Dear Editor,
From time to time we see the most preposterous and laughable letters appearing in the letter columns of the three dailies. Mr David DeGroot’s scrib titled “The campaign by Stabroek News is preposterous” (08.03.10) certainly is one of them.
Mr DeGroot admonished the Stabroek News for “trying to publicize the already over-ventilated issue” of the government’s withdrawal of ads from the Stabroek News. Is he saying that because the topic has been discussed many times, it has reached such an advanced stage of ripening that it should not be ventilated further? I hope not!
Mr DeGroot alluded to a “professional examination of the stated and actual policy of the government” on this issue. That is exactly what is required to put this issue to rest. Get a credible independent agency to investigate the circumstances of the withdrawal and make its findings known. Then let the recommendations become binding on both parties. The government has to address the damning perception that it is trying to wilfully injure the Stabroek News. As it stands, the government’s case is grounded on a flimsy foundation. No way can you convince anyone that economic considerations were the primary reason for the withdrawal of the ads. That just won’t stick. Come on, are you telling me that the Guyana Chronicle has a larger readership than the Stabroek
Overall, I would say the government has a good record of press freedom in Guyana, however, it is allowing this one silly issue to tarnish its otherwise notable record of supporting a liberal press.
Yours faithfully.
Clinton Urling
