Dear Editor,
The PPP government is abusing financial resources, paying a battery of letter writers to self-promote in the newspapers and social media. The usual suspects write under multiple names with generous remuneration for pro-government posts. One was a former columnist with an independent newspaper and now co-hosts a weekly program; another lives in St. Lucia writing under different names; a junior minister writes under a fake or pen name, other writers are members of government boards or agencies writing under fake names defending or promoting the government.
The objective of the state funded letter writers is to create a positive image of the government so as to influence the public. They promote government’s initiatives, schemes, policies, programs, and achievements, and subject the opposition, and even critics, to abuse. The opposition, the educated class, and the elite knows about the government’s letter campaign but are helpless. The government is on a splurge to promote itself, and in so doing, it is undermining democracy. Freezing of Guyana’s oil revenues by the USA would end the abuse.
Besides state media, the PPP government also utilizes private PR firms to promote their programs and policies. Only a handful of private (PR) firms are awarded contracts to produce advertisements and publications for the government. Firms thought to be affiliated with the opposition have been blanked. Firms have to be loyal to the government and trusted by ranking officials. One company received $1.7 billion for the promotion of the Housing Expo at Providence earlier this month. Rumour has it that the company is co-owned by two government functionaries and a businessman from the private sector. That company received billions in contracts since September 2020. That company had the contract to make and display content about schemes, programs, and achievements of the PPP government.
Besides funding abuse against the opposition, the PPP also goes after independence voices by pursuing a policy of silencing criticism and victimizing critics. Independent voices have been threatened if they do not fall in line behind government’s policy. Those writing positively of the government are praised while those who pen critical posts are maligned. Reporters from independent media houses were often disrespected, reprimanded, or abused when they asked probing questions or query suspected actions of government.
The PPP has been presenting a favourable environment for itself using government money. Social media has helped civil society and the opposition to present a more objective view of government. Independent digital platforms are saluted for exposing waste and abuse of power by the PPP government over the last four years. They and the two independent newspapers have done a great job debunking the PPP’s fake narrative. The PPP government must be reined in – an effective way to rein in the government from abusing resources for media promotion is to cancel visas of relevant officials in charge of the state media and those who manage the economy.
Sincerely,
Pt. Ubraj Narine, JP, COA
Former Staff Sgt. (GDF), Mayor
City of Georgetown
