Court cracking down on press freedom; Media houses summoned!
The editors of various news companies in the Virgin Islands including BVI News, Island Sun, BVI Beacon and BVI Platinum News have been summoned to appear in the High Court of Justice (Criminal Division) on July 24, 2015. The ‘Summons to Defendants’ did not state which judge will be presiding.
According to the Summons issued to Virgin Islands News Online, “Complaint has been made IN THE MATTER OF ALL CRIMINAL CASES BEFORE THE COURT, THAT all commentaries on articles on various websites shall be disabled for all matters under the court’s consideration until the final determination of matters.
All existing posted commentaries on ongoing trials should be removed from the online news site Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) in the island of Tortola in the Territory of the Virgin Islands.”
The same information was dispatched to the other media houses with their individual names placed in the Summons.
NDP Go’vt’s hostility to media & press freedom
The National Democratic Party (NDP) government has already been criticised of being hostile to the local press, especially to those who criticise their policies.
Certain ministers have often spent much time in the House of Assembly lambasting media houses, including one news outfit that continues to boldly report on issues affecting the Virgin Islands, often through information gathered from government ‘whistleblowers’.
One of the moves that drew much concern from certain sections of the VI as well as the international community was the hurried passing of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2014. This Bill has been criticised as seeking to suppress online media houses and put journalists in jail.
The Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Bill 2014 was passed in the House of Assembly on March 13, 2014.
While there were some amendments adopted prior to its passage, these were not substantial and did nothing to address the concerns of the local media.
Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA had raised the concern in the House of Assembly that the legislation may preclude media houses from publishing any information gained from “whistleblowers.”
“This Madame Speaker in my view is similar to the piece of information…the Auditor General’s Report on the Cruise Pier Project published in the online media. Am I seeing now that this becomes a crime under this Bill?” he had asked.
“Madame Speaker I can’t see how public servants are going to function now. With this Bill: what’s real and what’s imagined…the line is going to be blurred,” said Hon Fraser. “How do you get information now from the Public Service Madame Speaker? How do you know what information to give? And what is the problem with the document such as the one that was published on line – an Auditor General’s report being published in the media? What is the problem with that? Why all this secrecy Madame Speaker?” the now Opposition Leader Hon Fraser had also asked.
Freedom of Information Act catching dust
And while Government has hastily passed the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2014, it has failed to deliver on its many promises to bring the Freedom of Information Act before the House of Assembly.
Former Complaints Commissioner Mr Elton Georges recently raised the whip over the backs of legislators for failing to pay attention to those key documents necessary for the public to access certain information at free will in the name of transparency.
Mr Georges, speaking at an exit and welcome press conference on June 30, 2015 at the Office of the Complaints Commissioner, said he continues to take the view that freedom of information is an essential part of a modern governmental system and that the Virgin Islands should look at the drafted information law which has been gathering dust for some years now.
The Freedom of Information Act has been put on hold since 2005.
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18 Responses to “Court cracking down on press freedom; Media houses summoned!”
there is a distinction. I can understand disabling the comments because persons post all kinds of stuff, hearsay and opinion and the like which, if it comes to the attention of the jury could affect their deliberation.