Sections of the regional media have expressed deep disappointment with the failure of Guyana's President, Bharrat Jagdeo, to resolve a dispute over the suspension of state-agency advertisements in the independent Stabroek newspaper.

"The current unfair and undesirable situation of a total withdrawal of advertisements ... could objectively be viewed by independent observers as having the effect of subverting the commercial viability of the newspaper, and by extension, resulting in a press freedom problem," said a statement from a Caribbean media delegation headed by Harold Hoyte of One Caribbean Media Limited, in Barbados.

"We do not consider it the obligation of the Guyana Government, or any government for that matter, to subsidise any newspaper with advertisements that must be paid for from the national treasury," the statement said.

Suspended advertisements

In November last year, the Guyana Government suspended the placement of advertisements in the newspaper for being critical of the administration, an action which has been condemned by the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA). The Guyana Government also accused the newspaper of fostering the development of a new political party.

In an effort to strike a practical resolution, and conscious of the President's strongly expressed views on what his administration considers unfair and hostile journalism from Stabroek News, the media delegation in February offered an initiative to help end a controversy that could be viewed as a threat to press freedom. Mr. Jagdeo had promised a positive response within two months. He was then asked to reduce the time to one month.

No positive response

"That time has now passed and no positive response has come, even after we indicated that we would have to make a public statement of failure to effect a timely settlement," said the statement from the delegation.

The statement added: "Even now ... having been disappointed by the Government's failure to take up our offer to help in the creation of a system of advertising distribution that could resolve the problem, we look forward to an urgent announcement by President Jagdeo on the renewal of government and state corporation advertising to Stabroek News.

"We take this opportunity to thank the Stabroek News for its cooperation during the past two months, and the President of Guyana for his frankness as well as the consistency of the courtesies he extended to us.

"We urge both sides to work towards reconciliation by refraining from the use of extreme or confrontational measures, since the economic security and general welfare of an entire population could well be disrupted."