(CEMESP/IFEX) – Several journalists, under the banner of the Concerned Publishers of Liberia, have chided the government of Liberia for reportedly handing out large sums of money, consisting of cheques to the tune of US$500 each, to media institutions as a Christmas gift. They said the money was contained in the Christmas card delivered to […]
(CEMESP/IFEX) – Several journalists, under the banner of the Concerned Publishers of Liberia, have chided the government of Liberia for reportedly handing out large sums of money, consisting of cheques to the tune of US$500 each, to media institutions as a Christmas gift.
They said the money was contained in the Christmas card delivered to media institutions by the Executive Mansion.
In a statement issued on 27 December 2006 in Monrovia, the publishers termed this act a “clever attempt to undermine the credibility of the independent media, thereby diverting the attention of the media from independently and fairly reporting . . . events in the country.”
They described the move by the Executive Mansion as a paradox in that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who recently accused Liberian journalists of being “chequebook journalists”, could today engage in the issuance of cheques to media institutions under the guise of presenting Christmas gifts.
The journalists noted that there is no allocation in the present national budget for media support; hence, they questioned the source of the large amounts disbursed to media houses by the office of the president.
The publishers said such a gesture is a “trap” set by the government. “The acceptance of such gifts contravenes professional journalism,” they pointed out.
The publishers have meanwhile assured the Liberian public that despite these attempts to manipulate the media, they will remain uncompromising in discharging their duties and exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression.
