New Director of Information Services Ready for the Challenge

Contact: John Emmanuel

Friday, May 04, 2001 - The island’s new Director of Information Services, Mr. Embert Charles, has been commenting on what he feels is the role of government in helping to shape the local media landscape.

Charles is of the view that it is necessary for government to become directly involved in areas of setting policy and standards for the industry, particularly in light of the harmonization of telecommunications legislation in the OECS.

Whilst dismissing censorship, he says in the long run, certain checks and balances will have to be instituted. "We many not necessarily be the ones to manage these along the way but there is a role for government as the biggest employer, as the biggest generator of income in society. As an agency which is voted in by people, the government has certain responsibilities to uphold certain social norms, technical and professional standards and so forth," Charles said.

He says the idea of grouping all of government’s information units under a single umbrella will come up for review, in light of the changing dynamics of the telecommunications and broadcasting industry. The ability of some of the units to shift from in-house information dissemination to full-fledged broadcasting he says will have to be ascertained.

Mr. Embert Charles has been involved in the media and communications profession for the past thirty years working in various national and regional organisations. He studied Communications and Social Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Communication Policy at City University in London and Development Studies at the University of Sussex. He is also a fellow of the Telecommunications Executive Management Institute (TEMIC) of Canada.

Mr. Charles has taught courses in communications and media production skills in St. Lucia and at CARIMAC, University of the West Indies in Jamaica. His most recent engagement was as Communications and Media Advisor to the OECS Natural Resources Management Unit.

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