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Title: EASTERN CARIBBEAN-MEDIA: The Gospel According to the
Government by Patrick Smikle

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, Nov 30 (IPS) - It has always been a useful
tactic for radio stations in the Caribbean to mind what they say
or do not say about their governments.
But now, with so many administrations apparently on the warpath,
radio stations will likely have to practice even more self-
censorship.

Albert Deterville, owner and operator of Radyo Koulibwi (St.
Lucian creole for Radio Hummingbird) found out first hand last
week how dangerous it is to be perceived as anti-government in
that tiny eastern Caribbean island.

Last Thursday an official of the Ministry of Communication,
accompanied by an armed police officer, arrived at the small FM
station with an order for it to cease broadcasting immediately.

Deterville resisted for two days, saying he did not intend to see
his 185,000 U.S. dollar investment ''go down the drain.'' But by
Sunday, the Koulibwi was silent.

Deterville had operated the station for more than five years on a
temporary license and had consistently sought to acquire longer
term operating permission.

The government's licensing authority gave no reason for rejecting
his application, but it is widely felt that the closure of
Koulibwi was not unconnected to its popular telephone call-in
programme on which the government and other elements of the St.
Lucian establishment often came in for sharp criticism.

President of the St. Lucia Media Workers Association (SLMWA)
Embert Charles, says that despite the station's limited reach,
the government was concerned about its potential to provide an
avenue for public dissent.

Koulibwi was the only creole language station on the island and
Charles said, with this kind of access ''you're inviting a
particular sector of the society who in very graphic terms will
say exactly what they feel and how they feel, as opposed to the
sort of more sophisticated English speakers who might be more
tempered.''

Radyo Koulibwi gave air time too to groups such as the National
Youth Council which has strong anti-establishment positions on a
number of issues. Koulibwi, he said ''was giving access to
viewpoints which are not normally welcomed elsewhere.''

The John Compton administration in St. Lucia has a history of
heavy-handed responses to media criticism. The closure of Radio
St. Lucia for several months, a year ago, is but one example.

Other administrations around the Caribbean have also earned
reputations similar to Compton's. The situation is particularly
grave given the fact that the majority of radio stations in the
sub-region are owned by governments.

During his tenure as Information Minister in the government of
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Parnell Campbell often issued
directives to the news and programmes staff at Radio 705. One of
these directed that government releases should be aired as
received and not edited.
Former Radio 705 news director Theresa Daniels remembers
Campbell's predecessor Burton Williams coming to the station to
vet the major mid-day news bulletin before it was aired.

Of the two radio stations which are the main sources of news in
Antigua, one is owned by the Lester Bird administration and the
other by Bird's family.

The launching of Antigua-Barbuda's latest political party, the
People's Democratic Movement (PDM) received extensive coverage
from the Barbados-based Caribbean News Agency and the British
Broadcasting Corporation's Overseas Service through its 'BBC
Caribbean Report' new programme. In Antigua, broadcast media
largely ignored the event.

Last August the Communications Advisor to the New national Party
(NNP) government Terry Forrester instructed news staff at the
Grenada Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) that news of a political
nature must be cleared with him before being broadcast.

Journalists protested and weeks later major personnel changes
were carried out including the removal of the news director to a
newly created and largely administrative post. His replacement
was a known NNP activist.

The same thing happened in Dominica in October.

In St. Kitts-Nevis following the Jul. 3 change of government
Labour Party activist Lement Liburd Jr took charge of state-owned
ZIZ Radio and Television. Although Liburd's official position is
media advisor to the government, he conducts most major news
interviews, often presents the news casts, anchors all live
political broadcasts and hosts the radio station's only current
affairs call-in programme.
Although regional experts charge government interference each
administration has denied the charges and has pointed out that
opposition parties and dissenting views are given regular voice
on the state-owned media stations.

For instance Grenada's Forrester said the NNP government is
committed to freedom of expression through the media. ''We
believe firmly that if you try to stifle a people, if you try to
stifle any particular organisation, you can only create problems
for your own self.''

But Vincentian political scientist Dr Adrian Frazer, says the
current manoeuvrings is a reflection of the political culture. He
says that because governments regard the media and especially
radio as an important communications vehicle they invariably seek
to staff state media with persons sympathetic to their own
viewpoints.

Newly elected governments feel they can ensure adequate coverage
of their policies by replacing those who had served previous
regimes.

''The temptation to interfere is too strong to be resisted by
most governments,'' says veteran Trinidadian journalist George
John.

John, who sat on the boards of two state-owned broadcast media in
the 1970s, says that non-interference is too much to expect in
small countries where governments are so close to the people.

''And even if there is no overt interference, boards and
journalists often behave as if there is some, they censor
themselves.''

Neither Frazer nor Charles expect a relaxation of government
control of regional radio stations. With the region still largely
oral and because of the reach, flexibility and immediacy of
radio, politicians will go to desperate lengths to control the
medium, Charles notes. (end/ips/cr/ps/da/95)

Origin: Kingston/EASTERN CARIBBEAN-MEDIA/
                              ----         [c] 1995, InterPress

________________________________________________________
Bruce Girard
Email: bgirard@pi.pro.ec or amarcbg@web.apc.org
Tel: +(593-2) 525-521    Fax: +(593-2) 542-818
Avenida America 3584, Casilla 17-01-1171, Quito, Ecuador