APNU Chairman Aubrey Norton Called Upon to Apologize for Carol Smith Joseph's Outburst Towards news Reporter
Joseph started her apology by addressing Garnett directly and acknowledging her behavior. She said, "As woman to another woman, I wish to apologize for my outburst when Ms. Tamica Garnett called me yesterday on my personal and private phone." However, Joseph did not stop there and went on to criticize the Guyana Chronicle, where Garnett works, accusing the newspaper
of being biased towards the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP). She referred to the Chronicle as a "political rag" that supports "trumped-up charges" against the APNU's political opponents and supports the "dictatorial" PPP regime.
Joseph also stated that she could not be respectful to the Chronicle, which she believes promotes the PPP's oppression of the people of Guyana. She argued that she respected all women but cannot tolerate the newspaper's actions.
The Guyana Press Association (GPA) issued a statement calling on APNU's Chairman and leader of the People's National Congress (PNC), Aubrey Norton, to issue a public apology to Garnett and assure media members that his party would not subject them to such acrimonious and indecent outbursts by any of its members or supporters, especially at the senior level.
The GPA condemned the attack on Garnett, calling it a "dastardly and pathetic expletive-laced attack" by a senior political operative of APNU and PNC. Based on Garnett's account and recording, the GPA accused Carol Joseph of using indecent language to reject Garnett's request for information.
The GPA believes that this incident marks a new low in the relationship between the media and the political directorate in Guyana. They accused both the PPP and the PNC/APNU of transgressions against the media, making it a common feature of both political parties.
The GPA warned that failure by the PNC to apologize would make Norton complicit at minimum. They called for fair and balanced coverage in keeping with international standards, recognizing the diverse ownership and influence in a number of media houses. They condemned any attack on media workers in the execution of their duties and argued that media workers in the state media are subjected to more than just editorial control. They also warned that the psychological attack on Garnett puts journalists and other media workers at greater risk while performing their duties.
In conclusion, the incident involving Carol Joseph's indecent language towards Tamica Garnett has caused outrage and condemnation from various media organizations and journalists. The Guyana Press Association has called on APNU's Chairman and leader of the People's National Congress, Aubrey Norton, to publicly apologize and assure media members that his party would not subject them to such acrimonious and indecent outbursts by any of its members or supporters, especially at the senior level. The GPA believes that this incident marks a new low in the relationship between the media and the political directorate in Guyana and warns that any attack on media workers in the execution of their duties puts journalists and other media workers at greater risk.
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