World Press Freedom Day

The Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago joins with other journalists and media workers around the world in celebrating World Press Freedom Day.
Freedom of the press, a right enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is something that most of us take for granted.
The World Association of Newspapers announced today that a total of 110 journalists were killed in the line of duty across the globe in 2006, while Reporters without Borders reports that so far for 2007, 24 journalists have lost their lives and 190 journalists and cyber dissidents have been imprisoned.
While none of these deaths occurred in our twin island republic, we are still concerned about several local incidents in which journalists have been threatened, or physically attacked. We are particularly concerned that our rights as journalists are at risk of being infringed in an election year.
We see any attack against media workers as disturbing, and a direct threat to our democracy.
MATT is of the belief that without a free press, there cannot be true democracy.
It is for this reason we are concerned about the new draft constitution and the vague language that surrounds the issue of press freedom.
The Media Association will be meeting with Sir Ellis Clarke in the near future to air these concerns and seek clarification.
MATT is calling on all journalists and media workers to actively work to protect these rights and also to remember our responsibility to our publics to provide fair and balanced coverage of local and global events.