Dear Editor,
The Stabroek News did little to constrain itself in making known its anger for not receiving pictures of men wanted for questioning in the recent massacres. In reading the newspaper’s first article on the issue, I understood its grievance and I supported its argument during conversations with friends. However, after reading a subsequent article which quoted a response from the Government Information Agency (GINA), I was forced to rethink my support.
According to what I read in the Stabroek News, GINA not only claimed to have sent the pictures, but stated a date and time when it was done. What GINA should have done was made available its records to substantiate its claim. In the absence of this, and now that the Stabroek News has changed its position on the issue to one of why GINA sent the pictures, I am forced to ask the learned hierarchy of the paper, what for them is the real issue? Getting the pictures or its source?
My little knowledge suggests that Govern-ment Information establishments disseminate information including pictures for all agencies under the preview of the administration of the day. This includes security agencies. It is unfortunate that the Stabroek News of which I am a daily reader would descend to such levels deemed “nit-picking” in colloquial terms.
Yours faithfully,
Winston Liverpool
Editor’s note
Our position has never changed. It is, first, that GINA did not send us the photographs initially and only did so eventually after we had protested. This is not the first time this has happened. The photographs were also not received by Capitol News.
Secondly, these photographs which apparently emanate from surveillance should have originated from the army or the police. Why were they sent to GINA by the security services? No explanation has been given of this. Why were the army and the police apparently bypassed?
