Dear Editor,
Your Sunday, October 7 Editorial confirms that Stabroek News has surreptitiously and wickedly joined the band wagon of rumour mongers. Why else would you devote an entire editorial to foolish theories and hypothetical musings about a rumour, which your editor claims is so topical? What is most astounding, however, is the fact that so much editorial space has been given to this purported rumour and no effort has been made to scotch it by seeking answers directly from those being slandered by the falsehoods reportedly being perpetrated! Of course if this responsible action had been taken there would have been no need to write your editorial and continue your newspaper’s ongoing and obvious quest to besmirch my image and that of the PNCR.
I assure you that Mr Raphael Trotman is not my spokesperson and therefore your reference to his reported conversation with me on this issue is not only unprofessional, but preposterous. Surely you cannot claim that you have not had an opportunity to reach me to get my specific response to any enquiry of this nature.
Your readers should know that the first person to alert me of this “rumour” was a Stabroek News reporter who sought clarity on the issue at a PNCR press conference held several weeks ago. I made it pellucid that, not only was this matter never mentioned to me by President Jagdeo, but that I was unaware of such a rumour until that reporter shared the information with the media at that press conference. I, however, further pointed out to your journalist that President Jagdeo would be preposterous to even think of raising such a matter with me and, in any event, the PNCR would never entertain such a suggestion, moreover to begin any discussion on it. I assumed that my specific answer at that time was the end of the matter in so far as the PNCR’s official position on this issue was concerned.
Your reporters have continuously had access to me and have sought my responses to myriad issues, even late at night on my cell phone. It is, therefore, quite interesting that attempts were not made to seek further clarification from me if, indeed, that was really needed.
In spite of my conviction that Stabroek News is openly biased against the PNCR and its leader, I had retained at least a modicum of respect for the content of many of your Sunday Editorials.
It is obvious, however, that for your editorial, rumour and gossip are considered to have more weight than the real, serious issues currently affecting the lives of our citizens.
I usually pay little attention to rumours and gossip as they only serve to distract from the work that has to be done to relieve the many burdens and great suffering that our supporters and Guyanese in general are experiencing. Since your editorial has effectively made this a specific and public issue that requires a direct answer from me, I will take the time to inform the public what I told Stabroek News several weeks ago and which, using their Editorial privilege, they chose not to disclose.
I have at no time and under any circumstances discussed with Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo the issue of a third term for the President of Guyana. The possibility of my supporting or the PNCR discussing any bid for a third term for Jagdeo could therefore not arise. The issue of shared Governance has always been on the agenda for my discussions with President Jagdeo and was first raised by me since May 2003. This matter remains a high priority issue on my agenda for continued discussions with President Jagdeo and the PPP.
I trust that Stabroek News will resist the temptation to indulge in sensational reporting and revert to the practices of responsible journalism that would allow your newspaper to regain respect as an objective and unbiased medium.
Yours faithfully,
Robert H O Corbin
Leader, PNCR and
Leader of the Opposition
Editor’s note
It is perfectly normal for newspapers to cover and comment on speculation relating to the political arena, more particularly if – as in this case – the rumours are persistent and relate to matters of consequence. The British newspapers only recently, to give but one example, provided full coverage of, and ample editorial comment on rumours that Prime Minister Gordon Brown intended to call an early election in November.
We had reported Mr Corbin’s denial about discussions on a third term for President Jagdeo at a press conference some time ago, but after the issue resurfaced in the AFC column, we attempted to contact him again in order to see if the position had changed, but were unable to do so. Both his denial at the press conference, and the fact that we were unable to contact him were reflected in our report of September 16, captioned, “Rumours of a third term for Jagdeo ‘utter rubbish’ – Ramotar.” In the absence of an update from Mr Corbin, we reported what Mr Trotman said he had been told by the former. We are unclear as to why this should have caused the Leader of the Opposition such concern, considering that Mr Trotman relayed Mr Corbin’s statement accurately.
We are sure that as an experienced politician, Mr Corbin knows only too well that a situation can change rather quickly in politics, and with a rumour of such resilience an update is in order.
What Mr Corbin has not denied is that a ‘shared governance’ deal is under discussion.
