KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) says Jamaica’s further decline on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index is a reflection of the growing gulf of mistrust between government officials and the press, and an increasingly autocratic posture by the Holness administration.

The PNP made the claim in a statement on Saturday while expressing concern following a Friday report which noted that Jamaica now ranks 26th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index, a troubling slip of two more places and 16 places since 2020.

Stating that this is “no coincidence”, Opposition Spokesperson on Information and Public Communication, Nekeisha Burchell, said the slip is a result of deliberate attempts to undermine press freedom and to control the national narrative.

“This administration has consistently shown contempt for independent journalism,” Burchell said.

“Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister Dana Morris Dixon have used their public platforms to delegitimise respected media houses, directing Jamaicans away from independent journalism and toward party-controlled channels. This is not preference, it’s a calculated effort to silence dissent and avoid scrutiny,” she continued.

Burchell cited instances where she said journalists and media houses were openly attacked or dismissed for asking tough questions, and where government parliamentarians have displayed visible hostility to the press.

“Rather than respond with transparency, the government seeks to sideline reporters and replace journalistic scrutiny with state-managed messaging,” Burchell said.

The PNP also highlighted concerns over what it claimed to be the use of public funds to finance politically charged advertising, disguised as government information.

“We are not opposed to media houses earning, they have every right to. But when taxpayer dollars are used to produce promotional content that seeks to elevate the prime minister and political actors, under the guise of public updates, we must ask if the line between governance and campaign propaganda has been crossed,” Burchell said.

Burchell acknowledged the real pressures faced by traditional media due to digital disruption and economic shifts, but urged that integrity must not be sacrificed in the fight for survival, stating, “Jamaicans need credible, independent voices now more than ever.”

Still, she commended those in the media who have remained steadfast.

“We salute the journalists and media houses that continue to speak truth to power, challenge government excess and put country above contract. Their courage safeguards our democracy, and we see them,” she said.

As Jamaica observes World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the PNP is calling for stronger protections for journalists, transparency in public communication spending and a national recommitment to press freedom.

“A free press is not a threat to government; it is the foundation of good governance. When leaders fear questions and shut out the media, they aren’t strengthening the country – they are weakening it,” Burchell said.