The Media Association of T&T (MATT) takes note of the AG’s comments on the recently held seminar on communications with some concern.

The Attorney General Reginald Amour was speaking at an event convened by the Public Relations Association of TT on Wednesday, which was hosted by the Government of TT and to which journalists were invited to offer perspectives.

Each of these parties represents a particular interest, but the journalist is most directly responsible to and held accountable by the public consumers of its news product.

In the environment of an audience and with the enticement of a podium, it would not be out of line to acknowledge that the AG was being deliberately provocative in his statements, which challenged the role of journalism as The Fourth Estate and questioned the role of bloggers and social media comment in the context of the responsibilities of journalists.

MATT suggests that the AG consider that journalism is the result of the work of journalists and is as plainly evident to the casual observer as the difference between informed legal opinion and rum shop opinions.

MATT has acted to represent the journalist collective in Trinidad and Tobago for more than three and a half decades and has acknowledged the information dissemination role that PR practitioners play and the presence of bloggers attracting audiences with journalism and journalism adjacent commentary through a non-voting role in the association.

In that regard, MATT is willing to provide oversight and guidance to these practitioners who align with its core principles and constitution.

MATT upholds the principle that the practice and practitioners of journalism are well-equipped and more than capable of self-policing their own work without the need for regulation, government oversight or any other unwelcome effort to constrain the free expression guaranteed by the TT constitution to its citizens.

The AG’s enthusiasm for the idea of regulation is not shared by MATT, which operates on principles of professional persuasion and formally stands against any effort or inference by the government or its representatives in the practice of independent journalism.

MATT further believes that recent judgements in local courts demonstrate that existing legal regimes can address the most outrageous abuses of free speech.

For his part, the AG might wish to convey to his colleagues in Cabinet the value of operating with greater transparency and accessibility, allowing journalist to report fairly and without political obfuscation.