The latest journalistic scandal involving Express reporter Anika Gumbs, who has benefitted from government contracts, has prompted PNM MP for St Joseph Terrence Deyalsingh to issue special advice to media practitioners.
He said, “Journalists must have a very distant relationship with the politics of the day to maintain objectivity.”
Speaking at a cottage meeting held at Jarvis Street, Vistabella, on Saturday night, Deyalsingh said the institution of the free press has been tampered with by the People’s Partnership government. Saying every independent institution including the Judiciary, the Police Service and the Constitution has fallen, Deyalsingh said it was now up to the PNM to rebuild faith in these institutions. He said after Independence the government’s policies were all based on morals, ethics and principles.
However, since the PP took office, Deyalsingh said, corruption has been the order of the day.
“Never before in the history of the Commonwealth has there been a government whose DNA in all ministries have been corruption. This is a totally corrupt government,” Deyalsingh contended.
He added that the PNM now has to embark “not on building a nation, but on rebuilding confidence in all institutions vandalized by the UNC.”
“Every institution has been vandalised starting with the Constitution when they wanted to bring about Section 34,” Deyalsingh said. He added, “The upper echelons of the Police Service has been tampered with and I made no apologies for saying that. We have good officers here but the upper echelons of the Police Service have become compromised, just like the Constitution. The Judiciary and the DPP’s office have also been tampered with and the media has been tampered with,” Deyalsingh said.
He added, “I have a special word of advice for the media. In a western democratic society a free unfettered media is the bulwark against tyranny of any government. I am putting it to you that media is supposed to report to you on social and political issues but when I look at news stories about Dr Keith Rowley, the media no longer carries the news, the media is now the news. I cannot agree with that in 2015.”
He said it was important for practitioners to be wary of being used by the government.
Meanwhile, PNM candidate for San Fernando West Faris Al-Rawi said the allegations made by Gumbs against Dr Rowley is being perused by a team of attorneys.
Saying the PNM will focus on the facts, Al-Rawi refused to speculate about whether Gumbs was paid by the UNC to concoct a sexual harassment story against the Opposition leader.
“We are looking at everything. Today I was asked whether it was coincidence that she received State contracts but I won’t speculate. We are doing homework and in due course we will deal with this situation. We are not an irresponsible bunch of people to make wild allegations. What we have done is refute the allegations made conclusively and say that it is a tissue of lies. We have Rowley’s instructions to prosecute his defence and good name at all points,” Al-Rawi said.
He added, “Dr Rowley has the record of being unblemished and has been the victor in every case that he has brought before the court. He the recipient of millions of dollars which were paid to him by people that persist in defaming him. We are looking at all positions and everybody who engages in these actions will be dealt with.”
Gumbs resigned on Friday stating that she was “mentally scarred” and “traumatised” by “an unfortunate experience” with Rowley.
In her resignation letter dated August 7, 2015 addressed to Express editor-in-chief Omatie Lyder, Gumbs stated that during a visit to Rowley’s Diego Martin home on April 20 to pursue a story she was “astonished” to see he was bareback. She also said that Rowley asked to be her personal body guard outside her bedroom and removed a honey bee from her clothes.
Gumbs said on a previous visit to Rowley’s home on April 9, he touched her on her back and asked if she had a tattoo of a map on it. In January, she said Rowley told her she was looking rosy.
Gumbs has not explained why she waited to resign three months after the alleged incidents occurred or why she did not report the matter to the police.