AN important component of contemporary citizenship or democracy is the ability to analyse news content, news commentaries and public information. Some scholars of the post-war era believe that democracy depends on people’s ability to discern or distinguish fact from fiction and recognise political persuasion disguised as public information.
However, Guyana’s polarised political climate and disastrous, yet influential social media culture raise the alarm bells about the number of false news stories in circulation.
Additionally, concerns relate to people’s ability to recognise “fake news” and its damaging effects on government and other personalities.
This concern grew, more so, in the post 2019-period when it was clear that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government would fall to a no-confidence motion and would have to face the electorate at the polls.
From this point to now, there is public distrust of the media and what constitutes a reliable news source.
People no longer feel confident with the media information they receive as “news,” because they are suspicious about the ownership, content, and personalities that deliver the news to them.
This climate of uncertainty about the veracity and reliability of news led to the dependency on social media and the Internet for credible news as it unfolds.
While these sites are effective, they also aid in the diffusion of uncorroborated, or worse, incorrect information which is shared on various platforms without a second look.
Also, Guyanese politicians, mainly from the Opposition, have capitalised on this situation of uncertainty about what is truthful, balanced, factual, and meaningful public information.
Regrettably, little or no work is being done by some social media agencies to get the facts and to ascertain whether something is true before it is published or broadcast.
The opposition personalities are dominating the online media with their crazy and, most times, bizarre allegations of corruption, lack of transparency and accountability, sometimes without facts, against the PPP/C Government.
These politicians believe they can say anything and get away with it on social media, but the public must challenge them by asking for the facts and evidence to support their cases against the government. This action is the only way to expose them and their public campaign of misinformation or fake news.
A classic case in point occurred with the parliamentarian, Nima Flue-Bess, who was less than honest about the situation in Mocha-Arcadia and surrounding communities. According to information put on Facebook and media by the MP, the PPP/C Government and private investors are pressuring the residents to give up their plots of land by offering them money to move, so that the residents will not be able to benefit from the planned development there.
It was a PPP plot, according to her, to discriminate against the area politically and racially. Flue-Bess had no facts or proof.

She could not even say how much was the amount allegedly paid by the PPP/C Government. She did not even know the facts of the matter, but chose to come before the world.
Her entire story leaves more questions than answers to a rational being. Her posture and tone at the press conference were also telling and appalling.
Could she be a stranger to the truth?
Could she be making this whole story up or parts thereof?
Is Flue-Bess trying to ignite the old flames about discrimination and political victimisation?
The truth is, this is nothing but politics disguised as public information and news.
Furthermore, this story told by Flue-Bess proves that the media must assert itself as the fourth estate now more than ever before.
It must also begin to enhance the media role as a credible gatekeeper, especially to rebuff the fake news.
These politicians must no longer be allowed to use their social media programmes and platforms to hurt Guyana’s image, nor to settle their political scores.
They are undermining the work done by the media on development and progress in Guyana.
Lastly, the PPP/C Government has to be proactive in combatting the levels of disinformation, post-truth syndrome, and fake news that the APNU+AFC is seemingly guilty of disseminating daily.
It has its work cut out for it, suppressing and stopping the tide of fake news and disinformation about the work of government projects and policies, but it cannot do it alone.
Additionally, the public must play an integral role in recognising this fake news syndrome before the next general and regional elections.