The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) has expressed concern about a push by St. Vincent and the Grenadines to address legitimate issues associated with harmful online content through legislation.
The ACM said that such a move “tramples on important principals associated with freedom of expression and freedom of the press”, noting that some of its international partners, including the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters without Borders, and the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD), have recently addressed in fair detail offending sections of the Cybercrime Bill of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Previously, the Reporters without Borders wrote St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, calling for the revision of several clauses of the Bill, which it said “are extremely damaging to the free flow of news and information and to public debate.”
However in his response, Prime Minister Gonsalves said that “substantial amendments” to the bill have already been made at the Select Committee and its report to Parliament will show these amendments.
