broadcasting Network, which is 40
percent owned by the Grenada government and she walked out of a press
conference held by the minister of tourism to protest the government's
attitude toward the local media. "On May 27,"
the CPJ letter says, "Leroy Noel, a Grenadian freelance reporter, was held for
questioning about the content of an article published on May 21 in the
Grenadian weekly Spice Isle Review." "The
article, 'NNP Days Are Numbered,' reported on connections between members of
the ruling New National Party and people accused of corruption," the letter,
signed by CPJ Executive Director, Ann Cooper says. "The journalist, who
regularly contributes to the Cayman Islands-based Caribbean Net News, told CPJ
that four police officers detained him while he was on his way to work at
around 6:15 a.m. Authorities released Noel four hours later without charge."
"The recent actions of intimidation taken by your government are a clear
attempt to obstruct Grenadian journalists from doing their work of
disseminating information," the letter adds.
"With all due respect your actions call into question your personal commitment
to democracy. We call on you to drop all legal actions against journalists and
to desist from any efforts to curtail the work of the press," the CPJ says.
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