THE EMPIRE IS BEGINNING TO CRUMBLE

Nov 07, 2013 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

All it took for the Arab Spring to dramatically change the face of the Middle East was for people to say that they have had enough. All it took to expose how fragile were the Middle Eastern dictators’ hold on power was for ordinary people to engage in a process of peaceful protest.
These protests triggered a chain reaction that brought down the kingdoms of some of the world’s most entrenched dictators in that part of the world.
Small cracks can signal the crumbling of powerful empires. The greatest edifices usually are not as sturdy as they see. The most powerful empires can collapse like a pack of cards once they begin to show signs to deterioration.
The resignation of three journalists from the Guyana Times may signal the beginning of the end for one of the more powerful financial empires in the country. It may signal the end of a media giant that got out of hand and which had descended into gutter journalism reporting in order to deflect attention from the stunning revelations made over the past few months about persons connected to the Guyana Times media outfit which formed part of that large financial empire.
Instead of dealing with the issues raised by the Kaieteur News, the Guyana Times launched a campaign of mudslinging aimed at the publisher of this newspaper. The strategy was evident: if you cannot deal with the message, go after the messenger.
The revelations made in the Kaieteur News could not be countered and therefore the only resort was to sleaze and character assassination. Guyanese have grown accustomed to such responses which had come to characterize the PPP administration. Those who could deal with the criticisms that were being made about their actions resorted to cuss- bird politics.
It was the same following the many investigative pieces of journalism undertaken by this newspaper. Those who could not answer to these criticisms began to target the messenger. Just like was done on the PPPC platform in the 2011 election campaign, the response to the reports in this newspaper was aimed at maligning the reputation and character of publisher of this newspaper.
Glenn Lall is made of sturdier stuff. He is not fazed by such things and he certainly had no intention of dignifying sleaze. Even though he was libeled and slandered day in day out, he did not bother to run to the courts as so many of his critics like to do. He allowed those who enjoyed groveling in the mud to continue to do so because he knew that in the end it would backfire on them.
It is one thing to write sleaze. It is another thing to ask professional persons to read it and to do so publicly. There is a limit to what even the most loyal of journalists will handle. It is one thing to ask them each night to regurgitate government propaganda.
It is another thing to ask them to nasty their hands and reputation by asking them to be a party to a smear campaign.
As expected, the journalists reached their tipping point. They reacted decisively. They said they would have no further part of this nastiness because it was against the ethics that they had been taught in their communication studies at the university.
There is only so much that people will take and to ask these young professionals to do reduce their standards of professionalism was asking too much.
The example of these three young journalists must be commended. They have taken a brave and courageous step by refusing to be part of gutter journalism and cuss-bird politics.
They have taken a bold stand. Others will follow for sure because all it takes for empires to crumble is for a few good persons to take a stand on principle, knowing that if they do not stand up for something, they are liable to fall for anything.

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THE EMPIRE IS BEGINNING TO CRUMBLE

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