PM: No media restriction in Trinidad and Tobago

Dr Keith Rowley -
Dr Keith Rowley -

THE Prime Minister has said there is no "anti-media restriction in the government of Trinidad and Tobago."

Journalist Kejan Haynes recently reported that independent media were given only restricted access while covering certain events, among them the repatriation of Venezuelans via the Cruise Ship Complex, Port of Spain, while state-owned TTT was allowed greater access.

He said Communications Minister Symon de Nobriga told him off-camera that this was to give TTT "a fighting chance."

After a public and media backlash, de Nobriga suggested his statement was a joke and also “off the record.”

He added, "Given the large numbers, and in keeping with the health protocols, it was determined that only TTT and the Information Division would have access."

The Opposition has since criticised the government over the incident and de Nobriga's statements..

But in a press release on Thursday, Dr Rowley said, "Any casual observation that is not motivated by hysteria or bias will conclude that there is no anti-media restriction in the Government of TT...On the contrary, it cannot be truthfully disputed that this Government has been more accessible to the media than most."

He said no other prime minister has "consistently spent more hours before the local media fielding questions to the media's exhaustion. "Finally, TTT is a small part of local media and is certainly not the Government of TT, therefore it is an unnecessary stretch to interpret any misunderstanding or operational mix-up there as a label (sic) for the Government. Additionally, every ministry and most public sector departments have separate communication units which are always open to the media. "These being the undisputed facts, allegations of dictatorship and government restrictions are rejected."

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"PM: No media restriction in Trinidad and Tobago"

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