May 10 - The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) has been invited by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica to participate in upcoming public consultations on a Draft Broadcast Bill.

This came as Skerrit met with ACM President, Wesley Gibbings, in Roseau last Saturday.

There has been concern that proposed new legislation would have the impact of placing limits on free speech in the broadcast media.

However, Skerrit told Gibbings he had no intention of doing anything to muzzle the media. He said the ACM would be welcome to contribute to national debate on the proposed legislation which is about to be put out for public discussion.

The Prime Minister and Gibbings also discussed the recent furore generated by his use of the word
“treason” to describe the actions of an unnamed Dominican journalist. He expressed regret that the
word had been used.

The Prime Minister also pledged his support for any activity convened by the ACM to help enhance
professional standards in the Dominican media.

Gibbings said he was encouraged by what he had heard from the Prime Minister. He said he had conveyed to Mr Skerrit the ACM’s position on restrictive media legislation and expressed concern that verbal attacks on journalists can have unintended harmful consequences.

Gibbings described the discussions as “frank and open” and thanked the Prime Minister for treating his
request for a meeting with “obvious seriousness and urgency.”