Dear Editor,

I SALUTE the overseas media that played a crucial role in combating electoral fraud. Comments applaud my reports on the diaspora and my op-ed pieces, but the media deserve the plaudits for the space. Although I have been reporting and making commentaries in the media since 1976, I am not ‘educated’ as a journalist. I had to correct late Pandit Ramlall, an independence freedom fighter with Dr Jagan, who once stated that I have doctorate in journalism. I do not. I learnt reporting by practising it.

My undergrad degree is Bio-Chemistry and I worked in a science lab as well as a college librarian before becoming a social scientist and educator. I took courses in English and literature and acquired some writing skills. And I taught journalism, English language, literature, chemistry, biology, physics, and maths in secondary school. (I edited publications and was faculty adviser to student newspapers). But I had no formal training in journalism, like Annan Boodram or Baytoram Ramharack, two of the diaspora’s finest and accomplished writers. If one were to ask to what field I belong, I would say “economics” even though it was one of the subjects I did; regrettably I did not finish my PhD.

The demand of the times and location drew me as a volunteer reporter (or journalist) and commentator to expose atrocities in Guyana. I reported for student newspapers while in college and had varied stints with community papers to gain experience and knowledge about press and electronic media taking advantage of the space to write on Guyana.

During the 1976 and 1977 student dissensions on the Corentyne, as one of the leaders of the activists, I became its spokesperson, marking my entry into media. My interest, guidance, training, and sustenance in reporting news and penning viewpoints on or about Guyana and the diaspora continued in New York where I was engaged in the struggle for liberation of Guyana from the dictatorship. I assisted with preparation of Guyanese-oriented publications for distribution to the diaspora.

I met Ramharack and other Indo-Caribbean students in college where we started an Indo-Caribbean Club. (We were literally put out of the Afro Caribbean Students Association with others telling us we are East Indians not West Indians. So we founded Indo Club). We put out newsletters and started writing for various school and community publications. Ramharack took courses in journalism, receiving the highest grades. I was training to become a scientist and took a course on writing science reports where I excelled and wrote countless reports from science labs, all of which received the highest grades. I sat in sessions and seminars and received some journalistic guidance from English professors and on-the-job training on campus newspapers (‘Campus’, ‘The Paper’). I was also involved in electronic media outfit called SAME, and CCNY student radio station (WCCR) where I hosted the first Indo-Caribbean program around 1979 after I was elected to student government. Later, I penned reports and letters in school and community publications (News India, India Abroad) on the 1978 rigged referendum and socio-politico and economic conditions in Guyana. And I gave several radio interviews.

In the early 1980s in NY, several community publications (Newsbeat by Amit Parasnath, Caribbean Expo by Vishnu Bandhu, West Indian Graphic by Balwant Singh, among others) were launched and I was approached to be a contributor. I did much of their reporting and some editing, as well as editorials. Later, I wrote for publications in Canada (including Indo-Caribbean World, Global Times), UK (Caribbean Times, Asia Times – both founded by a Guyanese), and Trinidad (Sandesh, Bomb, Tribune, among others). And in NY, the group I was affiliated with in the Guyana freedom struggle put out several publications in which I played some role. I helped found the Indo-Caribbean Review, penning reports, editing articles, and writing editorials. Later, I founded Guyana Abroad and other community publications serving as Managing Editor.

There were several other publications in the NY area, including two put out by Annan Boodram (Caribbean Voice and Caribbean Community Links), one each by Kenneth Persaud (Prime News), Rohit Kanhai (Caribbean Daylight), Rohit Singh (Indi International News), the Caribbean New Yorker, Caribbean Voice, West Indian News, West Indian Contact, India Monitor, Caribbean Link, Asia on Line, India Post, among others, where I made contributions in writing and or in editing. They helped to hone my skill and experience as a reporter and op-ed columnist over the last 44 years. Guyana and myself benefitted.
Gratitude is expressed to the diaspora and other media for providing space to expose rights abuses in Guyana and pressuring the regime to democratise.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram