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The Freddie Kissoon column – Me and Gardan Mooslee in conversation
FK: Hi there, Gardan. Long time no see. I guess all of us in the media will have to exchange notes with each other during the national consultation on the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EPA) this month end.
I doubt President Jagdeo can achieve success in winning the support of Guyana in his rejection of the EPA if the media does not come on board.
If you look at the coverage President Bush got during the invasion of Iraq, you would have seen that CNN and all the other American networks worked up a jingoistic chant in support of their government. The very media now has turned against Bush in his stance of continuing the war.
My point Gardan is that in any country’s fight with a foreign process, you will need the media to come out in support of the government
GM: Look, Freddie, let me give you my position as early as now. As a media operative, I will find it hard, near to impossible, to use my pen or voice in support of Mr. Jagdeo’s crusade against the EPA because we have in Guyana a President who seems to have another crusade going. The second one is yet to begin, that is the EPA, but the first one has been in full swing years ago
FK: Exactly what is this first crusade about?
GM: The media, Freddie, the media. Freddie, this latest fiasco with Gordon Moseley is one in a long list that goes back to 1999 when Mr. Jagdeo became President. Remember Ron Robinson had the plug pulled on Stretched-out Magazine.
Remember, Debra Kissoon asked Mr. Jagdeo a question about money laundering when he was Finance Minister and was suspended from GBC. For almost two years, the Stabroek News was victimized by the withdrawal of state advertisements. In none of these incidents the evidence was found that it was Mr. Jagdeo himself that gave the orders but people believe he was behind it.
Of course we know that it was President Jagdeo that acted against CN Sharma. I read the front page comment of the Kaieteur News and that was surely depressing news about how some powerful people feel about the media
FK: And now, Gardan, we have the Gordon Moseley affair.
GM: Well, Freddie, this particular one is egregious and dangerous. When I first heard that Moseley was banned for disrespect, I thought he had violated protocol at the Office of the President.
I thought the guy refused to take his seat when the President told him so. Or that he shouted at the President and was cautioned but continued in that vein. But he was ostracized for voicing his disagreement with the President’s attitude towards the media.
What is particularly frightening is that the Government is now interpreting normative statements of citizens and deciding on its semantic content. One can understand if you call a highly eminent person a jackass or say that the person has no brains. But Moseley did none of that. I think we have entered into dangerous waters.
As far I as I can see, there was no disrespectful element in Moseley’s letter. If he apologizes, I’m afraid, the flood gates will open. As soon as the big ones in Government don’t like a word you use, they will classify you as disrespectful and demand you apologize.
FK: But look, Gardan, you still have to answer what will be your role as a media person in the upcoming national consultation.
GM: Well, Freddie, you should tell me about your position. You are the columnist. I am the reporter. You have more scope to call on people to support Mr. Jagdeo’s second crusade
FK: Gardan, you must have seen a couple columns of mine on the subject. None of us can sit silently and watch our country get a raw deal from another territory. In the case of Mr. Jagdeo’s rally against the EPA, as a columnist and academic, I am willing to write in favour of Mr. Jagdeo and address symposia on it.
I believe there are some serious disadvantages in the EPA. But morally, I cannot openly side with the cause of an undemocratic government no matter how nationalistically exigent is that cause.
I believe Mr. Jagdeo should call all, I repeat, all, the major stakeholders, meet as far as possible their legitimate demands like ending radio monopoly, non-interference at UG, upping the age of retirement, accepting the Freedom of Information Act, giving Critchlow College its funds, independent boards for state media entities, the immediate implementation of the Human Rights Commission among other vital requirements.
If and when Mr. Jagdeo does these things, people will automatically rally around their President and see him as a good leader that wants the best for his country.
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