–    mistakes Caledonia sluice for Coverden sluice where massive works are to be done
KAIETEUR News  has again been found out publishing incorrect information. Its yesterday issue , on the front page, charged that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) was involved in a $11.7M scandal. The newspaper published a photograph of the Caledonia sluice, which is in good operational order, and referred to it as the Coverden sluice, where massive works are expected to start.
The works at Coverden are estimated to cost some $11.7M, and includes the removal and installation of a new door, clearing and grubbing of the embankment along one dam of Bulai Canal, Ferguson Canal, Clarke Canal, Thomas Canal and Sucker Canal; cleaning and disposal of material with excavation of Bulai Canal, Ferguson Canal, Clarke Canal, Thomas Canal and Sucker Canal, totalling 58,000 cubic yards to design specifications, and placing material on the cleared dam to form a new embankment.
However, using the engineer’s estimate of cost and a photograph of the wrong sluice, Kaieteur News made the assumption that the NDIA was involved in some scandal.
The board of the NDIA, quite understandably, took issue with what they described as the “mischievous and deceptive comments” of the Kaieteur News.
A statement signed by Chairman of the Board, Mr. Walter Willis, pointed out the inaccuracies stated in the article.
The statement said: “The board of NDIA wishes to advise that in future only constructive criticisms will be dealt with when they are presented. We remain firmly focused in the execution of our mandate as specified in the Drainage and Irrigation Act, No. 10 of 2004. All that we have done so far and continue to do is solely in the interest of the people of Guyana.”
In an invited comment, Chairman of the Caledonia/ Good Success Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Mr. Dwarka Nauth, said, “This was total disrespect for the government and bodies like the NDC, as well as the Guyanese people, as they (Kaieteur News) continue to feed the people wrong information.”
He pointed out that when such errors are made, the Guyanese people are not only wrongly informed, but end up with a perception that ‘scandals’ are the order of the day.
Nauth said an apology should be given the same prominence in the way the untruth was splashed on the front page, not tucked away at the back of the paper.
In speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, the NDC overseer, Mr. Raghunandan Singh, said if the Kaieteur had inquired, if they had done their work in a professional manner, this major error would not have been made.
“All they had to do was ask…no one approached the NDC for any information,” he said.
Singh lashed out at the irresponsibility of the newspaper and noted that even if they had not wanted to approach the NDC, the signs of the road that demarcate the villages would have informed them accordingly.
The overseer stressed that national publications have a responsibility to the people to provide them with correct information and allow the people to make their decisions.