Dear Editor,
From time to time the government has the right to make examples of those whom believe they can do or say anything without having any repercussions.
It is the government’s duty, even in a democratic society, to reprimand and punish those who fall out of line. They do not dictate the policy of any media house.
We had much more wicked and sinister events that, on the other hand, were deliberate attempts to shut the media’s mouth on various issues. Take for instance, the banning of newsprint for the nation’s Roman Catholic diocesan weekly The Catholic Standard, the murder of Father Darke, etc. So these events today are nothing compared to the evil attempts to censor democracy in days past.
The protesters are doing their thing but are still wasting their time.
The President will not revoke the ban, not unless the errant reporter issues a public apology, which we all know he won’t. He won’t even change his mind if George Bush says he should. The government, in the past, has been very stern and solid after making decisions like these, and rightly so. This is not a ‘cowboy’ country, Sir. There are rules and regulations that the media must follow in any democratic society.
We all know what happened to the Georgetown TV station that is still being punished (until August 11) for allowing a caller to threaten the life of His Excellency on live television then, doing something so stupid as to repeat the same TV broadcast.
Well, Stabroek News did nothing to deserve the ban on the government ads but we’re all happy that situation is now resolved. So stop crying foul, Capitol News; send another reporter to cover the presidential assignments.
And next time warn your reporters about what they say in the media about the government.
Oh, after this, you surely will. You should be happy that you can openly cry foul about the whole issue and protest and issue letters of dissatisfaction – be thankful that you’re still in a democratic society after all.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
