PM: Seditious libel to be quashed

FIVE months after the ruling National Democratic Congress approved legislation to repeal criminal libel, Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has disclosed that his government also plans to remove seditious libel as a criminal offence.

“Not long from now, we are also going to repeal seditious libel because we understand the history and background of those laws,” Thomas told media workers, while addressing the 7th annual Media Workers’ Association Awards on Sunday night.

Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.

“We want to reflect a Caribbean culture, reflecting the aims and culture of our people,” he said, without disclosing how soon such legislation will be taken to Parliament, which held its last session in July 2012 and is presently prorogued.

The offence of seditious libel can be slapped on someone who incites rebellion against the state.

Prime Minister Thomas also warned local journalists to be true to their profession and not engage in political activities while trying to inform the population about the socio-economic development of the island.

He said that his administration has always favoured press freedom and had in fact adopted measures to ensure that journalists are given full support in carrying out their functions.

“We felt journalists needed more space to do investigative journalism and we repealed the criminal libel laws,” he said, noting that his administration had also made overtures to develop with the relevant bodies here a media policy for the island.

“If there is any foot dragging on getting a media policy going, it is not Government; we are committed to it, we recognise the importance of the role of the media.”

Meanwhile, Vice President of the Association of Caribbean Media, Peter Richards, told the Grenadian journalists that the regional media fraternity must be prepared to speak with one voice should Caribbean governments seek to use the Lord Leveson report to suit their individual circumstances.

“I urge our media workers, not only in Grenada, to follow these developments in Britain because as the night follows day, we may see some of our Caribbean governments deciding to pick up on some of the recommendations in a bid to further stifle the free press in the region,” Richards said.

In his report, Lord Justice Leveson looks into the culture, practice and ethics of the British press following various accusations. The eight-month inquiry heard from victims of media intrusion, including Hugh Grant, Charlotte Church and the family of murdered Millie Dowler.

Lord Justice Leveson has condemned decades of “outrageous” behaviour by newspapers as he urged the Government to set up a new media watchdog underpinned by legislation. (LS)