The Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) has written to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar requesting a meeting over what it describes as a lack of formal press access to certain Government events.The association is also raising concerns about the exclusion of media from covering certain ministry-hosted functions that use State resources, warning that the trend threatens transparency and the public’s right to be informed.In its letter to the Prime Minister, MATT stated that the current environment for journalists remains stable and that it does not consider the media to be under threat by her administration.However, the letter, dated May 11, 2026, requested an “introductory” meeting with the Prime Minister, noting that a new executive is in place, and raising what it described as an “operational matter” regarding Government communications.MATT said there had been instances where the media were not notified in advance of certain Government functions.The Sunday Express contacted MATT president Prior Beharry on Friday, requesting a copy of the letter. However, he indicated the association did not wish to make it public.The Sunday Express subsequently obtained a copy of the correspondence.The contents of the letter did not raise any concern about the Prime Minister’s absence from post-Cabinet news conferences since June 5, 2025.Contacted yesterday, Beharry confirmed the letter did not address the Prime Minister’s attendance at post-Cabinet news conferences.He said the issue raised in the correspondence related instead to instances where the media were not invited to certain Government events.Beharry explained that in response to a question from Guardian Media Ltd regarding the Prime Minister’s absence from post-Cabinet news conferences, he had provided the following comment:“Journalism serves as the Fourth Estate and is a fundamental pillar of our democracy. As such, the media must be allowed to scrutinise all arms of government—including the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. By asking questions and holding all bodies and individuals in society to account, we are fulfilling our constitutional duty. It is our mandate to question everyone in society on behalf of the public.“We do take note that the Prime Minister has not attended a post-Cabinet news conference for approximately a year now.“While we acknowledge the Prime Minister has made herself available to the media in other capacities—such as speaking outside Parliament before sittings, and briefly at certain functions—we firmly believe that this does not replace the forum of a formal press briefing. Having the Prime Minister respond to unscripted questions at a formal press conference is essential to the transparent functioning of our democracy.“To address this, MATT has recently written to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting. Our intention is to discuss this lack of formal press availability, alongside other growing concerns. Among these is the troubling trend in which the media, in several instances, have not been invited to cover functions and events hosted by government ministries that utilise state resources. We remain committed to advocating for media access and transparency, as both are vital to keeping the public informed.”Beharry told the Express it is hoped these matters can be discussed directly with the Prime Minister during a meeting.He said there has so far been no response from the PM to MATT’s request.The following is the text of MATT’s letter to the Prime Minister:“May 11, 2026Dear Prime Minister,Re: Request for an Introductory Meeting with the Executive of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT).I am writing on behalf of the newly elected executive of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) to request an introductory meeting.As guided by our constitution, MATT’s mandate is to establish, protect and promote the highest standards of journalism in Trinidad and Tobago. In that capacity, we believe it is important to maintain open lines of communication with the Office of the Prime Minister to discuss matters relevant to the media fraternity.We note that the current working environment for journalists remains stable. At present, the Association does not view the media as being under threat by your administration, and our members acknowledge that access to government ministers and officials has generally been forthcoming.There is, however, an operational matter we would like to discuss regarding government communications. We have noted instances where the media have not been notified in advance of certain government functions. Ensuring that the press is invited prior to these events is essential for us to properly execute our duties, enabling comprehensive coverage and reporting of your government’s initiatives to the public.We believe a brief meeting would be a valuable opportunity to introduce our new executive and constructively discuss how we can streamline these processes.We kindly request a meeting with you and look forward to the opportunity to engage. Please let us know a date and time that aligns with your schedule.”