Addressing a news conference at the Telecom Authority’s (TATT) headquarters in San Juan yesterday, TATT chairman Khalid Hassanali recalled that the authority held a series of consultations with stakeholders between April and May on a draft broadcasting code, and would use the "valuable feedback" from those consultations in redrafting the code.

He said a joint consultative team (comprising all stakeholders) would be established to ensure the widest national participation in the framing of the final version of the code.

TATT deputy chairman Cagney Cassimire said five public consultations have been held throughout the country since May, and the authority is optimistic of awarding a consultancy by mid-November to guide the process forward.

Cassimire also indicated that TATT is working towards producing a documented form of the new code by April 2006 for approval by the Ministry of Public Administration and Information. He added that once approval is obtained, Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith would be in a position to take the new code to Parliament for approval.

Recalling previous concerns raised by broadcasters about the code infringing on the freedom of the press, Cassimire said this constitutional right would be protected in the new code. Hassanali said TT was in a unique situation in the world in terms of broadcast codes because of the cultural, ethnic and other diversities in this country. In that context, Hassanali said TT could not take a code "from another country and merely implement it here or large portions of it." He explained that this was why TATT was going through an extensive process of public consultation in order to establish a national broadcast code which was suitable for TT.

Cassimire and Hassanali both indicated that freedom of the press in any nation was not a one-way street, and while the new code will guarantee the constitutional right of freedom of the press, it will also ensure that local journalists exercise responsibility to the public in the conduct of their duties.

Cassimire said concerns about radio talk show hosts using their programmes to pursue agendas that were political or racially divisive to the society were dealt with under the old code through certain terms and conditions which were clearly outlined both in the Telecommunications Act 2001 and in all broadcasters’ licences.

He said broadcasters should clearly state the nature of their programmes at the start of their broadcast, religiously adhere to it and the same regulations would be maintained in the new code.

Hassanali said TATT’s move to establish a new broadcast code is not an admission that the existing code was flawed, but simply a way of developing the code to meet the changing needs of the population. The TATT chairman declared that the authority will do all in its power to continue to protect freedom of the press in TT, but this must be balanced by journalists’ recognition of the equally fundamental right of citizens to privacy and the protection of their reputations.