Dear Editor,
The Alliance For Change continuously demonstrates partisanship with respect to the treatment of national issues. The most recent example of this pattern is evident in the call for reform of the state media by one of its executive members, Gerhard Ramsaroop. While the AFC professes to be a party with the interest of the nation at heart, it is still callous in dealing with such serious matters.
Mr Ramsaroop completely ignores the fact there is need for a reform of the entire media in Guyana, known for its most unprofessional practice of journalism. The media, particularly those under private control, are the biggest culprits in the promotion of racial and political hostility, bias, misinformation and distortions. Their professional breaches are numerous and they continue to have a free pass without being accountable. The media have to be accountable in the public’s interest, which means they are obliged to behave in a way for the public good. We cannot continue to use press freedom to justify the continuous breaches of professionalism.
It is unfortunate Mr Ramsaroop is guided by partisan interest in his attack on the state media, turning a blind eye to the transgressions of the rest of the media corps. The true intention of the AFC is to cripple the state media to allow the private media to have full reign and parade their propaganda against the elected PPP/C government.
They believe if there is no state media it increases their chances of promoting their sinister agenda and onslaught on the government. So the AFC/APNU vote of $1 for GINA and NCN respectively was no accident. It was not just another instance of misusing their one-seat majority but a ganging up to deprive Guyanese of accessing information on government policies, projects and initiatives.
The private media are the biggest culprits in relation to unprofessional conduct in Guyana, and if there is any need for reform, as I personally believe there is, it has to sweep through the entire media.
Yours faithfully,
Kwame McCoy
