I salute the media for keeping me on my toes- Trotman

I salute the media for keeping me on my toes– Trotman

Jan 21, 2018 News

While Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, seems perturbed at the media for its reporting on the looming oil industry, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, said that he “salutes” the media for the scrutiny it provides.
According to Trotman, that sort of scrutiny brings out the best in him.
The Alliance For Change (AFC) recently held its first press conference for the year. At that forum, Trotman, who is also the party leader, said that the AFC plans to engage the media on a regular basis this year, and improvement from last year.
This newspaper question Trotman about his party’s view on the role the media has been playing in the shaping of the oil industry.
Trotman said that he recognises that the media has a “very strong role to play and how you portray what is coming influences people.”
Trotman said, too, “I believe that there is room for improvement. The media is a very important watchdog in democracy and it has to be able to carry the facts. Even though it hurts and I am in the arena and I take the licks, I would not want it any other way because it keeps me on my toes, it keeps me sharp and it keeps me honest.”
The politician continued, “I salute the media for that but at the same time, I ask you to be fair and honest; get the other side.”
Trotman said that there is view that “fake news has reached the shores of Guyana.”
Also, Trotman noted that the local media seems to be less excited than the rest of the world about Guyana’s good fortunes and often look only at the negatives. “I see a different story and I am going to be fixated on that.” The story he sees is one where all Guyanese will be rich in US dollars in just a few years.
Trotman said that the media is using some so called experts on oil and gas who just “went abroad, read up some information, call themselves experts and realise they know it all. I am reminded that the devil has work for idle hands.
“All kinds of people have jumped up and seem to have a lot of time on their hands. I am also reminded that the devil seeks to kill, destroy and steal.”
Wait until (ExxonMobil) does something, then alert the country. But do not harass them before the production even starts.” That was the advice given to the media particularly Kaieteur News, by Greenidge.
It was almost as if Greenidge was asking for ExxonMobil to be given kid-glove treatment.
During a press conference, Greenidge made several references to the “cuss out” that the media has been “putting” on ExxonMobil.
Asked what it is he saw in the media that constituted the “cuss out” he spoke about, Greenidge said that there are a number of articles “even addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for simply responding to queries from journalists as regards the matter.”
Greenidge said that ExxonMobil broke no law as yet in Guyana and as such, should be left alone. The company’s track record has no relevance here.
The Minister said that if the press has concerns about the company based on its track record, the press should try to hold the government accountable.
“Y’all down the road cussing them out. (Saying that) they are terrible, who they ain’t rob, they put money in somebody’s account and the president spend it. What does that have to do with the company? A company that pays taxes any place has no say in how the money is spent. That is the government’s responsibility.”
Greenidge saw nothing wrong with the company depositing money in a president’s private account.
Further, Greenidge jabbed transparency advocates. He said that “many of those who talk transparency, their activities won’t see the light of day.”
Greenidge had even said that ExxonMobil complained to him for Kaieteur News.

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I salute the media for keeping me on my toes– Trotman

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