Dear Editor,

I have searched the pages of the 2017 Guyana Telephone Directory, and the entire Region 5 section of the GECOM Official List of Electors that was issued on April 14, 2015, and no one with the name of Harry Adjodha or Harry Ajodha lives in Region 5. In fact, no one has the name Adjodha, and only 6 persons have the surname Ajodha. And in Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, there are seven persons with a variation in the spelling of this name Ajodhia.

But why am I boring your readers with these statistics? It is not done intentionally, but the result of this research proves definitively that the name Harry Adjodha or Harry Ajodha that recently surfaced as a letter-writer in Kaieteur News is nothing more than a fake. Only a coward uses a pseudonym to attack another person’s character in the press.

I refer to a letter published on May 24, 2017 written by Harry Adjodha of Region 5 and another one published May 30, 2017 by a Harry Ajodha, APNU+AFC. In both these letters, the letter-writer questioned my citizenship, my loyalty to Guyana, and my right to serve as a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly. Perhaps he should be asking the same question of other government ministers.
I recall reading a Freddie Kissoon column some time ago, in which he was disgusted and enraged by the unethical behaviour of some letter-writers who hide behind pseudonyms. He gave good reasons why the print media should stop this practice. I agreed with him then, for if a letter-writer has something derogatory to say about someone else, he should have the courage to put his own name to the letter. While freedom of speech is protected by our Constitution, there have always been rules governing defamation, slander and libel.

It was once the policy of most newspaper companies to demand the real name, address and phone number of those writing letters to the editor, in order to protect the integrity of the newspaper.

Apparently, this practice is now discontinued. Perhaps the editor may wish to consider reinforcing this. As such, I am prepared to thoroughly and truthfully address the concerns expressed in these letters by the Region 5 APNU+AFC lackey, when he grows enough courage to admit writing under the pseudonym, Harry Ajodha, and by signing the next letter he writes in his real name.
Regards
Harry Gill
PPP/C Member of Parliament