EVERYBODY HIDING!

Feb 27, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem at work. He dialed the employee’s home phone number and was greeted by a child’s whisper – “Hello?”
“Is your Daddy home?”
“Yes”, whispered Little Johnny.
May I talk with him?” the man asked.
To the surprise of the boss, Little Johnny whispered, “No.”
Wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, “Is your Mommy there?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“May I talk with her?” Again Little Johnny whispered, “No.”
“Is there anyone else there besides you,” asked the boss
“Yes,” whispered Little Johnny, “A policeman.”
Wondering what a policeman would be doing at his employee’s home, the boss asked, “May I speak with the policeman?”
“No, he’s busy”, whispered Little Johnny.
“Busy doing what?” asked the boss.
“Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman,” was the whispered answer.
Growing concerned and even worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the reciever the boss asked, “What is that noise?”
“A hello-copper,” answered the whispering Little Johnny.
“What is going on there?” asked the boss, now alarmed.
In an awed, whispering voice Little Johnny answered, “The search team just landed the hello-copper!”
Alarmed, concerned and more than just a little frustrated the boss asked, “Why are they there?”
Still whispering, Little Johnny replied, “They’re looking for me!”
A few years ago, everybody was peeping. According to one song they were even using helicopters to peep. Everybody peeping?
Now it seems as if everybody hiding, especially certain big ones in the government. Kaieteur News has been on the prowl, trying to obtain information about matters of public interest and instead of obtaining this information, this newspaper is being stonewalled.
Where are all the big ones that a few years ago were so eager to see their faces in the newspapers? They seem to have gone into hiding. It is a Herculean task to wrest a comment out of some persons these days. Some of them seem to have disappeared from the public view. Others are simply inaccessible. What is going on? Why are these folks hiding? What does this say about the sort of administration when so many of the big ones are not coming out and providing explanations about what is taking place in the country?
The people need answers. They need to know what is going on. It is the duty of the Fourth Estate to provide those answers. This is the public service function that the media provides.
There is thus a relationship between those who provide the information, in this case the media, and those who are supposed to be accountable to the people. The people are informed about what is taking place in the country through public officials opening up to the media.
Obstacles are being constantly strewn in the path of this newspaper, which courageously continues to pry into the business of the people, while those who should be opening up to the nation, are increasingly out of sight.
Out of sight is however not out of mind. The people are not going to forget the issues that are outstanding. And this newspaper is not like so many big ones who are dodging public scrutiny, going into hiding, even as much as some big ones would love nothing more than to see this newspaper disappear.
Nor is this newspaper going to be deterred by the difficulties that are being placed in its path. This newspaper had long announced that there were plans being hatched to deal with Kaieteur News.
And these plans to deal with Kaieteur News stemmed no doubt from its exposure of some the deals that have become so controversial within our society, and from which individuals who are supposed to be accountable are retreating, away from the view of the public.
Kaieteur News, however, is not going to be deterred, whatever the price that must be paid for us to ensure that the public interest is served. We will take the insults and continue to pry into matters which we believe are of public interest.
We shall swallow the insults and statements of contempt with a grain of salt. Only this past week when this newspaper enquired about the specifications for certain contracts, we were advised to go and buy the tender documents. Now how can any government claim to be accountable to the people when such disingenuous remarks flow from within it? How can any government be serious about asking the public to scrutinize the work of contractors when there is an unwillingness to freely make available the details of public contracts? How will the public be able to know what is supposed to be done when information which the authorities, if they are serious about accountability, ought to themselves be making available to the public? Why should a newspaper have to go and procure these specifications when it is in the public interest for these to be made known?
Perhaps those in authority need to be reminded that they have been placed by the people in order to serve the people.
They are not there to do and say as they please or to hide from public scrutiny?

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