CARIBBEAN

Trinidad and Tobago: In the 2nd Quarter of 2014, investigative journalists faced serious threats including death threats from the criminal underworld. These threats resulted in media organizations incurring significant security costs to try and secure the safety of its journalists. In one case, a senior reporter who had done a report on Trinidad-based Muslims training and travelling to Syria to fight with ISIS had to leave the country and go into hiding for several weeks due to a death threat. This situation has had a negative impact on the media’s ability to report on matters of grave public importance and is viewed as a serious threat to press freedom. The T&T media have continued to watch for developments related to proposed amendments to the powers of the Telecommunications Authority, a regulatory body comprising political appointees. The media industry, prepared to resist threats to its freedom and viability, also stands ready to draw upon international support as necessary. Jamaica and St. Vincent: There has not been any significant media development from the last meeting/report. Barbados: There has not been any significant media development from the last meeting/report.  The matter of criminal charges which were brought against the Publisher, Editor in Chief and News Editor of the Nation Newspapers is still pending.