Dear Editor,
I agree that your media provides information to the public, and you do complain about not being short listed by the government for advertisements. I was leaning towards support in your request for those advertisements, however, I believe you showed a weak link in one of your reports on Tuesday.
Your front page on the Internet indicates that an engineer is saying the sewerage pipes being laid for the future hotel are being laid incorrectly, and his/her name cannot be stated.
How can you publish an article like that, without giving the name of the person?
I recall working with the Ministry of Public Works nearly 10 years ago, when another “Engineer” said that tests were not done for the construction of the many roads which were being reconstructed at that time. My office was at Sophia where the lab existed and those tests were conducted.
I want to see if you will publish this letter or not.
Yours faithfully,
Surendra Singh
MSc, Construction
Management/Highway Engineering
Editor’s note
The use of anonymous sources is a well-established practice in the profession. The source would be someone who is qualified to offer an opinion on the relevant issue and that the newspaper trusts and has had previous dealings with, as in this case.Unfortunately in Guyana today too many people still feel inhibited from saying what they should say for fear of the repercussions.
More importantly, the state agency which has overall responsibility for the sewerage system declined to comment on the work being done when given the opportunity to do so.
