Dear Editor,
Mr Freddie Kissoon had no inkling of what I had to do to get my letters about the blackouts published in the daily newspapers. In reply to his column (KN, July 21), my letters to the press do get ‘blacked-out’ from time to time. I have been writing since 2000-01 or thereabouts. My first letter to the press I remember dealt with the situation of Internet Provider Solutions2000 reportedly not being able to provide ‘internet lines’ to new customers due to the limited capacity provided by GT&T back then. I wrote about it. And I guess from there on, I had a knack for expressing my feelings through words, as I am a very nervous wreck in the presence of crowds and groups of people. But not all of my letters get published when I want them to and how I want them to. Some of them are edited while others are not published. It hurts me a lot. To know that I put so much time into preparing my correspondence (sometimes sitting for hours in front of my PC thinking, deleting words, searching for better words, jotting down my thoughts, ideas and feelings) and to not see the issues I would like to be raised not published.
So, I took no chance with that letter dealing with Berbice blackouts. As Mr Kissoon said, I sent the emails to the various newspapers hoping that the letter would be published. So what I did shortly after I sent the letters was to call each of the editorial departments to speak with the person dealing with letters. A kind young lady at the Stabroek News by the name of Sarah assured me that if the blackout letter was emailed the night before, then it certainly would ‘catch’ the next day’s edition (which it did). I thanked her, and even urged her to let one of her reporters from Berbice, Ms Shabna Ullah, start investigating the blackouts (as the crisis was in its third or fourth day already, yet no media house was saying anything or carrying any article about it). I then called the Kaieteur News, and a gentleman did promise to do the same. Well I knew there was no use trying to ask the Guyana Chronicle to publish the letter. I thought if they were balanced and fair that they would, and I had confidence in the Editor there, Mark Ramoutar. That was some confidence. Then I called the Guyana Times. The Editor was out, so I practically begged the editorial people to put the letter in the papers the next day. I even sent them a picture of the Canefield Power Station, as I know they carry letters with photos. The Guyana Times has never published any of my letters to date.
So, Mr Kissoon was right. My voice was being stifled to the point where I was completely silenced by the state- owned Chronicle and by the Guyana Times.
And so, I was preparing to respond to Mr Kissoon all day today (Tuesday) about his column on the blackouts. But ironically, we had another blackout in the area (from 9.15am-3.15pm) so I could not do so until the evening. GPL was doing line maintenance in the area, as the newspapers announced. Line maintenance/power interruption guides frequent the newspapers so much these days. The next thing I would be keeping a check of is the total number of hours of line maintenance that GPL is doing in Guyana. With so much maintenance, their distribution networks should be A1.
Thankfully, though, the issue was exposed properly (in the Kaieteur News and especially the Stabroek News) even though a little late, and satisfactory improvement followed. That, as I stated, indicates the power of the mass media. And that is where commentators like Mr Kissoon come in. More needs to be said about the daily sufferings of the Guyanese people. I am so surprised that activist in Berbice, Dr Ramayya, did not mention one bit about the Berbice blackouts. All he criticized was the lack of water during the period. Well, I wished he had talked about the cause of the non-existent water supply during that period – the blackouts. Many have a voice in our nation, but how they use that voice depends on whether or not change can come. Berbice is my home, and I know we usually get what’s left over from Georgetown and the rest of the country, but I intend to use these letter columns for the cause of my fellow Berbicians. Sometimes I wonder what the motive is for so-called activists who frequent the TV and hold call-in programmes, and yet they are out of Guyana more than they are in to see and feel the torments of the people.
Not every column must be about politics. More space needs to be given to exposing a need so that help from higher authority can be accessed. Mr Kissoon should keep writing, and if he runs out of topics and issues, he could just make contact with me. There’s always something to bring to the fore.
My hands will never weary; my pen never be out of ink, my keyboard will always be ready, my conscience will always be clear; from 114 to 134 (+20) instances of “electricity withdrawal” (I like Mr Kissoon’s euphemism) to date, I know one voice can make all the difference in the world. And yes, even if they do not listen, they do hear.
Yours faithfully,
Leon J Suseran
