I READ the Kaieteur News front page comment dated September 29, 2014, and titled “Plot to muzzle Kaieteur News”, and I am thinking: Why is it that Kaieteur News is always involved in some controversy? Why is it that of the four established daily papers, Kaieteur News is the only one that complains about attempts to either silence or shut them down? Why is it that they paint themselves as victims?Victims don’t use their freedom to malign the character of persons in power (State or private) who don’t share their tunnel-vision perspective. Victims don’t spew derogatory remarks at persons, in an attempt to embarrass them because they don’t subscribe to the opinions of the publisher of Kaieteur News. Intrinsically, those are traits of a bully.
It’s rather perplexing how oblivious Kaieteur News is, as it pertains to their transgressions, but totally aware when they are ready to play the victim role and are confronted with what, I must say, is very smartly, the same tactics that they use.
And this is clearly seen in their front-page comment when Kaieteur News pronounced that the information pertaining to its publisher Glenn Lall’s duty-free concession scam was released by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and that the information is confidential. In fact, Kaieteur news said, “Who is vindictive when information that should be held in confidence by GRA is leaked to newspapers? This has implications, and raises serious questions about what else has been conveniently and maliciously leaked.”
Now, Kaieteur News is ready to play the victim here again, but didn’t Kaieteur News leak confidential information concerning the email exchanges between the Head of GRA, Khurshid Sattaur, former President Bharrat Jadgeo, and Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall? Was that information not private and confidential?
Kaieteur News should explain to the public how is it that they were able to get such confidential information? The only way that could’ve been done is if the accounts of the persons were hacked by Kaieteur News; Kaieteur News bribed someone who has access to it; or it was released by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Limited. I doubt it would be the last one, since GT&T, I presume, is a professional company, and would not divulge confidential information.
So that leaves either hacking or bribing. Now, these two things are illegal in advanced countries, and are most times used by terrorist organisations; yet, here we have the Kaieteur News utilising similar tactics, but is oblivious that what it is doing is reprehensible, all the while playing a victim role.
Kaieteur News should also know that what they have done “has implications, and raises serious questions about what else has been conveniently and maliciously leaked.”
It’s only tragic that an overwhelming number of persons read the Kaieteur News on a daily basis, and use that medium to be informed; sooner or later, though, the discerning populace will see that the paper which is playing the victim is really the paper that is the bully.

FARUK MOHAMED