Integrity Commission chairman Ken Gordon and Dominic Kalipersad, group head of news at Caribbean Communications Ltd, a subsidiary of One Caribbean Media Ltd, have both said if the allegations made by Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley were true, they were horrifying.
They spoke to T&T Guardian yesterday in separate telephone interviews on the issues raised with regard to press freedom over the e-mails read by Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley, which purportedly revealed a smear campaign against T&T Guardian journalist Denyse Renne.
Gordon said the allegations present a “very disturbing development from any point of view,” and hoped their accuracy was quickly ascertained. He said the Integrity Commission at the moment could do very little since it was awaiting the appointment of four other commissioners. Gordon said he was awaiting word from the President on the appointments. The commission, he said, was prepared to look at the matter very seriously.
Kalipersad said: “If the allegations are true it reflects horrifyingly on whoever is responsible, in a country where press freedom is guaranteed.” He said further investigation is required since “it is impossible to conceive that anyone in authority will engage in action to endanger the lives of media professionals.” The media, he said, were the watchdogs of democracy and he hoped that was respected. “We will keep our eyes open,” he added.
Sunday Guardian editor Debra Wanser said no one from the Government had called her about the Section 34 stories last September. In one of the e-mails, the sender, “kamlapb1@gmail.com”, told the recipient, “anan@gmail.com”: “Did you see the article? I thought you had friends in the Guardian.” In another, “anan@gmail.com” told the recipients at captaingarygriffith@hotmail.com, roodal@tstt.net.tt and surujrambachan@tstt.net.tt: “Call the Sunday Guardian editor and threaten her with ads.”
But Wanser said: “No one from the Government ever called me or asked me to pull or suppress any story in connection with Section 34. “As far as I am concerned, the Government has its job to do and as an editor I have mine.”