Shadow Attorney General, Roysdale Forde SC yesterday condemned what he said was the latest attack on press freedom based on a Stabroek News report that Minister in the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar had instigated the visit of police to the newspaper’s premises.
Indar has denied the claim but Stabroek News has stood by its report.
In a statement yesterday Forde also called on media bodies and the international community “to condemn this latest attack on press freedom in Guyana and to urge the government to launch an investigation into the relationship between the Minister, Mr. Deodat Indar and Western Logistics Guyana Inc”.
Stabroek News had visited Indar’s office last Tuesday to question him about his relationship with Western Logistics based on documents in its possession from the Deeds Registry. Indar then accused the newspaper’s reporter of having stolen documents and warned that police would visit the newspaper to question the origin of the documents. The police visited the newspaper the day after and on Thursday.
Forde, in his statement, said that Stabroek News appears once again to have been “singled out by certain political operatives for special treatment – intimidation and harassment – because it dare to hold the government accountable for its actions”.
He added that the recent visit by the police to the newspaper in search of the source of certain documents pertaining to Indar, and the Minister’s announcement that that newspaper is in possession of stolen documents, “constitute blatant and disgusting government interference in the work of the media. It is wrong and should be strongly condemned by all Guyanese and others who understand and respect the value of freedom of the press in the democratic matrix of human society. Fundamentally, at the core of Minister Indar’s alleged action is an attack on Press Freedom in Guyana. It should not be allowed to stand”.
Forde noted that the Bharrat Jagdeo-led government withdrew state advertisements from Stabroek News in 2006. He said that citizens would also recall that time when, then Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn visited NCN and complained about a calypso being aired on state radio “God Don’t Sleep”, by Lester ‘De Professor’ Charles.
“It is clear that the PPP/C has a pattern of attempting to interfere with the work of the media, particularly, when reports are unfavourable to its dictatorial, lopsided and suspicious way of governing the state, and managing the nation’s resources”, Forde said.
He added that the perceived involvement and/ or association of Minister Indar in Western Logistics should be officially investigated by an independent body and the findings made public.
Since taking office the PPP/C administration has emphasised that it fully supports press freedom and this was reiterated by President Irfaan Ali at a two-day conference organised by the government last month.
