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Alert

Journalist loses work permit

(AMARC/IFEX) - According to AMARC, the government of Trinidad and Tobago
decided not to renew the work permit of Julian Rogers, a television
journalist born in Barbados. According to the government of Prime Minister
Basdeo Panday, the refusal to renew the journalist's permit is not directed
against him personally, but few observers believe that this is the case.




Various sources have indicated that Prime Minister Basdeo Panday has
demonstrated his displeasure with the programme directed by Rogers. On one
occasion, the Prime Minister accused Rogers of broadcasting telephone calls
by people who do not support the government.

The Association of Communication Media of Trinidad and Tobago stated that
the Ministry of National Security's refusal to renew Rogers' work permit
goes against the spirit of integration of the Caribbean. They also said that
this case smells of political interference.

According to AMARC, Rogers believes that the refusal to renew his permit is
connected to the his work, over the last five years, as head of a question
and answer programme. He said that his programme dealt with subjects that
brought the attention of the government on him.

A convention signed by all the countries in the Community of Caribbean
Countries states that no person born in one of the signatory countries needs
special authorization to work as a journalist in another signatory country.