BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – INTERIM PRESIDENT of St. Kitts-Nevis Media Association, Glenn Bart is of the view that more could be done to bolster the media landscape in the Federation, especially with the implementation of the Freedom of Information legislation.
Bart made that statement as local media practitioners joined their global colleagues in recognising yesterday (May 3) as World Press Freedom Day.
He explained that the media in St. Kitts and Nevis has a long way to go as there are lots of things that need to be done with respect to development and stories that need to be told.
“It is a work in progress and we are going to get there with time. I am sure that all who are in the profession try very hard to bring the truth as quickly as possible,” Bart said.
Questioned on whether or not journalists have freedom to practice within the Federation’s political landscape, the President responded affirmatively, charging that “they are free to do their work in this country”.
“However”, he continued, “that does not mean it is an easy job. And we don’t have right now, for example, a Freedom of Information Act, which would govern how we interface with government and the information that we hold.”
The President noted that on many occasions some reporters had met with ‘brick walls’ in information gathering which hampered their reportage, but that did not deter media professionals from practising freely in the Federation.
“We in St. Kitts and Nevis don’t have that kind of anti-journalist environment. What we have is systems that are not in place to facilitate the kind of work that we do. If you want to do more investigative work, we don’t have certain legal frameworks available to us here.”
According to Bart, World Press Freedom Day is one in which local media personnel would join their colleagues in the international community “in commemorating the day as one that looks out for the reporters and journalists around the world”.
He indicated that many media practitioners operate in dangerous environments, where their lives are either threatened or lost.
