I GET the question often from people, the past umpteen years, “how do you manage to do a daily column?” I would say: “I want to do two a day, this is Guyana maan.” If the Chronicle permits, I would like to do two because two could be done.
I have a notebook with all the necessary topics I would like to full my columns with. I look back at the notebook and I see so many issues that I jotted down that have been left on the shelf and I want to complete them. I was going through the notebook and then Aubrey Norton’s interview intervened and I have to touch on that.
I was going through the notebook, then someone sent me a screenshot of something ironic that the former editor of the Stabroek News (SN), Anand Persaud, said three days ago. So, the items in my notebook will have to wait because I am doing a comment on Persaud now.
This is truly a crazy country whose comical content keeps expanding. Perennial critic of the Government of Guyana, Janet Bulkan, from her frozen neck of the woods, British Columbia (why would someone with a doctorate in forestry work in cold British Columbia and not in the Global South), wrote that she told her friends that Mr. Persaud is the most consequential citizen Guyana produced since the late 20th century.
Her friends in British Columbia didn’t know where Guyana was, so they couldn’t ask her about the dozens of consequential Guyanese who are trillions of miles ahead of Persaud. Bulkan does not live in Guyana, so she would not know that in the late 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century in Guyana, Mr. Persaud was an unknown name both at SN and in Guyana. Just goes to show how these expatriate Guyanese who don’t know Guyana can open their mouths and spew nonsense.
So, what was ironic that Persaud uttered? In ridiculing the recent appointments of nine REOs by the government, Mr. Persaud exclaimed: “Not much explanation as to how it arrived at the names or the rationale behind the new appointment (sic).” In political theory and sociology, there is a general consensus that there are three pillars of constitutional power – the judiciary, the legislature and the executive.
In the 19th century, because of the unlimited and incredible influence of the press on everything in a society, a fourth pillar was added, so the press was given the title, Fourth Estate, meaning the fourth foundation of power. With the rise of television, the press became the media.
The media, with the advent of the 20th century, became so powerful that it overthrew the Jagan and Allende governments in British Guiana and Chile, respectively. The media became so powerful in the 20th century that media baron Rupert Murdoch actually decided who was going to be the Prime Minister of the UK (see the several biographies of Murdoch, which document the unlimited influence of Murdoch in the UK)
In Guyana, media boss Anand Persaud was so pompous and arrogant that his hubris prevented him from offering explanations for despicable, unprofessional journalism. This column will end with examples that students in journalism should one day confront Mr. Persaud on.
1-When Israel began to bomb Gaza indiscriminately killing Palestinians, SN interviewed Israel’s ambassador to the UN and not Palestine’s envoy to the UN
2-When Palestine’s ambassador to Guyana and Palestine’s ambassador to the UN came to Guyana during the bombing of Gaza, SN did not cover their press conferences.
3-There were two public marches in Georgetown in sympathy with Palestinians, two public symposia at Square of the Revolution and one lecture at CIOG on Woolford Avenue, and a one-man picket in support of Palestine that went on for five months. SN did not cover any.
4-Former Professor in International Relations, Dr Randy Persaud, who is a presidential adviser, publicly announced that SN told him that SN will not carry his letters because he attacks civil society organisations. SN never offered the public an explanation.
5 years after, in an editorial note below a letter by the Attorney General, which made reference to the Randy Persaud ban, SN noted that Dr Persaud made ad hominem attacks on civil society. If you put all the world’s philosophers in a room to define what an ad hominem attack is, there will never be a consensus. SN used the ad hominem excuse to shut out Dr Persaud.
The above is just a tiny sample. I haven’t included SN’s unlimited embrace of Christopher Ram, GHK Lall, the Guyana Human Rights Association, Hamilton Green, pro-imperialist thinker, Berterand Ramcharran, the imperialist platform “Project Syndicate” while shutting out people like Gerald Perreira, Ravi Dev, Joel Bhagwandin, myself and others. Anand Persaud was no example of professional journalism. He should shut up!
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.