IT is not surprising that Stabroek News is at its usual pastime of creating mischief, spreading misinformation, spawning disunity and personal attacks on senior government officials, just days before national elections. It is a well planned scheme in consort with their opposition handlers. Stabroek News continues its unjustifiable attacks on the government’s Grow More Food campaign, as published in the editorial of November 14, 2011.
I am of the firm belief that the editors and management of Stabroek News are making an extra effort to stymie development and progress in this country by constantly propagating half-truths. Stabroek News is making a special effort, moreso their duty, to portray Guyana as backward and corrupt. But how long will they live in denial?
Guyana today is transformed, transparent, developing; and there is mutual respect for our multicultural heritage. Despite all the positives, Stabroek News continues to attack the Grow More Food campaign, which has stabilised the prices for fresh fruits and vegetables, maintained and also increased exports, increased farmers’ profits, and firmly maintained Guyana’s food-secure status.
Stabroek News has its sights set to create and portray its own perception, rather than get down to the real facts of the positive impacts the campaign has had on the lives of ordinary people, for example: those who benefited from planting materials, seeds, chemicals, fertilizer, breeding animals, technical assistance and other support. The editors need to go on the ground and see the development and impact of the campaign that has transformed the lives of ordinary farmers with opportunities to develop and expand.
Stabroek News is underestimating and taking farmers for granted; as they do not know about the challenges farmers have to overcome to provide the food that we all eat daily. To discredit the Grow More Food campaign is a slap in the face of all farmers. Hence the editors and management of Stabroek News are biting the hands that feed them.
Additionally, the editor has also chosen to take swipes and low blows at Minister Robert Persaud. This kind of personal attack is unbecoming, and is a display of poor journalistic skills of what an editorial should be. But, then again, that’s the thinking of the Stabroek News. The minister has undeniably transformed the agriculture sector over the past five years, and Stabroek News has launched a planned attack on him to discredit the good work and strides made within the sector. But we, the citizens of Guyana, have seen the changes and know the truth.
In concluding, I would like to urge Stabroek News and their political handlers to re-examine themselves for the poor journalistic and biased articles, editorials and other works that they churn out to the public. If we are to progress as a democratic country, we need to change our outlook, and it’s either Stabroek News gets its act together, or its readership will continue to spiral downwards, resulting in its imminent failure.