Kwesi Pratt on Democracy and globalization

Accra, July 5 GNA - Mr Kwesi Pratt, Managing Editor of the Weekly Insight newspaper on Thursday stated that the practice of democracy and globalization would mean little to Africans if these concepts cannot lead to the transformation of the lives of the ordinary people on the streets.

"Democracy has to mean more that just voting at the ballot box to involve everybody in the society in the decision making process" Mr. Pratt was speaking at a training workshop for media personnel drawn from both state and private media organizations in Accra. The day's workshop organized by the Community Development and Advocacy Centre (CDAC), a non governmental organization involved in media training and networking was to enhance the writing skills of young journalists from the various media houses in the country. The theme for the occasion was: "Strengthening media capacity to report democracy and development in Ghana".

Mr Pratt who spoke on the topic: "Globalization and democracy in Africa -The role of the media," said democracy should be about how the people on the continent could develop their full potential for national development.

He called on journalists to abide by their code of conduct, adding that, it is the code of conduct that distinguished journalism from other professions.

Mr. Saddique Braimah, Executive Director of CDAC, who spoke on the topic: "Investigative journalism: Case study - Investigating corruption and libel laws" urged journalists to continue to hold public officials accountable to the people who elected them.

He said an investigative journalist must ensure that the source of his story is accurate before he published it so that he was not slapped with heavy fines for libel or defamation.

He also called journalists to be wary of politicians who would want use them for their dirty politics and later leave them to their fate when they are charged sedition or libel by the court 05 July 07