- Attacks on press freedom around the world are intensifying, index reveals
While Caribbean countries maintained positive scores on this year’s World Press Freedom Index released Friday by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), St. Vincent, according to the report, continues to struggle with press freedom.
According to the report, SVG “struggled to maintain a strong press freedom record despite editorial censorship and growing political influence.”
The report noted that the same was true for the other five independent member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), namely Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts-Nevis.
RSF gave the sub-regional grouping total points of 62.83, jumping from the 93rd position last year to 68.
Jamaica was the highest-ranked Caribbean country at number 24, up from position 32 last year, amassing 77.3 points.
“In Jamaica, freedom of the press as a whole has continued to improve over the past two decades.” However, there is a growing gulf of distrust between government officials and the media that has contributed to a decline in institutional respect for press freedom,” RSF said.
With regards to Trinidad and Tobago, which scored 76.69 points and moved from 30th to 25th this year, RSF said, “Year after year, Trinidad and Tobago maintains its good record in terms of freedom of the press, even though there is still room for improvement.”
RSF, in its 2024 report, said a growing number of governments and political authorities are not fulfilling their role as guarantors of the best possible environment for journalism and for the public’s right to reliable, independent, and diverse news and information.
RSF sees a worrying decline in support and respect for media autonomy, as well as an increase in pressure from the state or other political actors.
