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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
NASSAU, The Bahamas - The Bahamas Press Club joins our colleagues around the world in marking World Press Freedom Day, Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016, with the theme, “Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms – This Is Your Right”.
This year’s theme aligns with one of the Press Club’s main objectives, which is to see a Freedom of Information Act passed in The Bahamas. We note the present efforts by the government to move that process along, however, we maintain that the Act is long overdue and the tardiness of the government in seriously addressing this matter is unacceptable as even with best efforts the actual implementation date is closer to two years away.
In celebration of World Press Freedom Day, The Bahamas Press Club’s monthly meeting will feature Guyanese-Canadian Citizen Journalist, John “Ish” Ishmael, known for his often controversial positions on social issues, such as “Poverty is a Political Decision,” and using Citizen Journalism to enhance the public’s access to critical information. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 3rd, 6:30pm, in the Harry Oakes Boardroom, British Colonial Hilton Hotel.
World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. It is an opportunity to: celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; assess the state of press freedom throughout the world; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Windhoek Declaration was a call to arms to protect the fundamental principles of the freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
The Bahamas Press Club subscribes to the belief in the connection between a fully independent press and a successful democracy.
In 2016, World Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones:
* The 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland
* The 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles
* The year 2016 is also the first year of the 15 year life-cycle of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This year’s WPFD focuses on three different aspects of press freedom:
* Freedom of information as a fundamental freedom and as a human right;
* Protecting press freedom from censorship and surveillance overreach; and,
* Ensuring safety for journalism online and offline.
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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