The Editor-in-Chief of the Stabroek News, David de Caires passed away this morning in Barbados where he had gone for medical evaluation.
De Caires, 70, had suffered a heart attack in August and had been hospitalized in Guyana for several days before being flown to Trinidad. He returned to Guyana and had proceeded to Barbados last week for a further medical assessment.
De Caires was the driving force behind the start of the Stabroek News in October 1986.
The board, management and staff of the newspaper are deeply saddened at his passing and extend their condolences to his family.
Update: Saturday 3:05PM, November 1st, 2008
Press Release
Statement by the Board and Management of Guyana Publications Inc, Publishers of the Stabroek News and the Sunday Stabroek
It is with deep regret that Guyana Publications Inc. announces the passing of its Editor-in-Chief and Chairman, Mr David de Caires.
Mr de Caires, 70, had suffered a heart attack on August 14, 2008 and was subsequently hospitalized in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. He returned to Guyana where he had been recuperating and proceeded two weeks ago to Barbados for further medical tests. He passed away this morning in Barbados.
GPI is deeply saddened at his passing. Mr de Caires launched the Stabroek News in 1986 as he saw a pressing need for the opening up of the media to allow a mirror to be held up to society. Together with his wife, the former Managing Director of GPI, Mrs Doreen de Caires, Caribbean media owners – particularly, Mr Ken Gordon of the Trinidad Express – and many friends in Guyana, Mr de Caires ploughed ahead with the start-up of the newspaper in 1986. He was guided by several principles: the need for an open society based on the rule of law, a free market economy and the holding of free and fair elections.
Not formally trained as a newspaper man Mr de Caires would often say how he wished he had been a journalist all of his life instead of being trained as a solicitor.
He was deeply passionate about journalism and driven by the purest objectives of the profession: to present the news accurately and stripped of sensation and commentary, to make certain that all sides of the story were told and to always ensure balance.
Mr de Caires would often quote to reporters the legendary C.P. Scott dictum `Comment is free, facts are sacred’. His work ethic was also extraordinary and he would never tire of admonishing reporters about the need for perseverance in the pursuit of stories the way Woodward and Bernstein did in the Watergate Scandal.
One of his lasting legacies to openness is the manner in which he enabled Guyanese society to begin speaking again in the years of undemocratic rule. He pioneered the well-read letter pages of the Stabroek News which in their heyday grew to three pages every day. Therein, citizens from all walks of life were able to express their views, highlight their grievances and call for action. He was proudest of this development and devoted much of his time to editing letters.
He was also an impassioned champion of press freedom and spoke out widely in the Caribbean and further afield wherever infringements were evident. It was right here in Guyana that he faced down the assault on press freedom in November 2006 when the government withdrew state advertising from the Stabroek News. Mr de Caires spearheaded the campaign for the return of the advertising and had been deeply aggrieved that a democratic state which had signed the Declaration of Chapultepec on press freedom could so violate it.
His role as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief aside, Mr de Caires will be remembered by all those who worked with him as a kind and compassionate employer. He was always solicitous of the concerns of his employee and generous in his words of comfort.
He will be deeply missed by the profession, the newspaper and his employee and friends.
On behalf of the board and management, GPI extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mr de Caires.
It is with deeply sad to learn that Editor-in-Chief of the Stabroek News, David de Caires finally succumbed to his recent medical difficulties.
I do not know Mr de Caires on a personal level, however I deeply treasure his gift of STABROEK NEWS to all Guyanese patriots and in presenting objective news and other material of interest in a thoroughly professional manner.
The messages of sympathy in this discussion thread richly illustrate how precious Stabroek News has become to all of us.
My condolences to the Stabroek News Family and indeed we should all work to keep Mr de Caires’ ideals alive into the future.
It was deep sadness that learnt of Mr De Caires passing this morning in Barbados. What a great loss.
He was a principled man who stuck with his convictions, in spite of the pressures he faced to conform with the message the government wanted portrayed.
Fortunately, he lived to see the restriction placed by the government on ads being placed in his newspaper lifted.
Sincere condolences to his family and the staff of the Stabroek News. Gone too soon.
May his soul Rest In Peace.
A giant among us has fallen..a man of conscience and principle. A man who spoke his mind without fear or favour…He will be deeply missed. My condolences to the family, employees.
