The Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) and the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) have noted that the withdrawal of ads from Stabroek News by some 29 government ministries, agencies and state-owned corporations, which commenced in November 2006, continues.

Indeed, the boycott has been extended to ads placed by the auditor general, the police force and the Guyana Defence Force.

The MAJ and the PAJ said they deplore the continuation of this withdrawal of ads by the government of Guyana and condemn it as an attack on press freedom, designed to punish Stabroek News for its independence and critical editorial coverage of the government.

A breach of Principle

The associations said the action of the government of Guyana, in withdrawing ads from Stabroek News, constitutes a breach of Principle Seven of the Declaration of Chapultepec.

The declaration states: "The media and journalists should neither be discriminated against nor favoured because of what they write or say."

Guyana endorsed the declaration on the May 24, 2002.

"We call upon the government of Guyana to redeem itself, even at this late stage, and to reinstitute the placement of ads with the Stabroek News and trust that our regional leaders have thought it prudent to include this matter on the agenda for the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, now under way in Nassau, Bahamas," the associations said.