Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC has strongly criticized Guardian Media Limited, accusing the media house of attempting to deflect attention from allegations raised by one of its former journalists.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Prime Minister described Guardian Media and its associates as a “laughing stock,” claiming the organization had failed to properly address concerns raised by former senior investigative journalist Joshua Seemungal and the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago, MATT.
Mrs. Persad-Bissessar said the company has been used to smear and damage the reputations of individuals, businesses, and organizations, while accusing the company of provoking racial and religious divisions.
The Prime Minister added that the media organization is driven by what she described as special interests and economic greed.
Her comments come after MATT publicly called on Guardian Media Limited to respond to serious allegations made by Mr. Seemungal following his resignation from the company.
In its statement, MATT urged GML’s leadership to address concerns surrounding editorial independence, alleged conflicts of interest, and claims of political interference within the newsroom.
The association said the allegations raised significant questions about journalistic integrity and transparency and called on the media house to publicly clarify the issues.