GENERAL Secretary (GS)of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Clement Rohee has highlighted the double standards of the publisher of Kaieteur News, as the entity refuses to publish a political advertisement because of their known association with the leadership of the Opposition APNU+AFC ( A Partnership of National Unity and the Alliance For Change).During a press conference held at Freedom House yesterday, the GS related that “the People’s Progressive Party welcomes the published remarks by the publisher of Kaieteur News that he will not allow his medium to be used to incite violence and disrespect. However, Mr. Glenn Lall should be aware that the newspaper he owns has built its reputation doing just that.
“How can Lall be taken seriously when Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon spews venomous remarks on a daily basis, disrespecting public servants and members of the private sector who are singled out and targeted for abuse,” Rohee also related.
In his statement to media operatives, he noted too that the most vulgar form of attacks have been directed at a decent woman, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, “just because she chose to exercise her democratic right by accepting President Ramotar’s offer to be his running-mate.”
He stressed that “Freddie Kissoon’s shameless attacks on our Prime Ministerial Candidate have not only been unchecked, but it is believed to be encouraged by the Publisher and Editor of Kaieteur News.”
This very media house, the GS emphasised, has been selective in its policies in that it allows the Opposition to place advertiements and issue erroneous statements which do the very same thing Glenn Lall seeks to condemn. “The PPP/C believes that this new awakening by the Kaieteur News publisher is designed to muzzle the Government from exposing the revolting and indecent behaviour of a female APNU+AFC supporter who urinated on, and later burnt the PPP flag to the cheers of jubilant Opposition protestors and their children, who turned out in their numbers to violently disrupt a PPP/C meeting in East Ruimveldt.
“It is interesting to note that not only has the Kaieteur News been engaging in censorship, but it also suffers from an acute bout of self-censorship when it comes to exposing and reporting on the Opposition’s acts of aggression, intimidation and provocation. It is also interesting to note that this disgusting, lewd behaviour of the female APNU+AFC supporter was not even reported in the Kaieteur News, but would have been given front page coverage had it been an Indian supporter of the PPP/C caught on camera, urinating on the APNU flag,” Rohee stated.
The advertisement that was refused by Kaieteur News, Rohee stated, “was referred to by Glenn Lall, merely meant to show what Glenn Lall and the editor of Kaieteur News failed to carry as a legitimate news item, and which he and his editor failed to condemn because of their association with the leadership of the opposition APNU+AFC. Lall’s disgust with the advertisement is merely an attempt to kill the messenger rather than to condemn the vulgar act of a known APNU+AFC supporter.”
In closing, Rohee reminded the press that Glenn Lall should be cognizant of the weight of his authority in setting policy guidelines for his publication, as it does not seem to apply to his Editor-in-Chief, Adam Harris who, like Kissoon, continues to spew malicious lies, allegations and innuendos attacking and insulting members of the PPP/C Administration on a daily basis in his satire, “Dem Boys Seh.”