Young: Let media do fact-checking

PNM chairman Stuart Young has urged reporters to do proper fact-checking before publication, especially in the 2025 general election run-up, while saying the Government and PNM party deeply respected the role of the media.

He gave an unscripted address to the PNM media mix and mingle event at Balisier House, Port of Spain, on January 15.

Young was recently announced as the PNM's prime minister-designate on Dr Rowley's expected retirement from the post in the coming months.

Saying the party had begun this year with a bang, Young sought to assure listeners it would continue to provide the type of leadership TT expected, promising to work with the media in a "transparent and accountable manner."

Young, as PNM chairman, voiced one request of the media, as he referred to MPs' speeches in the House of Representatives debate to approve the current state of emergency (SoE).

"When persons are pushing out information to you, as some of them did and attempted to do last night, it is very simple to do the fact-checking.

"You have a responsibility to the rest of us in the population, as citizens, to provide us with what is factual and what is truthful."

Young said the Government and the PNM might not always see eye to eye with the media, but that was okay as a part of normal tensions.

"But at no point in time in the last ten years and even before that, can the media honestly and truly say that anyone in any position on the PNM – especially here at Balisier House, led by our prime minister and political leader – has ever provided misinformation to the media.

"But unfortunately, that is one of the elements that seems to be building itself up."

He reiterated the PNM's respect for the media.

"With us you will always have a government, a party, that respects press freedom and freedom of speech, and we will continue to work with you in a very respectful relationship as we go forward into this important season."

Earlier, Young seemed to allude to a July/August general election, as he urged reporters to do their fact-checking over the next six months as Trinidad and Tobago enters the election period. He then said the current SoE had regulations that respected media freedom, saying this had not been so under the 2011 SoE called by the former People's Partnership government.

"Any time a government declares a state of emergency, they should give a very special, thorough consideration as to what the purpose is for, but more importantly who it is aimed at and what rights are you going to suspend."

Young urged reporters to compare the regulations of each of the 2025 and 2011 SoEs.

"That is all the evidence you need, media, to see how important the PNM takes freedom of speech and freedom of the press."

He said the 2011 SoE had put serious restrictions on free speech, public gatherings, public meetings, and what articles could be published.

"A few weeks ago when we, as the Government, in difficult circumstances, had to decide what were the restrictions we were going to put, we were very thoughtful and considerate in the extraction of what existed in 1990 and 2011 in those states of emergency.

"I want you all to give due consideration and thought to that, because that has been one of the important principles of the PNM."