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THE Stabroek News has found yet another opportunity to unleash its anti-government venom through its editorial of Sunday, October 31, 2010. I am not surprised that the newspaper has resorted to a slanted version of what took place at the Annual National Toshaos Meeting at the Guyana International Conference Centre.
Let me say from the beginning, I have no apology, absolutely none, for asking the two reporters to leave the conference centre, knowing they were not invited to the sessions they tried to sneak into, under the guise as state media practitioners. It is no coincidence they sent Kwesi Isles who up to a few months ago worked with NCN Radio and Television. At no time did I prevent the reporters from interviewing the Amerindian leaders.
The editorial accused us of trying to suppress freedom of expression and took the liberty to say it was informed that Amerindian leaders were instructed not to speak to that newspaper. If Stabroek News were so skillful in extracting such information from the leaders how then it is unable to say from whom such instruction came?
I am a strong believer in press freedom (which the PPPC Administration has proudly promoted) as much as I am firm about media practitioners observing rules, procedures and protocols as they go about their profession. Media practitioners must not believe they are a law unto themselves.
The editorial has pointed out the presence of the state media which traditionally enjoy the rule of exception, especially in cases where there is need for national events to be captured in its entirety for archival purposes. The government cannot depend on the so-called independent media to perform such tasks.
On this occasion, the Stabroek News has been faithful to its role as part of the agenda of the political opposition by trying to contaminate the minds of Amerindians leaders as a way of undoing the successes made by the government.
The Stabroek News has constantly and consistently represented and propagated the views, ideas and opinions of groups and individuals who pride themselves as oppositionists against the PPPC Administration. Have you ever wondered why most, if not all of the columnists in the Stabroek News have an anti-government orientation?
Let me say from the beginning, I have no apology, absolutely none, for asking the two reporters to leave the conference centre, knowing they were not invited to the sessions they tried to sneak into, under the guise as state media practitioners. It is no coincidence they sent Kwesi Isles who up to a few months ago worked with NCN Radio and Television. At no time did I prevent the reporters from interviewing the Amerindian leaders.
The editorial accused us of trying to suppress freedom of expression and took the liberty to say it was informed that Amerindian leaders were instructed not to speak to that newspaper. If Stabroek News were so skillful in extracting such information from the leaders how then it is unable to say from whom such instruction came?
I am a strong believer in press freedom (which the PPPC Administration has proudly promoted) as much as I am firm about media practitioners observing rules, procedures and protocols as they go about their profession. Media practitioners must not believe they are a law unto themselves.
The editorial has pointed out the presence of the state media which traditionally enjoy the rule of exception, especially in cases where there is need for national events to be captured in its entirety for archival purposes. The government cannot depend on the so-called independent media to perform such tasks.
On this occasion, the Stabroek News has been faithful to its role as part of the agenda of the political opposition by trying to contaminate the minds of Amerindians leaders as a way of undoing the successes made by the government.
The Stabroek News has constantly and consistently represented and propagated the views, ideas and opinions of groups and individuals who pride themselves as oppositionists against the PPPC Administration. Have you ever wondered why most, if not all of the columnists in the Stabroek News have an anti-government orientation?
