Foreign Affairs & Great Belize Television Respond to Press Incident at CARICOM Inter-Sessional

This evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement about an incident today at the CARICOM Inter-Sessional Meeting in San Pedro in which a reporter alleges she was being discriminated against and muzzled by the ministry. The M.F.A. says that prior to coverage of the event; the Government of Belize Press Office briefed the media as to the rules that would be applied as provided by the CARICOM Secretariat. All attending media houses were informed that because of the nature of the summit, and the fact that the region’s leaders would be present, security would be heightened.  All media houses were told the areas at the conference site where they would have access, and areas where they would not be allowed access. One reporter, however, entered a no-access area on Monday.  She falsely claimed she had gotten permission from the CARICOM Secretariat.  She had not. On Tuesday, there was a repeat incident and that reporter and cameraman entered the breakfast area where the delegates were having meetings. She was asked again to leave the area. The M.F.A. says they regret the decision by her media house to “play victim and cry foul with extreme sensationalism. In Belize, as in every region of the world, there are rules and protocols which govern meetings of this type”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says “We reiterate that members of the media are present at the Summit and will have full access to the delegates in areas and at times specified”. This evening the U.D.P. Secretariat called for the removal of Press Office Director Mike Rudon in what they termed preferential treatment of Channel Five. As a point of clarification to the U.D.P. Press Release, Great Belize Productions has offered video production, broadcast and streaming services to international agencies, governmental, non-governmental, and private businesses for decades. Our productions have earned several distinctions in the region through the Caribbean Broadcasting Union. This production department is a separate function from the News Department. But for context, News Five has accredited two persons to cover the CARICOM Inter-Sessional event as press. As per the protocol in such high-level events, our reporters were briefed as to designated areas and events where they would be able to access visiting dignitaries. One of our reporters was also removed this morning from an area of the conference, alongside other reporters at that location.