St. George’s, July 27, 2010 (GIS) – Local and regional broadcasters and newspaper editors are meeting in Grenada to discuss the free movement of skilled persons and other issues related to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME)
This week’s workshop is organised by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which is trying to engage media workers in the attempt at “demystify the concepts of regional integration’’ and in spreading the positive messages and benefits of the CSME.
The featured address at the official opening of the workshop on Monday was delivered by Senator Arley Gill, Minister of State with responsibility for Information, Information and Communication Technology, and Culture.
Here is the text of the address delivered by Sen. Gill.
A pleasant good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and a warm welcome to our regional Brothers and Sisters who are visiting our Island Paradise to attend this week’s CARICOM/CSME Workshop for Broadcasters and Newspaper Editors. Let me, on behalf of Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas, who is the senior Minister of Information, and on behalf of the rest of the Government and people of Grenada, say how delighted we are to be your host for the next few days. Apart from representatives of the CARICOM Secretariat and CSME, I understand that among us are the Secretary General of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, Mr. Patrick Cozier; welcome, Mr. Cozier. And also Dr. Canute James, Director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communications; welcome, Dr. James.
Let me begin by reiterating Grenada’s unwavering commitment to regional integration. It is something that generations of Grenadian leaders have always championed. In fact, our own T.A. Marryshow was such as passionate advocate of regional unity, and worked so tirelessly in its cause, that he earned the name, “The Father of West Indian Federation.’’ Our current Prime Minister, too, is an unabashed regional integrationist. We are clear, crystal clear, that the survival and development of the Caribbean depend on us working closer together, and not separately as lone rangers. There are regional and international challenges that could only be overcome by a united approach. It is this context that Grenada welcomes the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
By and large, I believe that our politicians and those in academia are supportive of need for greater Caribbean unity and supportive of the objectives of the CSME. Where I have less confidence is in how much the mass of our people know and understand about current efforts at regional integration, whether it’s the recently signed OECS Economic Union or the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. Therefore, I embrace the initiative of the CARICOM Secretariat to embark on the Public Education series, which includes this week’s workshop in Grenada. And I want to take this opportunity to thank the European Development Fund for its financing which makes the workshop series possible.
It is impossible to reach our citizens, especially the working man and woman, without engaging the mass media – newspapers, TV and radio – and more and more now, the Internet; although radio still remains the most mobile medium, the most accessible and still highly popular in the Caribbean.
The mass media is important because as the organisers of this workshop point out, media workers – journalists, reporters and, in the case this week’s workshop, Broadcasters and Newspaper Editors – must be engaged in the ongoing efforts to “demystify the concepts of regional integration’’ and to communicate the positive messages of the advantages of the CSME.
To succeed, however, it is necessary to examine at the regional and local levels how information is shared and disseminated. News and information today are plentiful and moving at lightning speed. News and information, therefore, from the CARICOM Secretariat or the OECS Secretariat must be transmitted speedily, or must be easily and quickly accessible to those who need it for their news and feature programmes.
But our journalists, reporters and broadcasters also have a professional responsibility to keep abreast of all issues, including the CSME; it will put them in good stead to execute their sacred duties of educating the reading, listening and viewing public.
However, even where journalists, reporters and broadcasters have done their work, and have the best of intentions, most do not have the final say in what is published or what is aired on radio or TV. That area is the purview of editors, managers and media owners. Therefore, the success of public education on CSME and regional integration ought to also involve editors, managers and media owners. There must be buy in, and a change in mindset, from senior media officials and owners.
For example, traditionally news is presented in segments of Local, Regional and International. It is traditional that an item related to CARICOM is slotted into the Regional segment. Perhaps, we should reconsider such segmentation. Is free movement of skilled workers under the CSME a regional story or a local one? If it is treated as local, can our journalists, reporters, broadcasters and editors find a way to more consistently treat CARICOM as part of the home front; to sensitise their readers, viewers and listeners that CARICOM and the OECS are not something out there, but something that is meaningful to our daily lives and our future development, whether we live in Grenada, St. Lucia, Antigua, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat or some other country in the region. That, to me, is the major challenge facing our media workers, and the challenge which this week’s workshop is trying to overcome; the challenge for which solutions are being sought.
I wish you every success in your deliberations.
As the Minister responsible for Culture, it would be remiss of me to leave this room today without extending a special invitation to our visiting friends to enjoy the current cultural celebrations taking place across our nation. Carriacou has just launched its annual Regatta festival. Visit our beautiful Sister Island and partake in the events taking place there.
In Grenada, there are events at the parish level and, the Mother of all events, is our annual Carnival celebrations. Calypso tents are open, and so are mas’ camps and steel bands around Grenada are hard at practice. For those who are looking for something more serene, there are our many wonderful beaches and waterfalls to visit.
Whatever you do, enjoy Grenada and do return to visit. Thank you and may God bless you.
