MAY 15

The Media Workers' Association of Grenada (MWAG) views with grave concern the recent attempts by Government to intimidate the local media.

MWAG is deeply concerned about the threat of legal action against media houses for broadcasting or publishing the contents of a press conference held by the Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday May 10, 2004.

The Leader of the Opposition said they planned to quiz the Government about the contents of a recent article by Offshore Alert which accused the Prime Minister of allegedly receiving money from a fraudster.

However, in a release issued by the Government through the Government Information Service, it warns that if media houses proceed to publish the contents of the article, "the full force of the law will be brought to bear against anyone responsible or associated with the publication of this story".

MWAG believes it is inappropriate for the Government to issue bold threats of legal action and views this as an attempt to censor the media in Grenada.

The association also notes Grenada's signatory to the principles of the declaration of Chapultepec which denounces prior censorship, restrictions on the circulation of the media or dissemination of their reports, arbitrary management of information, the imposition of obstacles to the free flow of news, and restrictions on the activities and movements of journalists directly contradicts freedom of the press.