WE are, on average, about 24 months away from arguably the most significant elections since 1953, when Guyana experienced her first mass-based elections. This significance derives from the fact that this will be the first elections in the context of an imminent oil-based economy. One would be hard pressed to find an example where the electoral stakes have been this high, the political party or parties that enjoy tutelage over the state apparatus 2020 and beyond will have access to a fiscal largesse that no previous government has had the luxury to enjoy. Based on the foregoing, it is not surprising that 24 months in advance, the 2020 electoral breeze blows with disinformation and misinformation worthy of Joseph Goebbels.

In 1933, when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, he wanted to reorient the minds of all Germans to programme them with the idea of the Third Reich. He was of the view that power is nothing without indoctrination. The ‘Der Fuhrer’ thundered in his biography ‘Mein Kampf, “…the broad masses…more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters, but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods”. This determined leader with evil intent appointed Paul Joseph Goebbels as the Reich Minister of Propaganda. He was tasked with remodelling the minds of all Germans to believe the unbelievable, deny the obvious, doubt what is certain, and question every existing fact once it is not consistent with the aims of the Nazi state. In other words, direct every thought and idea to the mission and objective of the Nazi Regime. This devotee and graduate of Adolph Hitler, who obtained a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Heidelberg, set off on a mission that has set the highest negative standard for the usage of misinformation and disinformation. This highly articulate and former Chancellor of Germany, first major move as Minister of Propaganda was the complete control of the German press by passing the Schriftleitergesetz (Editor’s Law). This law required all journalists to ‘regulate their work in accordance with National Socialism as a philosophy of life and as a conception of government”. He created the Reich Film Chamber, where all film makers were required to join and produce films that were in congruence with the mission of the Nazi regime. The goal was to cultivate and nurture and promote big-fact lies that are intended to achieve Machiavellian political objectives. All information at the exposure of the masses must be propagandised and fashioned to promote Nazism. Goebbels remains the chief exemplar of an agent who weaponises disinformation and misinformation to achieve political ends.

Fast forward to 2018 in a nation on the precipice of oil wealth, the English-speaking South American country of Guyana. It can be successfully argued that the spirit of Goebbels lives and has firmly planted its ghostly presence with anti-government political forces. This time around, the Goebbels-esque approach to politicking is armed with numerous sources through which it can communicate gargantuan distortions. Modern technology and social media being the most pronounced of these sources. It is clear, the strategy is to bang falsehoods at every turn into the heads of the masses to the point where they are crystallised as truths. The most conspicuous exemplar of my contestation can be seen in peddling of the idea that we live in a time of widespread discrimination. The former President of Guyana Donald Ramotar, in a letter to the Guyana Times on April 25th 2016, declared, ‘Since the APNU+AFC assumed office, they have been carrying out massive discrimination campaigns against this particular ethnicity. Hundreds of Indo-Guyanese have been purged from the public service and this continues to happen every day….many Indians are being threatened to have their house lots withdrawn…’. Any unthinking person who reads this whopper, would believe that this is Idi Amin’s Uganda of 1971-1979. When in truth, it is a nation that has an Indo-Guyanese as the second most powerful person who acts President on several occasions. The truth is not the business of Geobbels-esque power grabbers, they just say it and spin it as much as possible in the 24-hour news cycle and hope it sticks with the masses. The second example includes an article from ‘Citizens Report,’ which had the bold headline, ‘Guyana Heading for Bankruptcy, Gold Reserves and Market Securities Plummet’. This article appeared on this website on Wednesday, April 18th 2018. This article was based on the Bank of Guyana’s ‘Statement of Assets and Liabilities at the close of Business on 11/04/2018’. The disinformation agents seized upon the reduction of gold reserves by 2.1 billion and shouted fire in a crowded place with the headline, ‘Guyana heading for bankruptcy…’. The basic definition of bankruptcy is the occurrence of a country can no longer pay interest on its debt or convince anyone to lend it money. This article came on the heels of the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan’s trip to Tunisia, where the Islamic Bank (IsDB) committed to providing Guyana with a US$900 million loan. Further, on the cusp of oil wealth, bankruptcy is the last word that should be mentioned with the name Guyana. However, this headline is seen by thousands on social media and without any attempt to apply a critical eye, some minds succumb to this canard. Therein lies the power of misinformation and ‘fake news’. This strategy also includes skewing the truth without a full context in which the truth emerged.
Disinformation is an effective political tool that manipulates minds, especially in the 24-hour news cycle. If it is not countered, it can dwarf all achievements by a government. It can lead citizens in a particular direction that sometimes makes them immune to the fact that Leguan got asphalt roads for the first time or Number 19 road, Corentyne, Berbice got lights for the first time in Guyana’s history. It was Lady Gaga who boastfully claimed. ‘I’m telling you a lie in a vicious effort that you will repeat my lie over and over until it becomes true’.