Dear Editor,
I have always had the highest respect and regard for the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony and hope he is neither the author, or responsible for the publication of a letter headlined, ‘Is there no editorial restraint on this rampant journalistic campaigner?’ (Guyana Times, November 12).
With the author recorded as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the letter is in response to a Freddie Kissoon article. Kissoon’s writings are incisive and relevant and bear the hallmark of truthfulness. What the ministry must understand is that there is now a universal perception, more a belief, that we can believe very little from the security and state propaganda machine.
This is a sad and dangerous situation, but a reality. Guyanese must thank their lucky stars for the insightfulness and perspicacity of writers such as Freddie Kissoon, and the effort which allows Kaieteur News and others to publish certain photographs and information. Left to the government propaganda machine, the public would never have been aware of torture and many other similar incidents, some of which have been successfully hidden.
It is clear that ‘Fineman’ is a convenient excuse for the government and security forces’ shenanigans, for example, on the Lindo Creek episode. Every responsible citizen should ask the Minister of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of Police to deliver to us the eyewitness to Lindo Creek, which the Commissioner told the media existed. Has the eye of the witness been surgically removed? Or, should we sing the song ‘You hear lie? That is lie.’
Thursday’s Stabroek News reports relatives as saying that Charles Clarke wanted by the police in connection with last Wednesday morning’s happenings was not even in Guyana.
I repeat, the Chief of Staff and Commissioner must make a right about turn and act as true professionals and divorce themselves from the political directorate and help us avoid a further haemorrhage of our society.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green, JP