I STARTED as a columnist at both the Catholic Standard (CS) and the Stabroek News (SN) at about the same time. As time went by, I became close to the CS’ editor Father Andrew Morrison and distant from the SN’s editor David DeCaires. Father Andy was a superb editor. Not only was I a columnist at CS, but I also contributed to the journalism of the newspaper.
I spent an inordinate time with Father Morrison And I learnt a lot from him. There were times, when stories of a fascinating nature came in on Thursday afternoon, the night of which the paper was published for the coming weekend. Despite the breathtaking content of some of these stories, Father would say, check it out first.
I would say three things to him in my reaction. We don’t have time. Secondly, the story would be turn-milk by the time we go to press in a week’s time. And thirdly, we got to go with trusted sources. ‘Father’ would listen and say if we don’t have eye-raising news in the current issue, so be it, but let’s check out what we received.
It was invaluable advice and I learnt from it and it saved me in my journalistic career many, many times. I think the most vivid moment was when I was investigating the mayhem in Buxton, 2002-2005. One of my sources in Buxton was a youth who grew up in front of my eyes in Wortmanville, and shopped in my mother-in-law’s supermarket on Hadfield Street.
One day we met at the junction of Barr and Alexander Streets and he told me about a high-level, politician from the then opposition party that would visit the gunmen and socialise with them.
This was on a Saturday midday and the deadline for my Sunday column was just hours away. It was a mouth-watering scoop, but when these things happened I would remember Father Morrison’s words – check it out first.
It turned out that indeed a big name in the opposition was a frequent visitor to the gunmen, but I did not run with the story for the next day. It turned out that he confused two opposition leaders. It was not the one he pinpointed but another of similar built. Days after I was able to include that personality (without naming him) in another column.
Last year, a friend of mine, Carlyle Goring, former AFC City Councillor, called me to ask what problem I have to land me in trouble at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court. I was confused about what Carlyle was asking me.
He told me a good friend just told him that he heard my name called out in the court. If Carlyle didn’t check with me and was wild and reckless, he could have spread a fiction about me. His friend probably heard Alfred Kissoon and thought he heard, Freddie Kissoon.
You don’t have to be in journalism to know it is commonsense to check out what you are told. On Sunday, Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known in Guyana as “Guyanese Critic” (GC), told me he will be suing the women group named Red Thread (hope they don’t see red when the marshal brings the writ).
Please see my column of Friday, August 4, 2023, “A hit man, $10M and commonsense.” The article is about what Red Thread allegedly did (I am not sure if the word, “alleged” should be used because Red Thread (RT) did release its press statement publicly of which I am in receipt) and what the press release stated, Guyanese Critic (GC) said he did not do.
This is a disturbing situation and I want to repeat it in case you did not read that column last Friday. RT issued a media statement on July 28, which contains a communication they received from GC warning them of the intent of a businessman to harm them and the US Embassy.
In that media statement, RT called on the police to investigate. But GC is contending that RT did not investigate but ran to the press telling the Guyanese nation that it received notice of violent action against them and the warning was sent by GC who left his email address.
Guyanese Critic is asserting that he never sent any email or notice whatsoever to Red Thread. Some things are missing here. Guyanese Critic is a name that is known throughout the length and width of Guyana.
Why Ms. Karen De Souza who signed the press release did not send an email asking GC for more information? Had she done that, then maybe the imminent lawsuit would have been unnecessary. But more importantly, why release the name of your so-called protector to the public? That trial should be a fascinating one.
