Dear Editor,
For several weeks now I am witnessing the whining and crying of Stabroek News, implying the Government of Guyana is “misusing taxpayers funds in an effort to suppress [their] newspaper.”
Total utter nonsense and rubbish! The government has stated clearly, because of Stabroek News’s low readership, they took the wise decision and stopped giving Stabroek News any business because they wanted more bang for their buck. This makes sense. I am sure anyone would want more value for their hard-earned dollars.
Stabroek News should be the last to complain about prejudice. Many times I have sent letters both to the Guyana Chronicle and Stabroek News. Only the Guyana Chronicle prints my letters. Even though I may be critical of actions taken or to be taken by the Guyana Government, the Chronicle still runs my letters. Stabroek News? Nada! Nothing!
Why is Stabroek News doing this to me? I thought about it and answered my own question. Stabroek News blacklisted any contributions coming from me since I gave my critical views on the regress of their website from what they had before.
A few years ago, Stabroek News website asked readers what they thought of their new format. The new format entailed clicking on every article before one could read anything. The previous format allowed readers to read several articles before proceeding to the next page. I gave my honest opinion to the Webmaster, expressly stating I much preferred the former, as would many web surfers. After several letters between myself and him, he told me I am the only one complaining and he is not going to change anything.
I stated, “when your readership decline, maybe you will know what I am speaking of.” Of course, after this run in, all of my letters to the editor which I sent them never got published. I checked with family and friends and confirmed the e-mail address I use is the current one they also use, and their letters get published.
I conclude therefore Stabroek News is biased towards me. I will not be using another name or e-mail address as a disguise to get my letters published. I stopped sending my letters to Stabroek News. Now ‘pot is calling kettle bottom black.’ Is this not being hypocritical?
I do not have any recourse to be complaining like Stabroek News to force them to publish my letters. But now the shoe is on their foot, it seems not to be fitting them too comfortably.
The readership has declined maybe because Stabroek News is not giving the readers what they want, irrespective of hard copy or internet. It was only a matter of time before my words came to pass. Now their readership has declined, they cannot see past their nose and correct their mistakes, including their blatant twisted reporting.
They were always very critical of our police force. After they got robbed, with their own ‘investigative reporting,’ was Stabroek News after this stretch of time able to come up with anything substantial as to who robbed them? I guess not. But they expect everyone else to do their homework, but when they come up short, they blame others.
Like First Lady Janet Jagan, I myself think Stabroek News should get a piece of the pie. The government should reconsider and give Stabroek News some business. But the cost Stabroek News charges should be pro-rated to the Guyana Chronicle readership. If Stabroek News’ readership is only 30% of that of the Guyana Chronicle readership, then they should only be charged 30% of what the government is charged by the leading newspaper companies.
Maybe after Stabroek News accepts input from its readers, their readership will increase and they can come back to the playing field and play with the bigger boys.
I will resume sending my letters to Stabroek News and see if they will continue to “suppress” my contributions. They either put up or shut up.
Yours faithfully,
Mubarak Kazan
Editor’s note
As has always been our practice we continue to publish letters which are critical of this newspaper. As far as Mr Kazan is concerned, on February 7, 2006 we published a letter from Mubarak Kazan captioned ‘European leaders should not take a back seat on the insulting cartoons’; as well as three others that same year on April 25, May 1 and May 27 under the name ‘M Kazan.’
