In the lead-up to national elections, state-employed journalists in Guyana are being asked to do more than just report the news; they’re being called on to actively promote the government’s “One Guyana” initiative.
Minister of Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, made this clear during a media training session on Saturday, where he told workers from state media agencies that they have a responsibility to echo the government’s message of unity and cohesion. While stressing the need for fair and ethical reporting, McCoy was just as firm in his expectation that state media align themselves with the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C)’s vision.
“We have a responsibility as media, and particularly the State media, to ensure that we are always promoting unity; we are always promoting things in keeping with the vision of the government, its programmes and policies,” McCoy said.
This framing, that state journalists should serve as messengers for the government’s political agenda, highlights a deeper and ongoing tension in Guyana’s media landscape. In countries with publicly funded news outlets, state media often face pressure to reflect the government’s stance. But in Guyana, where racial tensions frequently influence politics and voter behaviour, the stakes are even higher.
Saturday’s training, attended by some of Guyana’s most experienced journalists, focused on ethics, accuracy, journalist safety, and the role of the press in protecting democracy, a timely theme given the country’s history of racially charged elections.
McCoy called on state journalists to reject race-baiting tactics by political parties and instead push narratives that support social cohesion. “The ethnic question becomes very important; it is something we have been fighting in this country for many years, and at election time, somehow it gets elevated,” he said.
While McCoy acknowledged that political parties are entitled to their views, he made it clear that the State media’s duty is to hold the line against content that could incite division. His message was both a warning and a directive: stay away from amplifying racial rhetoric, and instead promote a unified front under the government’s ‘One Guyana’ banner.
That message raises questions about the role of the press in a democracy. Independent media are expected to hold the government to account, not serve as its mouthpiece. Yet, McCoy repeatedly framed alignment with government messaging as a patriotic duty.
He also touched on the issue of journalist safety, acknowledging that tensions could rise during the campaign period. “Your safety is paramount… we will, by virtue of the State apparatus and other measures, work to ensure that the safety more or less is assured,” he said.
Citing the turbulent 2020 election, McCoy praised the media’s role in upholding democracy during that period. “It was the journalists who helped to highlight the situation around the attempts to rig the elections by the previous government,” he said.
As the 2025 elections approach, state journalists now face a complex balancing act. On one hand, they are expected to uphold journalistic ethics, report accurately, and avoid inflammatory content. On the other, they’re being told to promote a political vision and amplify the government’s agenda. Whether those two mandates can truly coexist, especially in a country where race and politics are so tightly intertwined remains to be seen.
