Dear Editor,
For a period of nineteen months I have been subjected to all types of allegations and innuendo, and paraded through the so-called independent media, the Government of Guyana printed and online media, obnoxious blogsites and other corridors of influence without these allegations being tested. I have thereby been denied my constitutional right to reply and defend myself as the media in Guyana refused to interview me or publish my side of the story or even publish my letters. Many cite the outdated sub judice theory for not responding. The President of Guyana even refused to have an audience with me.
The weak and power-hungry opposition parties are no better than the current regime as they just ignore a citizen who was wrongly charged. It is however unfortunate that the freedom of expression that exists in Guyana has been used as an instrument to assassinate character, and pre-judge judicial processes. I have endured volumes of media venom when these unsubstantiated and ludicrous allegations were made against me. It is time for Guyana to have well-trained investigative journalists as I have not even seen one during my ordeal. Show me one good court reporter or professional journalist and I will show you where elephants live in Guyana. The media are an important part of our democracy, and need to act independently and not be used to perpetuate political agendas. I trust that this important institution will rise to the challenges and standards it so generously sets for others.
My trial has now demonstrated once and for all the ruthless exploitation of the media by some and that gutless and unethical editors are alive and kicking in Guyana. How can the police charge a man and bring him to court and tell the Magistrate that they are still doing investigations? After four months charges were laid, the police could not supply the defence with an indictment, neither did they give my lawyer the relevant documentation pertaining to the case as they were obliged to do.
The police further stated to the court that they would be bringing a witness; this however never materialized. The same unethical press had reported that this witness had collected various sums of money from victims and had used intimidatory tactics to scare the victims from reporting to the police and other authorities. Further, some of the victims sued him in the High Court for all the moneys he collected from them. Is this how a constitutional state conducts itself?
But I have been tried by the media and in effect found guilty by a court in absentia. I have not been given an opportunity in an appropriate forum to defend myself against the allegations made. Yet our constitution states that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Finally, I wish to thank all my supporters, friends and clients who supported me during the time of my ordeal. I also hope the few misguided members of the public are now aware of all the false allegations and the conspiracy against me and should not believe everything they read in the local newspapers. I know it is difficult to erase the damage that has been done to my character but with God’s help, it will be done and the public will again have full confidence in me and my services.
Now that I have been vindicated by the court, I would like the media and others who were ‘judges’ to announce to the world with the same intensity that they pronounced on me that I was innocent. The media and the police owe me a public apology and I would welcome their apologies. Today the truth has prevailed and the truth will always prevail.
Yours faithfully,
Balwant Persaud
