The Guyana Review published in the Monday’s edition of the Stabroek News in an article ‘Media – the war over memory, the president and the media’ seemed to portray a similar picture of the tenure of President Bharrat Jagdeo, they only see what they want to see ignoring the bigger picture.

Every political leader will at some time make unpopular decisions. The reaction to that decision by the affected persons and to some extent the media will determine the impact of the decision. In democracies, politicians could only remain in power as long as the electorate choses to have them remain. Their stewardship is measured by the ballot at the end of their term.

The fact that President Jagdeo was returned to office in 2006 with a resounding victory speaks volumes of the support that he continues to receive.

His apparent confrontational interaction with the media may be because of his responses to the unfair and sometimes personal criticism levelled at him.

The three incidents recorded in the article will be further ventilated by history. By then, rational thought would have replaced the emotion of the present. While the media often plays an important role in the recorded history of any era, the official records are the real evidence.

The media has been known to present issues based on the perception of individuals who report them. I am certain that we all can recall witnessing an event and seeing it reported in a totally different light in the media.

Unlike the report in the Guyana Review, I believe that the PPP/C administration’s achievements under President Jagdeo will be remembered for far more significant things than those three incidents. The Berbice River Bridge, Takuktu Bridge, rehabilitation of the road infrastructure, modernizing the criminal and traffic laws, the establishment of the Rights Commissions, greater participation by the opposition in the Parliamentary process, debt write offs are some of the achievements history will record.

What is more important is the difference these achievements will make in the lives of individuals. The transformation that will take place in Berbice and Lethem areas as a result of that important link and justice being served as a result of the new criminal laws being enforced. These things mean a lot to people and they are the greatest recorders of history.
EDWARD SIMON