PROFESSOR REX Nettleford, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), drew the ire of Roy Austin, the United States Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, for statements he made critical of the American President at the launch of activities for 'World Press Freedom Week' on Sunday night.
The event is being held in St. Augustine, Trinidad, under the auspices of the Commonwealth Journalists' Association (CJA), the UWI and the Conference of Caribbean Media.
Prof. Nettleford spoke of the impact of globalisation on the media network in the British Commonwealth. Among the issues raised was the converging of several media entities in the hands of a few conglomerates in the United States, Europe and Japan.
"The 'CNNisation' of consciousness is a media phenomenon as we well know, and despite the tenacious hold of BBC broadcasts on pockets of Commonwealth elites, the electronic media, with the opening up of galactic spheres and the communications technology revolution, have long captured many minds on the planet which are yet to escape the saga of Iraq and the missionary zeal of George Bush that is arguably the world's most dangerous weapon of mass distraction," Prof. Nettleford said, to thunderous applause and laughter.
HALF-BAKED TRUTHS
And in what many in the audience described as an 'undiplomatic' response from a United States representative, Ambassador Austin, who was down to address the audience as well, launched his attack. In his thick Caribbean accent, he accused Prof. Nettleford of presenting "half-baked truths" to "misguide" the public about President Bush. He cited as evidence of Bush's goodwill to poor Caribbean states, millions of dollars of U.S. assistance, including funds for fighting the deadly HIV/AIDS scourge. According to him, persons like Prof. Nettleford kept presenting statements that were unbalanced, giving a nuanced view of the reality.
He reprimanded the Caribbean media and politicians for not speaking out about the lack of press freedom in Cuba and said there was a crisis of credibility in journalism in the region. The Trinidad and Tobago media came in for a good dose of chastisement for not carrying a report sent to them by the ambassador. He used the opportunity to present the report in its entirety to the few people who remained to listen to him critise the Caribbean.
