The recent attack on the character of the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall MP, was an event waiting to happen, given the modus operandi of this media entity. This is the first time this publication went after the AG by using one of their own staffers in such a direct manner. Previous efforts relied on their Opposition cohorts and the letters to the editor. Their objective is to drag the AG into a mud fight to sully his impeccable reputation. Thankfully, and correctly so, the honourable AG did not dignify the filth with a response.
Any reader of the politics in Guyana would ponder as to why these attacks took so long, given the characteristic of Kaieteur News, The record of the publication has shown that any time a PPP and/or a Government official possesses some level of popularity with the general public, those individuals were slapped with some of the most flippant and ridiculously concocted accusations aimed at tarnishing their reputations.
A few months previously it was Minister Priya Manickchand. KN was engineering a host of allegations against the minister, which were featured on front pages, all of which were unsubstantiated. These accusations were premised on the fact that Ms Manickchand is held in high regard by women in society. Mr. Nandlall is held in high regard by the entire Guyanese populace, so simple logic would explain his meteoric rise in the KN hit list.
I have never met Ms Manickchand, but I would give her the same advice I would give to the AG; don’t settle for a second-class apology, but take the case to trial, beat them, embarrass them in the same way they intended to embarrass you, expose them at every turn, and fight fire with fire.
The questions that beg to be asked are: 1) why hasn’t KN attacked any of the previous Attorneys General in this fashion? 2) Why attack Mr. Nandlall in a fictitious column? If you have evidence then why not do a full exposure? 3) Why not go after senior PPP officials like Gail Teixeira or Roger Luncheon in a similar ad hominem manner? 4) Why attack him now if you’re claiming these (baseless) allegations have been going on for some period of time?
The simple fact of the matter is that the AG is easily the most popular PPP figure. He rose from 15th to 4th at the PPP congress in the space of three years because he is widely loved by the masses and is grounded with the people and enjoys a relationship with the grassroots that is reminiscent of Jagan’s. His impeccable character is obviously a problem for the Opposition, and mostly because he epitomizes leadership. Nandlall is the single biggest threat to the PNC/AFC; hence their mouthpiece KN will seek to attack his character at every chance possible.
Do not be fooled, this is the first of many attacks coming the AG’s way, mark my words. I hope Mr. Nandlall heeds my advice and send a message through the courts, his forte.
By Stephen Kissoon.