Dear Editor,
As someone with an interest in Guyanese affairs, I usually have to perambulate for the truth among the Guyana Chronicle, Kaieteur News and Stabroek News. Finding the truth is often difficult with suppositions that the Guyana Chronicle is nothing more than propaganda machinery; Kaieteur News is a sensationalist newspaper with no serious credibility; and Stabroek News is an anti- PPP/C organ. However, following the disclosure of inefficiencies of the LOC, I have found that Stabroek News has outscored the Guyana Chronicle on points of accuracy.
While Stabroek News has unmasked the shortcomings of the LOC and of the penalties incurred by the Guyana government, the Guyana Chronicle has continued to deny the truth. For instance, Stabroek News revealed that GL Events has taken control of the management of the ground, with the LOC being given the role of assistants, while the Guyana Chronicle insists that GL Events is simply assisting the LOC. To decide the truth between the two reports, I visited Cricinfo.com and almost coincidentally, I saw an article by the Associated Press (AP) entitled “Organisers warn of Guyana stadium chaos”.
Contrary to what Dr. Frank Anthony describes as a “non-issue”, the aforementioned article forebodes graver consequences than were mentioned in Stabroek News. For instance, the AP article, dated March 24, cites power outages as a cause for serious concern. Additionally, what many Guyanese may not know is that the Trelawny Stadium and the Queen’s Park Oval are on standby to host the Guyana matches. (editor’s note: we are informed that other stadia are always on standby in case a problem arises).
Dr. Anthony, the Guyana Chronicle and the government have a responsibility to inform the Guyanese people of the truth. Can one imagine what the economic and social consequences would be had the public not been reliably informed and then suddenly the games were moved?
Already the Irish Times and the Irish Independent are warning the Irish supporters about their personal safety in Guyana. They cite not only the rampant crime in the country, but even admonish their people to take out travel insurance which covers medical evacuation.
Guyana stands precariously on the brink of shame, so all declarations of truth will be welcomed. Let there be integrity at least.
Yours faithfully,
(name and address supplied)
Editor’s note
We do not consider ourselves anti-PPP as the writer suggests, nor are we pro-PPP. As an independent newspaper we do our best to cover the news of the day as accurately and objectively as we can.
Crime here is no worse than it is in Trinidad and Jamaica. The security level in Guyana and elsewhere has been raised for the games.