Passing of David De Caires
It is with deep sadness that I learnt today of the passing of my friend and colleague David De Caires. David was co-founder, along with Lloyd Best and Miles Fitzpatrick, of the New World Journal in 1963, which called for a bipartisan, indigenous development programme in Guyana and a coalition government that would heal the fractures in the national movement which had splintered along racial lines. David De Caires went on to be founder and Managing Editor of the New World Fortnightly, which was published in Georgetown for several years in the 1960s as voice of independent opinion and critical analysis of Guyanese and West Indian affairs. His most outstanding achievement was undoubtedly the creation and sustaining of Stabroek News, which has justly established a reputation as of the finest daily newspapers in the region, a beacon of independent and informed analysis and fearless defender of press freedom.
David was above all a man of great intelligence, wide reading, unimpeachable integrity, and enduring humour. My sincere condolences are extended to his widow Doreen, the other members of his family and the staff of Stabroek News.
Norman Girvan
University of the West Indies
I remember David as a stand up guy, who helped persons along the way. I was one of them.
I am very sad to learn that Mr. David de Caires lives no more in this physical world, but he will remain in the mind and hearts of those who met him and had the opportunity to talk with him and exchange ideas. Nice person; a gentleman.
My condolences to Mrs. Doreen de Caires and rest of family.
I join with the rest of the writers to express my condolences to Mrs. deCaires and the rest of the family. As one of the early writers with the newspaper, I join also with the other former reporters in their comments on Mr. deCaires and the tremendous impact he has had on all our lives. I remember joining the newspaper just before the 1992 elections and meeting with Mr. deCaires and quickly becoming impressed with his commitment to the democratic processes. No one can challenge his contribution to Guyana and changes he has helped to bring about to the country. A great patriot has passed and he will be missed.
Mohamed Khan
Mr deCaires’ contribution to public life in Guyana through Stabroek News is important. Thanks to him and his wife for bringing SN through tough times. The letter pages have been a great space where all kinds of things have been debated. There was that particular January edition, when supporters of both the PNC and the PPP wrote letters accusing the SN of being affiliated with the ‘opposite’ one. Mr deCaires in a brief meeting said he had passed many of the letters which I have written, even though he did not agree with the content. The SN letter pages have encouraged many young persons especially to express their views. Condolences go out to his family and his colleagues.
I am saddened to learn of Mr. David de Caires’ passing.
I have never met this man, yet I feel as if I have known him all my life. In an article he published in Caribbean Contact in 1979, he openly wondered :”why every time a new political party is founded in Guyana, it always embraces Marxism – Are the people to be left w/o a choice?”.
He was concerned about the lack of space in which a free press, democracy and free market economy can be given a chance. In 1986 he did something about it. He founded an independent newspaper – and this became a silver bullet for the return of democracy and indeed a free market economy.
As a U.S.-based lobbyist Free and Fair Elections in 1990-92, his paper was a great educational tool. We xeroxed relevant articles by the hundreds and circulated to thousands of people – including Congressmen, whose support we needed. The paper in 1990-92 read like a Free and Fair Elections broadsheet.
Two years ago his came paper came under attack by the govt. for its independent editorial and news reporting. I wrote letters protesting govt’s action and lobbied U.S. Congressmen for support. Hundreds of people protested. One day I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from him thanking me for my support. He was meticulous about detail and never failing to express gratitude for small things.
De Caires – true patriot. Devoted his whole life for the betterment of his nation.
My deepest sympathy to the family, friends and the staff of Stabroek News on the passing of Mr David de Caires.
This is a sad day for all Guyana, Guyana has lost a great and courageous son. Mr. de Caires has cemented his place in the echelon of great Guyanese stalwarts, Martin Carter, Walter Rodney, Eusi Kwayana, Cheddi Jagan, etc. Eusi being the only one among the greats still alive.
In a time of need Mr. De Caires fought and gave Guyana the essential tool for the emergence of democracy. When the Stabroek News was established in 1986, it ushered in the era of the free press, and though the free press and democracy in Guyana is continually threatened, Mr. De Caires and the Stabroek News, in the face of enormous challenge continued to struggle for the fundamental human right of expression.
Monsieur l’abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.”
–Voltaire
Mr. de Caire contribution to Guyana is the freedom of expression, let us not take this for granted. May his soul rest in peace