I AM disappointed but still not surprised at the recent headline, ‘Indian Company controls 1.82 million acres of forest’ on the front page of Stabroek News edition of April 9, 2011. I believe Stabroek News deliberately chose this headline to continue its racist agenda and spread disunity amongst the people of our beloved Guyana. It’s not surprising that  when United States Company Simon and Shock owned the concession, Stabroek News did not highlight that the company is US based, but has now given prominence to this Indian Company which seeks to create employment, foreign exchange and at the same time help meet liabilities owed to CLICO policyholders.

In fact, the Indian Company Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc., a subsidiary of Coffee Day Limited of India, will be settling outstanding arrears of the US Company, Simon and Shock International Logging Inc., which has been delinquent in its commitment to the Guyana Forestry Commission(GFC).

The GFC and the government must be commended for taking this stance to sustainably manage our envied forest resources.

I am sure members of the public will see through the racist and negative overtones riddled in the article as Stabroek News and its handlers continue to spread its misinformation campaign to discredit the good work of the government. The decision of such a big company like Coffee Day Limited of India to invest in Guyana is recognition of Guyana’s sound and stable overall economic status.

However, Stabroek News would not see it in this light, but propagate racism and disunity, and label this new company corrupt as they do with all new investments.

Further, it is not rocket science why the readership of Stabroek News is dropping since citizens are seeing through their trail of charade and misinformation and we the citizens who want to see progress will not be duped anymore.
As an eligible policyholder of Clico who is still to benefit from my investment, I and many other ordinary citizens will not allow the management of Stabroek News to scare investors away, especially when all Guyanese stand to benefit once this company comes fully on stream.

Stabroek News needs to own-up and accept defeat as the government of the day is poised to deliver on numerous promises to the people of Guyana beyond racial lines. Wake up Stabroek News and see the brighter future for Guyana.