The Parrot Speaks - Buddy’s should tell the naysayers where the wind is falling

The Parrot Speaks – Buddy’s should tell the naysayers where the wind is falling

May 18, 2008 Peeping Tom

The Parrot has noticed the obsession a certain media entity has with the sale of the Buddy’s International Hotel and everything that surrounds it.

I want to make it pellucid that I am in no way suggesting that a media entity must not report on issues that are considered to be of interest and importance to those accessing its service. However, in its execution of its “mandate” to report on what is deemed “news worthy”, caution must be exercised to prevent any personal bias from contaminating the final article.

This, after all, is a pillar of journalistic ethics, and when observed, speaks volumes of the practitioner’s professionalism. Further, in penning this squawk, I am not suggesting that the practitioners over the “overexuberant” outfit are unprofessional. I am merely using this squawk to ask pertinent questions regarding the emphasis on the issue.

In my opinion, and I’m sure it may the same of many, it’s basically a non-issue, save and except it must be reported that the hotel has changed owners, especially given the hype surrounding its construction. This was a pride project for all Guyana regardless on whose fence you sit. Guyana was in dire need of another quality hotel to meet the demands of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the hosting of Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007. The sale of the hotel is news. However, in reading the related articles, one senses an attempt to insinuate that special treatment was meted out to the developer.

Accommodation became a major issue and threatened our hosting of some super eight matches. As they say in baseball, “somebody had to step up to the plate”, and that person was the owner of Buddy’s. He stepped up and was supported and delivered.

The circumstances that Guyana faced in delivering the deliverables for CWC would have prompted any administration of the host countries which might have experienced a similar situation to offer assistance to an entrepreneur.

What the naysayers need to understand is that Guyana was at stake and not Buddy’s. If we didn’t deliver as a country, I am sure the same media entity would have used the opportunity to chastise the government for not doing enough to host the mega event. As I mentioned, it was our pride as a nation that was at stake. Today all Guyanese can feel that sense of pride and achievement when traversing that part of the East Bank public road. The stadium and the hotel have transformed the landscape of that area. Now as a result of the two structures and the many other hotels that were constructed in 2007, Guyana is better prepared to host events of such magnitude. Carifesta X, which is coming back home, is just days away.

Everyday properties are sold and these sales do not make the news. Many times Guyanese only become aware of these developments through advertisements.

Skyscrapers are often sold in the United States. Does this make the news? The World Trade Centre and the Empire State building would have changed hands. Was that given the kind of emphasis by the U.S. media as was the Buddy’s hotel deal?

The bottom line is that the sale of the hotel like any other property is the business of the owner, the new owner and others that might be integrally involved, including bank officials. It is not me or you or the paper’s business. As I said, nothing is wrong in mentioning that the hotel was sold, but the emphasis placed by the paper makes one question the real motive in the reports. Businessmen are businessmen and would always want to make a profit. Show me one who doesn’t? If the owner of Buddy’s made a profit, small or large, he is just being true to what he does. Should I believe that the paper would have preferred he didn’t make a profit?

Given that it is reported that a profit was made, and according to the paper Buddy’s may have benefited from a “windfall”, the Parrot would like to suggest that the paper’s owners should also look to the East so that they could also “cash” in their business in an effort to gain from the “falling winds”. Maybe they should recruit Buddy’s as their consultant. Squawk! Squawk!

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The Parrot Speaks – Buddy’s should tell the naysayers where the wind is falling

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