Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo has called for CARICOM leaders to establish a regional television station to counteract what he called a “bombardment of North American culture.” Jagdeo was speaking at the closing ceremony of the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Basseterre, St Kitts. “If we don’t say positive things about ourselves, we’ll be defined by others,” he said.

Jagdeo called out newspapers in Guyana, alleging that some papers generate negativity. “[The papers] will put a story about someone losing hand, if they don’t have crime… if there’s nothing bad, they’ll recall a crime story and put it there,” he said.

Trinidad CARICOM Ambassador Mervyn Assam said the country was not in favour of the idea unless it was funded by the private sector. Jagdeo said that communication was at the heart of the integration movement, and urged a station to “develop a sense of regional patrimony.” CARICOM’s headquarters are based in Georgetown, Guyana. [Trinidad Guardian]