THE entire staff of the Government Information Agency (GINA) has now officially been put out of employment after the joint opposition voted last evening to cut the subvention to that agency by 100 percent. The subvention for the National Communications Network Inc (NCN) was also entirely removed.
This move by the joint opposition is being seen as a direct attack on  freedom of the press, as it comes exactly eight days before World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated on May 3.
The Guyana Chronicle spoke with several staff members of GINA, who held a vigil last evening to protest the action of the joint opposition.
Minister of Housing & Water  Irfaan Ali and Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, met with the staff at the vigil and offered government’s concern while assuring them that the administration will try its best to ‘work something out’ for them.
The affected employees had this to say:

RAMESH SUKHDEO: This move by the joint opposition APNU/AFC is baseless and ruthless, and would affect the staff of GINA, especially those who are willing to make a decent living and earning. To give us one dollar…and I think it’s time for them to rethink and make the right decision because, after all, we are government employees and we pay tax, too.

LESLYN LOWE: The opposition should be proud that there is money to cut, unlike when prior to 1992 there was no money in the treasury, so there was nothing to cut; but because of good management and because of what this government has done, there is money in the treasury to cut. So they can talk about cuts without thinking about people like me and the others, who will be out of jobs and we have families to support. How are we going to help to pay for the Linden electricity when we are out of jobs? That is what I want to ask them.

URSULLA RAMDAYAL: It’s going to affect me because I am the sole breadwinner. There are three persons at home — two children in school (and) a 17-year-old. How are we going to buy groceries? How are we going to deal with the bills? We are state workers, yes, but we also pay taxes. How can they do this to us?

SHANTA GOBARDHAN: The move by the joint opposition is not in the best interest of young people because, as you can see out here, all these are young people, some of whom just started a family; and it’s an assault on freedom of expression. We, as the Government Information Agency, all we do is to disseminate what the government policies are, and that is our mandate. All countries have their information arm. We are not doing anything unique and different. GINA is the arm of the government that disseminates its business, and the consulates overseas get the information of what is happening back here through the GINA website. And if we are not given the subvention, we will not be able to fulfil that mandate. It’s a sad day for information dissemination in this country.