Freedom of the Press - Saint Kitts and Nevis (2006)

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 4
Political Influences: 9
Economic Pressures: 8
Total Score: 21

Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 70
Religious Groups: Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Ethnic Groups: Black (majority), British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Capital: Basseterre

Freedom of the press is enshrined in the constitution. While the independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views, the opposition People's Action Movement (PAM) party alleged that the ruling Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) blocked the PAM's access to government-controlled media. The PAM acknowledged, however, that it had access to independent media outlets. Clive Bacchus, a Guyanese national and manager of the private WINN FM radio station whose work permit renewal had been delayed in December 2004, finally received a new permit in mid-February. The delay had been criticized as an attempt to intimidate the independent media. Both the ruling SKNLP and the main opposition PAM publish weekly newspapers. There are three other nonaligned weekly newspapers. ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation, a company in which the government is a majority shareholder, operates both radio and television services. Additionally, there are seven private radio stations and a multichannel cable TV service that offers a range of local and international television stations. There are no government restrictions on the internet and similar to many other Caribbean nations, approximately 25 percent of the population was able to gain access to this medium in 2005.