Media Association of SKN calls out Tourism Ministry on private media exclusion

The Media Association of St. Kitts and Nevis brings to the attention of the general public a practice that has been adopted by the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Transport, under whose authority lies the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA), in which the private sector news media have been deliberately excluded from covering significant events at the ports, a trend that was observed since 2023.

Previously, the private sector news media were invited to cover major events at both the
Robert L Bradshaw International Airport and at the Port Zante cruise ship facility. Media houses that intended to be present were required to submit particulars ahead of the arrival of new ships and new airlines coming into these two mentioned ports. Currently, this has stopped without any communications with the local news media.
The Media Association has carefully noted the change and has confirmed that no private
sector news media received an invitation to cover major events of the above ministry
since 2023, except for press conferences.

Several attempts to contact the Management of SCASPA regarding events that took
place at the air and sea ports on St. Kitts, to obtain an explanation, have not been successful. The Association recently wrote to the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Transport to confirm if this is now the official policy of the Ministry. The Association awaits a response from the Minister.

It is also noteworthy that the Ministry did not communicate, at any time, with the private
sector news media about any change in coverage policies, or restrictions, since the current administration took office.

The Media Association of St. Kitts and Nevis finds this anti-news media policy to be unacceptable, an affront to the citizens and residents of the federation, and certainly counterproductive in the context of transparency, accountability and democracy.

The Association remains open for discussion of this matter with the relevant authorities.