The Observer
‘Guyana has been transformed for the better as a result of the PPP and President Jagdeo. This is a fact. This, along with the immense popularity of the President as confirmed by the NACTA polls, has driven fear into the Opposition; fear that Guyanese will once again reject them at the polls.’
THERE is much in the media landscape pertaining to President Jagdeo’s ten years in Office.

Let me rephrase that. There is much in the Opposition media pertaining to President Jagdeo’s ten years in Office. In the two articles preceding this one, I showed the strategic alliance between the Opposition and some media houses.

This alliance is not just of convenience, but mutual in their quest to tarnish the reputation of the President and his government.

The Opposition, through their media associates, has attempted to paint a bleak picture of Guyana and, by extension, casting aspersion on the President.

When their rabid diatribes are analysed, bleak picture and aspersion seem an understatement.

On the 10th anniversary of the President in Office which was observed last week, a few skewed articles to analyse those ten years appeared in sections of the media.

What is interesting is the two that appeared in the Kaieteur News and the Stabroek News. Before touching on these, readers need to be reminded as to who are speaking on behalf of the Opposition in the media.

There are some known geriatrics with regards to their long association to the Opposition. By long, I mean since the PPP won the general elections in 1992.

Some of these include Channel 9 now officially named “Hoyte-Blackman Television”, Prime News, Capitol News, Freddie Kissoon, CN Sharma and the Stabroek News.

Some others who are no longer visible in this regard include Anthony Vieira, Clem David and Roger Moore, barring a few sporadic letters from the latter. Mark Benschop, who once dominated prime time on Channel 9, no longer seems to have a fixed place of abode in the media.

However, his vile pronouncements are being facilitated in the media houses mentioned. The latest being the Stabroek News of Saturday, August 15, 2009, which allocated a half page to present his diatribes along with that of Lincoln Lewis and Norris Witter.

Others who are not part of the media, but who spare no effort to vilify the administration, include, the GTUC, Patrick Yarde, Rickford Burke, Eric Phillips and the ever-hopping opportunistic politician cum columnist, Peter Ramsaroop. The Kaieteur News has officially joined this clique.

The articulations of these associates of the Opposition are synchronised and orchestrated in an effort to destabilise the government. For some, the reason for this alliance to the Opposition is fairly obvious; for others, not so. Or, is it deliberately withheld?

Briefly, the following cannot be disputed. Channel 9 is owned by a former Health Minister of the Hoyte regime. This relationship has led to Hoyte’s name being part of the station’s identity.

This explains the anti-government bashing through programmes and Prime News. Prime News editor, Adam Harris, was once the Editor-in-Chief of the Guyana Chronicle under Hoyte.

The gunmen are dead. The fear that gripped this country has dissipated. Why is it that the Opposition and their media faction are so obsessed with the demise of these ruthless men? Is it that they prefer the wanton rampage to continue? Is it that they prefer Guyanese to live in fear? Is it because they have lost alleged henchmen?

Whatever the reasons, it is clear that the President and his government has been extremely successful in transforming this country into a better place having inherited a bankrupt State seventeen years ago.

This success will naturally breed enemies. It is part of life. That is why the vile and venomous diatribes of the Opposition and their colleagues in sections of the media, will continue.

He doubles as Editor of the Kaieteur News. He was also the Editor of the New Nation, the paper of the PNC! Enrico Woolford, owner/Editor-in-Chief of Capitol News was once the Head of GTV, now NCN and Clem David was once the News Room Editor of the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation all under Hoyte, some under Burnham.

These three, who have never accepted a PPP government, enjoyed immense privileges through their jobs under the PNC regime. They never envisaged the dawn of democracy in 1992.

Following this and their loss of extravagance provided by the PNC when in government, they stayed true to a proclamation Hoyte made whilst President to dedicate his life to ensure that the late Dr. Jagan do not ascend to the Presidency of Guyana.

The electorate, in the first free and fair elections in 28 years, returned the PPP to government embarrassing Hoyte in the process.

Following the return to freedom which was ushered in with the PPP administration in 1992, Capitol News and Prime news were born. Sharma’s Channel 6, which was established in 1991 reportedly under the pretext of glorifying Hoyte, was used by Clem David to propagate his anti-government vile.

Seventeen years after, Harris and Woolford have continued their anti-government tirade.

Health has prevented David from doing so for over the last year or so. Sharma’s attempts to hoodwink the populace on humanitarian grounds were revealed following the Mahaica/Mahaicony floods in the mid-nineties when numerous allegations of impropriety with regards to the receipt of money and goods destined for victims, surfaced.

He subsequently officially entered the political arena by forming a Party. Sharma was a member of the CREEP (Committee for the Re-election of the President) when Hoyte was seeking another term in 1992. His anti-government rants which have gotten more rabid today, can so be explained.

The Stabroek News, which professes to be unbiased in its reporting, has, by its biased reporting, aligned itself with the Opposition. Over the years, they have not been subtle in its condemnation of government. Freddie Kissoon became bitter at the government after his choice for a senior position at the University of Guyana was not facilitated.

This, along with him not receiving duty-free concession, caused him to brand the administration of being an “elected dictatorship”.

He would have considered Guyana democratic if his candidate (who he probably wanted to manipulate) for the UG position was adhered to, and if he had gotten the concession to which he is not entitled. His case is a classic example of narrow-mindedness and “sour grapes”.

In the case of the others, Vieira has been a long associate of the PNC before becoming one of their Members of Parliament.

Peter Ramsaroop was a member of the PNC before forming his own Party and being currently associated with the AFC.

Rickford Burke is a former Special Assistant to Hoyte. Patrick Yarde is a known anti-government trade unionist closely associated with the PNCR.

Eric Phillips was an integral member of the Reform wing which is reflected in the name of the PNCR.

The Kaieteur News has now joined this anti-government band-wagon. The Observer is in receipt of information which can explain this association. The information is being verified. However, as like Kissoon, it points to another case of “sour grapes”. The tirades of Benschop, Lewis and Witter need no explanation.

The aforesaid description is to re-sensitise readers, both locally and internationally, about the few who daily chastise the administration. Given their political alliance, there is no way that their analyses can be objective.

Their views are thus tainted. This tainted view is an apparatus for the political Opposition. By extension, any analysis of the President’s execution of his duties by those mentioned will reflect the whims and fancies of the Opposition. It will never be fair and accurate.

On examination of the related articles and opinions, a fixation with a current court case in New York is pellucid. An obsession with the deaths of merciless gunmen, who wreaked havoc following the 2002 jailbreak, is also clear. Why?

Why not talk about the numerous developments which Guyana has undergone during this period? Why not talk about the economic growth and stability the country enjoys despite a global recession? Why not talk about the thousands of Guyanese who now own their own homes as a result of government’s housing program?

Why not talk about the many hospitals, health centres, schools and roads that were built? Space would not permit me to list all the positive things that were made possible by the PPP administration through the astute leadership of President Jagdeo.

The reason why the Opposition and their cohorts in the media would not talk about the President’s achievements, but will clutch at straws from the court case, is because they are afraid.

They are afraid that they will be embarrassed if they were to honestly relate to their supporters these many developments and achievements; embarrassed because it will show the lack of achievement of the PNC regime; embarrassed because the PPP do not need to boast since the evidence is there for all to see.

The fact that elections are fast approaching in 2011, the Opposition and their media cronies have nothing of substance which they can deem as “bad” to tell their supporters regarding the development of the social and physical infrastructure.

Guyana has been transformed for the better as a result of the PPP and President Jagdeo. This is a fact. This, along with the immense popularity of the President as confirmed by the NACTA polls, has driven fear into the Opposition; fear that Guyanese will once again reject them at the polls.

The gunmen are dead. The fear that gripped this country has dissipated. Why is it that the Opposition and their media faction are so obsessed with the demise of these ruthless men? Is it that they prefer the wanton rampage to continue? Is it that they prefer Guyanese to live in fear? Is it because they have lost alleged henchmen?

Whatever the reasons, it is clear that the President and his government has been extremely successful in transforming this country into a better place having inherited a bankrupt State seventeen years ago.

This success will naturally breed enemies. It is part of life. That is why the vile and venomous diatribes of the Opposition and their colleagues in sections of the media, will continue.

Guyanese are now free. They are no longer under the brutal regime of the PNC. They can think and analyse for themselves. They can see the successes. That’s why the PNCR’s calls for protest, echoed by their media arm, have been ignored. Don’t be distracted fellow country men and women. Don’t be distracted Mr. President. Continue with the success.