It should be cause for alarm by all that T&T has dropped five spots, from 34 to 39, in the World Press Freedom Index just released by Reporters Without Borders.
Among concerns cited in a report accompanying the Index are pending pieces of legislation—the Cybercrime Bill, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Data Protection Act, and the Broadcast Code—which it said “could have a chilling effect on press freedom and free expression online if adopted.”
Also highlighted was the incident last year in which reporters were physically attacked while investigating a story involving A&V Drilling in south Trinidad. It was described as “a rare example of violence against journalists unseen in the country in recent years.”
The free press as an essential pillar of democracy was demonstrated not too long ago with the Section 34 controversy, a prime example of the media keeping government in check.
In this new era of digital communications, the freedom to seek out and circulate news, information, ideas, comment and opinion, as well as hold those in authority to account is constantly being challenged.
In the current social media terrain, where there is an abundance of information from the expanding number of media sources, maintaining a free press is more important than ever. Media practitioners must work continually to build and maintain public trust and preserve the power of freedom of information.
Malpractice alert
The alarm raised by an orthopaedic surgeon at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital should trigger an immediate audit to check the source and integrity of components used in transplant surgeries. This should not be limited to the North West Regional Health Authority but the entire public health system.
The potential for severe health consequences for patients implanted with mismatched or defective components is just too great for this matter to be swept aside simply on the promise of an investigations.
Empowering our girls
Today some tech savvy T&T girls will join with counterparts across the Caribbean to celebrate Girls in ICT Day. They will have an immersive experience in technology, taking part in the second edition of Caribbean Hackathon, a female-driven initiative facilitated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). This is a worthwhile effort which encourages girls to pursue studies in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics.
