Media law will balance
reporting, says Minister
WILLEMSTAD--The draft media law will be about finding a balance between freedom of speech and right of privacy as stated in international human rights treaties, as stated in article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Education Minister Omayra Leeflang stressed in the Central Committee meeting on Tuesday that the draft media law has nothing to do with a witch hunt against media houses in the Netherlands Antilles.
She said as well that in media on the Windward Islands, there exists the wrong perception that the new draft media law proposes that radio stations should apply for a new licence every year. “The licence will be issued for five years as is the case right now,” she said.
Another wrong perception, according to Leeflang, was that for each radio programme, a separate licence is needed. “That’s not true,” she said.
The Minister had requested a Central Committee meeting to respond to statements by Curaçao media workers association Prensa Uní president Samantha Nicolas. It was in this meeting Leeflang believed that erroneous impressions were created by the Prensa Uní that the Minister was on a witch hunt and that the proposed law would infringe on freedom of the press and freedom of speech.
The MAN political faction left the meeting because it did not believe it was necessary that the Minister should come to Parliament to react to statements of the press association.
“The Minister had sent the draft law to Parliament and we discussed it with her. Prensa Uní stated its point of view on the matter. We don’t see why the Minister should get the opportunity to react to what Prensa Uní stated,” MAN parliamentarian Dwigno Puriel stated.
MAN proposal was rejected and the three MAN parliamentarians left the meeting. However, PNP Member of Parliament Faroe Metry, supported Leeflang’s draft law completely. He went page by page through the Prensa Uní presentation in Parliament and several questions.
According to Metry, there is no balance between freedom of the press and international human rights, as stated in article 12 of the ECHR. “The press has been affecting private lives of persons and families,” he said.
He refuted the claim that the existing laws give enough protection to citizens against slander or unwanted publication. “Politicians hardly ever win in court because the judge always indicates that public figures such as politicians should be able to take criticism and that they should give their side of the story in the media,” he said.
He continued: “As one’s rights keep getting smaller, the rights of others, the press, keeps getting wider.”
Finally, he said a good foundation should be built for responsible journalism and suggested that a school of journalism should be opened. Leeflang replied that while she too believes that a school of journalism has to be established, it was something that has to be looked at in the context of constitutional renewal.
She indicated furthermore that the draft law was prepared with the necessary care and that the Advisory Council in its 2006 annual report stated that they review all draft laws whether they comply with laws of a higher order.
She also noted that there have been several calls to regulate the media.
She quoted from a 2005 article in the Curaçao based newspaper Antilliaans Dagblad in which Judge Bob Wit was quoted as saying that it was dangerous that prison inmates could vent their opinions without any restrictions in the press.
She quoted as well from another Antilliaans Dagblad 2006 article in which a “veteran journalist” said that there was no media law and that anyone can start doing media like it’s a hobby.
The Minister, as she has been doing for years, criticised the airing of songs using obscene language that, according to her, have become very normal. She said that currently there are no laws to prevent transmission of songs containing pornographic lyrics.
She criticised also the type of pictures used on the front pages of newspapers and pointed out that while the media tried to regulate this matter itself, certain newspapers did not cooperate alleging that their revenues had suffered.
