Dear Editor,
No one should have any problem whatsoever with any publication editing their letters; that’s a given, a prerogative and rightly so for various reasons ‒ some even at times being in the best interest of the contributor. A line, a paragraph or two here and there one can concede, but when it comes to omitting large chunks, a third or half then that calls for a somewhat different approach.
Not that some longwinded letters cannot be reduced by half without loss in substance ‒ though that would be clumsy writing ‒ but still, respect due, efforts ought to be made to consult the writer as a matter of principle. They can even be advised and asked that it be restructured, but let them have a choice, moreso with persons who are regular contributors. And I wish that some day maybe by a flash of divine intervention in any form that Stabroek News is flushed out of their silly, absurd policy of not publishing any letter that was carried before in another publication.
This obstinate stance has so many beaten all ends up. How do you rationalise that to someone who is hooked on buying only the Stabroek News; does it seem fair? Good heavens, how could they so stubbornly cling to such a backward principle? Notice that they don’t even try to defend it, just arrogantly stand their ground, ‘Lawd’! the logic of some bright people does boggle the mind.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe
