The Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers is urging greater safety for journalists, responsible use of artificial intelligence and the introduction of Freedom of Information legislation, as it marked World Press Freedom Day 2026.
In a statement, the association said press freedom remains “a key pillar for peace and security”, while warning about the risks journalists face when covering crime.
The full statement follows:
As the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM) observes and celebrates this World Press Freedom Day 2026, we reflect on the theme ‘Shaping a future at peace’.
Without a doubt, press freedom continues to be a key pillar for peace and security, not just in a global context but for us in Barbados and the region as well.
While we may not typically find ourselves in active warzones, unfortunately many of us have felt the impact of a different type of warfare on our streets and in our communities with the scourge of gun crime. As Government, police, the defence force and ordinary Barbadians continue to play their respective roles in responding to the troubling situation, we continue to urge journalists covering crime scenes to exercise the utmost caution. We urge our fellow media workers to be always guided by the Barbados Police Service in the effective and safe reporting of such incidents.
Additionally, as we acknowledge our responsibility as gatekeepers of the facts to shape a peaceful future based on truth, BARJAM uses this opportunity to urge the responsible use of AI as an assistive tool. We must preserve the focus on the matters of human interest and good news. We must also continue to embrace our role in this new media age, as the Bonafide sources that our citizens turn to, to ensure the information they encounter in the digital space is true and accurate.
At the same time, we will not miss this opportunity to once again make an impassioned appeal to the Government of Barbados to make Freedom of Information Legislation a reality and to make it a priority for this new parliament. Some of our CARICOM neighbours have already made the important move and we should be next.
We believe a Freedom of Information Act will only serve to complement Government’s ongoing efforts to modernise and improve planned Integrity legislation, and perhaps more importantly, create a dedicated framework of transparency and accountability for all of our public institutions. Ultimately, this can only serve to boost public confidence and knowledge about the operation of our public systems into the future.
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