PM raps KN over headline

Prime Minister Sam Hinds has objected to the headline, “Report use of generator or face jail” in Monday’s edition of the Kaieteur News saying this conveys an impression that the headline is a direct quote from the Prime Minister.

“Prime Minister wishes to record his objection to one of the front page headlines in the Kaieteur News paper publication of today April 14, 2008, which appeared again on page 9…your headline wrongly conveys the impression that the [headline] is a direct quote from the Prime Minister.”
The article was based on a notice in the press which appeared on Sunday in the three dailies which advised persons of their obligation under the Electricity Sector Reform Act 1999 (ESRA) to file a report when they self-generate.

“Such misrepresentation is calculated to create an atmosphere of oppression and suppression by the Prime Minister and by extension the Government,” the Prime Minister said.

Hinds said that generation of electricity by any person for his or her use is permitted by the ESRA. “It was this Government which enshrined the right to self-generate in law. The law (ESRA) however requires that persons who self-generate file a report with the Prime Minister. The public notice issued by the Prime Minister, in exercise of his statutory mandate, clarifies that such a report is to be filed on a prescribed form available at no cost and  there is no fee for filing such report. Further, the notice explains that the primary objective of the statutory requirement for reporting self-generation is to gather information necessary for setting energy policy and monitoring any unlawful supply of electricity,” the Prime Minister said in his press release.

He said that the public notice calls to attention the fact that failure to file such a report amounts to a breach of the ESRA which is subject to a fine under Section 59 (2) of that law.

“Nothing in that subsection speaks to imprisonment or a fine of [$1M]. Your article links in an irresponsible manner the unlawful supply of electricity, which is unquestionably a different and more serious offence, with the failure to report self-generation of electricity,” said the Prime Minister.

He said that while this news report has drawn the nation’s attention to the legal requirement outlined in the public notice, “Prime Minister would have welcomed this story being presented as Kaieteur News’ own urging the populace to comply with relevant law.”

“Nonetheless, Prime Minister strongly denounces the headline in question which was attributed to him as erroneous, misleading and amounting to deliberate misrepresentation.”