‘False and misleading claims in US press conference,’ says LDS |25 February 2021
Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) considers that the continuous extensive coverage on state funded media of press conferences by United Seychelles (US) is an example of state resources being exploited for partisan political interests.
LDS calls on the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) to review its policies relating to such coverage to ensure that it is not used to any political party to disseminate propaganda and false claims with the aim of undermining government programmes and decisions.
In our view, the US press conference of today (yesterday, February 24, 2021) contains many false and misleading statements which all news organisations should examine independently and correct.
We call on the SBC as the state funded media to investigate statements made on the following subjects among others referred to in the press conference and to give a true and accurate report of the situation regarding them.
- Cases of victimisation in the Vice-President’s Office and Ministry of Education,
- Reason for increase in the SPDF budget,
- Provision of methadone from Mauritius,
- President’s visit to Club Med,
- President’s visit to UAE, and
- Pace of the vaccination programme.
LDS supports the role of the media in furthering democracy, accountability and good governance and the access of all parties to state funded media but this must not be allowed to be exploited by false or exaggerated statements in the service of political interests.
Press release from LDS