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The state media has a continuing problem with basic language use

Mar 23, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister (NCN, GNNL which produces the Guyana Chronicle and the Department of Public Information (DPI)), Kwame McCoy, emphatically stated that he has “a plan for the overhauling of the agencies (and that he) will soon begin and will look at the human resource capacity”.
His direct words (Stabroek News-September 21, 2020) are that “We want to start with a human resource audit because you have to know what we have in the system and if it would facilitate the objectives for the plan we have. It is the same for any business model, you want to know the skillsets of your personnel to effectively plan so it ensures that your goals are met. So, assessing human resources is first to be looked at.”
Let me say that I was initially enamoured with him for such a bold declaration, but quite a few months have gone by and I have noticed that, in the area of ‘proper and basic language’ use, there is a continuing problem, reflective of ‘insufficiency of knowledge.’
Under McKoy’s present watch, there are at least (or supposed to be) four experts in the basic use of language. NCN has a CEO (Chief Executive Officer) in Michella Abraham-Ali, an EIC (Editor-in-Chief) in Leeron Brummel and two adjoining heads in Edward Layne (Department of Public Information) and Neaz Subhan (Voice of Guyana/GTV (National Communications Network Inc.). The ‘list of experts’ extends to the Chronicle with its Editor-in- Chief, Tajeram Mohabir. So, I am forced to ask: How come there is a plethora of errors in the state media, particularly the Chronicle (I will spare the Voice of Guyana in this letter, since it super abounds with solecisms and mispronunciations, which I will address subsequently)?
The language ‘horror’ is partially itemized below, and my hope is that the relevant heads will seek some kind of help. As a caveat, I will not expose issues of spelling variations nor even capitalization, unless they are quite egregious.
February 1: “Govt. eyes one million tonnes…”; “The production rate of quarriable substances HAVE…” (Should be HAS)
February 1: “Works progressing on $83.9M in Santa Rosa…”; “…the project complements the INFRASTRUCTURE works…” (Should be INFRASTRUCTURAL)
February 1: “MV Kimbia returns.” “…repairs exceeded the ministry’s expectations due to the severity of DAMAGES…” (Learn the difference between DAMAGE and DAMAGES-please)
March 1: “Well-known pastor dies in Berbice accident”
“The driver of the minibus, along with three unnamed passengers, WERE (Should be WAS) taken to Fort Wellington Hospital and later transferred to New Amsterdam Public Hospital. Pastor Farley was pronounced dead at the Fort Wellington Hospital. The accident occurred AT AROUND 14:40h.”
March 3: “Youth who allegedly murdered Ghandi remanded”
“… Following the conclusion of the game at 20:30 hrs, Willis reportedly visited the mother of his daughter at 22nd Street, Paradise Housing Scheme, ECD, and left AT ABOUT 23:00hrs for home. The following day, AT ABOUT 05:30 hours, a resident of the area who was heading to work, observed Willis lying on the roadway and summoned the police
(Do you mean EXACTLY AROUND/ABOUT?) It is either ‘around’, ‘about’ or ‘at.’ NB. ‘At’ is precise, so a time cannot be ‘precisely’ ‘about’ or ‘around.’
March 1: “Region Ten to rollout anti-filaria-campaign-today” (Please learn about the huge difference between ROLLOUT and ROLL OUT-they cannot be used interchangeably)
March 3: Budget 2021 centred on indigenous youths, social development.” In this case, it could be that lassitude resulted in ‘indigenous’ as against ‘Indigenous.’
March 4: “Two Colours files Constitutional Motion”
“Wayne, along with co-accused Melroy Doris ARE (Should be IS) currently on remand awaiting a re-trial for the murder of cosmetologist, Ashmini Harriram.
March 6: “Distribution of Sinopharm vaccines (BEGIN) begin this weekend” (Should be BEGINS).
I can go on endlessly, but I think my point is well made. And lest you think that I am picky or prejudiced against Kwame’s state media, namely the Chronicle, this is the Kaieteur News for you. In “Taxi driver found guilty of raping girl, 12,” March 6 issue, I note that a rape was committed in one of our courts…that is according to what I saw in the article: “A 32-year-old taxi driver was unanimously found guilty of RAPING A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT THE GEORGETOWN HIGH COURT …” I add ‘she needed help’; or is it the Editor-in-Chief of Kaieteur News who needs it?
Yours truly,
Prescott Mann

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