Freedom of the Press - Guyana (2005)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 27 April 2005 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Guyana (2005), 27 April 2005, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/47345166c.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Free
Legal Environment: 4
Political Influences: 9
Economic Pressures: 10
Total Score: 23
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 63
Religious Groups: Christian (50 percent), Hindu (35 percent), Muslim (10 percent), other (5 percent)
Ethnic Groups: East Indian (50 percent), black (36 percent), Amerindian (7 percent), other (7 percent)
Capital: Georgetown
The constitution of Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, provides for freedom of speech and of the press, rights that are generally respected in practice. There were no reports of prior restraint of the media in 2004, although police harassment of journalists is an occasional problem. Several independent newspapers operate freely, including the dailies Stabroek News and Kaaietuer News, and even the government-owned daily, the Guyana Chronicle, covers a broad spectrum of political and nongovernmental groups. The government owns and operates the country's sole radio station, which broadcasts on three frequencies. There are no private radio stations, and the government has argued that it cannot issue radio licenses because of a lack of enabling legislation. More than a dozen privately owned television stations freely criticize the government. For example, in 2004 the Guyanese media offered ample coverage of a scandal involving allegations of extrajudicial executions carried out by the police and even accusations of a tie between a "death squad" and the country's home affairs minister. However, opposition party leaders, such as Robert Corbin of the People's National Congress/Reform, complain bitterly that they lack access to the state media. A growing number of journalists also charge the government with failure to respect freedom of the electronic media.
