Dear Editor,
Press freedom is under attack in Guyana, it first came to my notice via the mention of my name by columnist Freddie Kissoon who on 16.09.22 wrote ‘Mr. Singh made some good replies to the hypocrites in civil society that needed a wider audience. His analyses were in the Chronicle only’ in asserting that my letters were not being published in the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News. I called Mr. Kissoon and made it pellucid that he was mistaken and assured him that I do not send my letters to the Guyana Chronicle very often and since the departure of Adam Harris from Kaieteur News I no longer have high regard for that publication and its offerings either. I gently told Kissoon that he should do at least minimum research before he writes and left the matter there. Others have not and there appears to be a deliberate campaign/attempt to besmirch the reputation of the Editor-in-Chief, Anand Persaud via Kissoon’s column and anonymous channels. It is ill-conceived and poorly advised.
I have heard of stories told by James Carville (Political Consultant) of US President Bill Clinton’s refusal to read articles full of praise for Clinton’s actions, words and policies; Clinton preferred criticism to assess his effectiveness. This should be the mantra of all world leaders; it is very easy for a leader to become trapped in a bubble of trumpery. It is all too easy to drink your kool-aid while in high office.
Letters to the Editor are the bastion of Guyana’s functioning democracy, to quote Walter Cronkite “Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy” and, Newspaper Editors are the keepers of the keys, they are also bellwethers’ for morality and decency in our society. To be clear, I have written hundreds of Letters to the Editors of various newspapers, it is rare when they have not been published in Stabroek News (or elsewhere); there are few organizations or persons who have escaped my criticism to date and I always write with the understanding that it is a privilege to be given space in the Letter columns by any Editor. It may well be there is no coordinated campaign to discredit and we are simply seeing the adage ‘fools seldom differ’ given new life by Kissson et al. who are engaged in ‘gaff’ more suited to rum shops than newspaper ink, but my instinct says otherwise and the edge of the slippery slope is visible.
Sincerely
Robin Singh
