I refer to the KN news on July 15, 2010, carried under the editorial: Jagdeo’s lawsuit lacks morality.
It went on to say that Presidents and or head of States do not sue reporters and publishers. I ask the people of KN news to go back and do some research and they will find that all over the world from Canada to Turkey many heads of states have sued many reporters and publishers for deformation. Many have been successful.
KN news thinks that they are above the law and can print any thing they feel like, no matter if it is unfounded, malicious and lacks credibility.
If KN were operating in Malaysia, it would have been closed and its editors and reporters jailed for its’ derogatory, unfounded and malicious type of journalism.
In Guyana freedom of the press is very much alive and at the same time one must abide with the laws.
We will have to wait to see the outcome of this case. Let the court decide.
Now KN news is alluding that the judges are in the pockets of the government. How low can a news outfit get? There are a number of fair decent minded judges in Guyana.
In the USA, when a reporter writes, speaks or publishes materials that are not conducive to the government the reporter is quickly terminated. I must point out the recent firing of the loveable, octogenarian White House reporter, Helen Thomas, who was canned immediately by the press core for comments she made about Jews.
Dan Rather, formerly of CBC news, was also banned for his views on the Iraqi war. The list goes on and on.
In England, the spoken MP was refused entry to Canada and many other countries. Why? Because of his views on the Palestinian issue.
Freedom of speech is only guaranteed when one does not make remarks that would willfully hurt others, or of a hatred nature. In Canada we have Hate Crime Laws and if Mr. Kissoon and others were based in Canada, I can tell you this, they would be criminally charged
The columns of KN news in most cases are of a malicious nature. They incite racial tension, hate, are anti-government, and goes as far to incite riots. When KN news does not agree with the position of others, they seek to vilify them and in many cases call them phantom writers.
KN news has stated the following:
The British legal system, which this country has adopted, is most interesting. It first of all presumes that a person is innocent until proven guilty but at the same time, it removes that person’s freedom or causes that person to suffer some pain and embarrassment until the matter is determined.
…and that is what the law is!
A judge or magistrate can issue a restraining order and or even order confinement. This order is only issued after the Judge is satisfied that the conditions applied for are warranted. In this restraining order, certain requirements have to be abided with. This order continues to be valid or enforceable until the primary matter is resolved and or if the court has amended the order. This is normal procedure in any court. Therefore, I cannot understand how KN news would take this position. There has been no restraining order issued by the court as yet, to my understanding and if one is issued then it is enforceable. So KN news can stamp their feet all they want and cry like babies.
KN seems to have forgotten conveniently too that the late President L.F.S Burnham sued the Mirror newspaper when he was Prime Minister and won the case.
I eagerly await the conclusion of this matter.