Bridgetown, Barbados-Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is calling on Caribbean media to play a greater role in nation-building by promoting content that deepens public understanding of regional culture and values.
Speaking at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s 56th annual general assembly in Bridgetown, Barbados, Mottley raised concerns about the growing influence of foreign media on the region’s youth, likening it to a “tsunami” that threatens local values. She emphasised the importance of telling Caribbean stories as a way to counteract this influence and preserve cultural identity.
“We in this region have a story to tell,” she said. “And unless we tell that story, we will betray the legacy of resilience of our ancestors, but more importantly, we will undermine the capacity of our people to build a future that is reflective of our image and that is anchored by our values.”
Mottley warned that the ability to shape minds through information has become a new kind of threat to the Caribbean’s identity and that requires action from all sectors, including the media.
“The challenge for us as nation states, and for our societies, is, how do we root our people sufficiently that they are capable of being exposed to but not completely undermined or influenced by those forces from outside?” she said. “Yes, it is the responsibility of governments. Yes, it is the responsibility of teachers. But it is equally the responsibility of those who have control of the media and the content in this region.”
She argued that promoting local content is not just vital for cultural preservation but essential for the media’s own survival.
“At the end of the day, what do we gravitate to the most? Things that reflect our image and sound like us, but we do not have sufficient amplification of that in our region,” she said.
She criticised the media’s failure to consistently celebrate the region’s historical and cultural achievements – from pre-emancipation to post-independence – and questioned how many programmes truly explored the Caribbean’s journey to nationhood.
Mottley also urged regional broadcasters to create a truth-and-verification system to tackle fake news, which she said poses a growing threat to democracy.
“We are already seeing people leaning towards more sexy and sensational communication, but sexy and sensational without a factual basis. And in those circumstances, as my grandfather would say to us, ‘If you give a lion a headstart, you’ll have hell to catch it.’ And even if damages are available, the damage is done,” she stated.
Acknowledging financial struggles faced by many regional media houses – largely due to the diversion of ad revenue to global digital platforms – Mottley said governments are trying to “level the playing field,” though she admitted that it is an “uphill struggle”.
Still, Mottley insists that the fight will continue.
“We are coming to the dance late, but we must still come. And your duty as broadcasters of this region, this very, very young region, … we have a responsibility now to ensure that we can run the distance and carry on what is necessary for our people to become resilient, always recognising that because of our lack of size, we cannot hide from the rest of the world, but in being global citizens, we must be rooted with a strong Caribbean legacy and Caribbean values,” she said.