‘Guyana Times’ hits the streets

Jun 07, 2008 News

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– President gets testy at launching

President Bharrat Jagdeo was at his caustic best Thursday evening at the launching of the newly established newspaper ‘Guyana Times’ when he launched an attack on Chairman of Demerara Distillers Limited, Yesu Persaud.
Persaud’s predicament came a short while after he suggested to the gathering at Le Meridien Pegasus that concessions similar to those granted to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. (QAII) should be given to other local companies.
“You know me; I am controversial and I don’t care at this stage of my life,” President Jagdeo said.
Taking Persaud to task, the President said that the company that Persaud heads was also given tax holidays and a grant from the government for a medical transcription project that failed.
“Mr. Persaud, you are falling right into the trap of the ignorant people who have been saying this over and over again (the negotiated deal) but we chose not to respond to it because we knew that it would continue,” the Head of State said.
The Head of State said that Persaud is ignorant of the Financial Administration and Audit Act which was passed some years ago.
“We passed the Financial Administration and Audit Act and it says that there are two principles under which we are going to give tax holidays. The first has to do with geographic factors…So if you are located in regions where we want investment to go we are going to give added concessions.
“The second is that we are going to give those concessions also to pioneering industry,” the President said.
Large hotels, he added, have been given tax holidays while any investment in Information Communication Technology (ICT) will get the same concessions, Jagdeo added.
Speaking about the tax holidays given to QAII, Jagdeo noted that of the five proposed companies only two were given the concession.
“The hardware company will not get a tax holiday because it has to compete with other companies in Guyana that do not have tax holidays. The printing company does not have a tax holiday because it has to compete with the others.”
The newspaper equipment and newsprint are not duty free, the President said.
Speaking about the textiles and the antibiotic plant, the President said that these are two pioneering industries and as such will have the tax holiday as provided for by Guyana’s laws.
But Persaud was not the only one the President chose to chastise. The private media also got its share of the President’s tongue lashing.
Commenting on the newspaper industry in Guyana, the Head of State said that ‘there is room for a serious newspaper in Guyana.’
According to President Jagdeo, a newspaper that can be critical, truthful and fair will be welcomed in Guyana, noting that it should stay away from ‘scurrilous attacks on individuals, corporations and government agencies.’
“We don’t want a newspaper that thrives on rumours and for a very long time we have been feasting at the table of that sort of news media.”
The Head of State said that he does hope that this new paper makes a difference.
“I hope it’s a paper that recognizes that there is good in this country and hard working people…the efforts of our people should not be subjected or sacrificed at the alter of sensationalism…this has been a regular feature of our journalism that we have been faced with in this country.”
He added that he is particularly happy that some persons with a corporate interest have launched a newspaper.
“I think that people with a corporate interest can benefit from a country that is progressing and that is portrayed in a positive light.”
He cited Jamaica and its high levels of crime and yet the country is portrayed in a positive light.
“People with corporate interest recognized that they need the country to move forward for them to make money…so they would find the right balance and this is what we need in Guyana: the balance, not control but balance.”
He added that he does not care what forum it is he is speaking at but once his government comes under unfair criticism he will defend it.
The President added that he has asked that the Head of the Privatization Unit, Winston Brassington, to host a seminar to explain the tax laws and the privatization policy within the next month and to ensure that Mr. Yesu Persaud is present.
The Guyana Times will be a daily publication with various features including a yellow page section, daily educational features along with provisions for young journalists in the making who wish to display their ability to write.
The reception attracted the crème de la crème in the society in the Savannah Suite that was packed to overflowing. There were also addresses by Chairman of the Guyana Times Board, Ramroop Ramnarain; Media Consultants Simon lee, Dr Kim Johnson and Dr Indranie Rampersaud; General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union, Carvil Duncan; President of the Guyana Press Association, Denis Chabrol; and Guyana Times Editor, Avery Gomes.
At the end of the ceremony, every guest received a bag containing tokens from the company, including yesterday’s edition of the Guyana Times.

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