MATT STATEMENT
The Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago is monitoring with serious concern the developing crisis at the Guardian Newspapers that is reportedly stems from political pressure , to soften the newspaper's editorial and investigative line.
Subsequently, publishers of the Guardian Newspaper sought to effect an editorial reshuffle in the newsroom, including the removal of Editor-in-Chief of the Guardian Newspaper, Ms Judy Raymond from the activities of her substantive post.
In protest of this action, several senior management executives and journalists have reportedly resigned.
These include the Guardian Newspaper's Managing Director Mr. Gabriel Faria and Mr. David Inglefield from his position as media sector head at the Ansa McAl group of companies, which holds substantial commercial interests across the local media industry.
Senior Journalists who have reportedly resigned in the wake of this interference include the Public Affairs editor Dr Sheila Rampersad and Investigative reporters Anika Gumbs and Denyse Renne.
We stand in support of our media colleagues some of whom are have had no professional choice but to resign from their posts, in protest of the attempt to intimidate editorial and managerial staff in this reshuffle and some of whom are now on the breadline.
MATT calls on fellow colleagues in the Media and civil society in general to consider these unfolding developments with alarm, and to stand together in the defense of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago's right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the constitution of Trinidad and Tobago.
MATT will release further information as it comes to hand and we urge both politicians and media owners to respect the right of press freedom which is enshrined in our Constitution .
MATT EXECUTIVE
This was followed by a verbal statement/interview given to the Guardian's sister station CNC3 by the same Managing Director Gabriel Faria named in the above statement, where he had cause to put a different spin on everything contained in the above statement except to acknowledge that at least two employees out of about (his words) a hundred and sixty had resigned. He debunked the idea that Ms. Raymond had cause to resign in protest over anything and that all of this was essentially some bad weather in a teacup and that she was in fact, happily reassigned to a new and more challenging post within the organization.
This, however, was contradicted by four words on Ms. Raymond's facebook account, four words that caused family, friends and co-workers to offer her strong words of comfort and support, four words that said - 'One Brief Shining Moment.'
So what DON'T we know?
Why was the Trinidad Guardian Editor Judy Raymond effectively reassigned?
What exactly is a 'robust editorial policy' and why would it take replacing the replacement Editor with the man she replaced so that she could personally work on that?
Why not just give it to him to do and save the headache of printing new call cards?
Why was her reassignment enough to cause some very seasoned and highly respected journalists and at least one Editor to resign their jobs in protest?
Why would her reassignment cause the Media Association of Trinidad & Tobago to put out a statement heavily critical of the Trinidad Guardian's management?
Were the News Sector Head and Managing Director fired and then un-fired?
Why would the statement put out by the Media Association be so severely contradicted by the Guardian's Managing Director in his own statement?
What, if anything all of this had to do with a particular Range Rover lease contracted to the state and allegedly driven by a Government Minister?
What, if anything, did any of this have to do with said vehicle being allegedly outfitted with blue lights and a siren that gave the appearance that it might be a police vehicle?
What if anything did this have to do with the Company that leased these vehicles to the state?
Why has the Media Association of Trinidad & Tobago not come out in defense of their own statement or, failing that, not retracted and offered a full apology to Guardian Media and to Managing Director Gabriel Faria, whom their statement makes a teller of untruths?
What, if anything, is all of this is a cover up for?
Stay very tuned, we already have further information on this that requires some further 'fact' checking before it can be placed in the public domain.
Until then I will say that i believe that what took place today was a serious attack on the freedom of the press and of journalistic independence and that we are not prepared to let that go by unchallenged.
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