Dear Editor,
As I sat in the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Brickdam attending the funeral service for the late David de Caires, Editor-in-Chief of the Stabroek News, and observed ministerial functionaries of the state seated prominently at the service, I could not resist contemplating whether or not they were parties to the government’s decision to cease placing state advertisements in the Stabroek News. If any of them were not involved in the making of the decision, what was the position taken by the individual functionary on being made aware of the decision?
It is very likely that the controversy with the Government of Guyana over the stoppage of governmental advertisements and its financial consequences for the newspaper may have had deleterious effects on the health of Mr de Caires. It was very noticeable, in my recollection, that the tributes paid to the deceased at his funeral service avoided any specific reference to the recent controversy with the Government of Guyana over the temporary withdrawal of governmental advertisements.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
