Today is Press Freedom Day: What’s Guyana’s balance sheet?

May 03, 2010 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

President Jagdeo referred to the private media as the new opposition. That was more of an indictment of the opposition parties though Mr. Jagdeo had the private media in mind. Why did Mr. Jagdeo say that? Mr. Jagdeo’s hegemonic control of Guyana is not complete and will not be complete because the private media prevents the successful penetration of the society by Mr. Jagdeo’s Leviathan machine. This is not the role of the media but independent of its objectivity and news-bringing functions, the private media has eroded Mr. Jagdeo’s planed hegemony.
The private media has done that because it has reported on the sins of the regime, which if went unprinted, would have secured a credibility and an image for the Guyana Government which it does not deserve. There is no need to dwell on this subject-matter because all (I say all as opposed to most) Guyanese know about the corruption monster alone has helped to erase the baggage problem the PNC had to carry for all these years. Today one is on unsafe ground when one talks about the baggage the PNC is carrying or the need for the PNC to apologize when it was in office. The baggage the PPP moves around with would sink the heaviest air-craft carrier in the US armed forces.
The point is if it wasn’t for the private media the Guyanese people would have been unaware of the level of immorality, debauchery, profanity, kleptomania and miasma that have enveloped the PPP Government, particularly since 2002 after Mr. Jagdeo was first elected. The sad reality in Guyana in 2010 is that if the private media goes down, Guyana’s remaining freedoms will dissolve. It is within this context, one must fathom the subliminal meaning of the presidential exclamation – “the private media is the new opposition.” Mr. Jagdeo is saying if it weren’t for these people, he would have had more power, been more popular and more invincible.
As it turned out, Mr. Jagdeo is far from invincible. Mr. Jagdeo has to face the most unusual situation that no other Prime Minister or President has to endure – his supporters are ashamed to write and blog in praise of Mr. Jagdeo’s performance using their own name. This is quite an egregious insult that Mr. Jagdeo should not tolerate. But could he convince his underlings to do otherwise? I doubt it. I think those anonymous writers who use pen-names are afraid to be publicly known to be associated with the PPP Government.
It is against this background that one must acknowledge the priceless role of the private media in this country. But the picture is not as elegant and presentable as it should be. First, the journalistic community here suffers from the devastation of the human resources base that afflicts all of Guyana. We do not have much talent going around. Young journalists are sent off to presidential press conferences where they are afraid of the retorts which tend to be insulting. Gone are the days when journalists love the profession. I don’t see many of those around.
Secondly, the research endeavours in journalism are pathetic and abominable. Journalists are not doing research in the areas they are investigating and the public is left-short-changed. There have been a number of interviews with presidential hopefuls recently in different media environments and some extremely relevant questions were not asked because adequate research work was not done. In all fairness to the media though, Guyana is not like the UK or the USA. We are a small society where job opportunities for hard-hitting journalists are extremely limited thus media investigators are not going to be bold and daring and interviewers will be afraid that if they are too pressing, their list will dry up.
Finally, the media landscape has suffered some crucial set-backs. The numbers of private media houses have decreased. Tony Vieira was offered a phenomenal price which he was never going to refuse thus ending the independence of The Evening News. It is doubtful that CN Sharma will continue on the path of crusading television. For all intent and purpose, CN Sharma’s reign is over. That leaves Capitol News, Prime News and the two independent dailies. On this great day when we observe and celebrate the freedom of the press, it is incumbent on all Guyanese to keep focus on the intention of Guyana’s dictatorial regime. It is the evil desire to cripple and remove the last standing rampart against the complete subjugation of the Guyanese people – the private media. This column will not be intimidated by men of straw.

Latest News

Today is Press Freedom Day: What’s Guyana’s balance sheet?

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest tips off today

Twin tons from Anderson, Imlach steer Eagles back...

Race for quarterfinal spots commence today at MoE...

Marsh sets up Lucknow’s comfortable win...

Saints and GTI dominate as YBG Georgetown...

Carty misses ton, Hamilton (80) sets up tense...

Features/Columnists

The One-Man Republic

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

Polls – what they say, where I stand

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Today is Press Freedom Day: What’s Guyana’s balance sheet?

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]