Dear Editor,
The independent media plays an important role in a functioning democracy like Guyana. In particular, its role is pivotal in holding the government of the day accountable. In this regard, I would venture to say that the media have been doing a far better job than the political opposition combined―which is especially important when the government of the day has to contend with a weak opposition. For this, the independent media must be commended.
Equally, the government must be commended as well, owing to the fact that in respecting the independent media’s role in a functioning democracy therefor, it has subjected itself to the highest degree of public scrutiny from the media. This is evidenced, viz-á-viz, the Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, often in his capacity of General Secretary of the PPP/C, who holds a weekly press conference to address editorialized criticisms and a series of articles, letters and columnists promulgated by the independent media.
Further, at these press conferences, the Vice President entertains all sorts of questions regardless of how repetitive they are, week after week, thereby subjecting himself, and by extension the government, to intense public scrutiny.
In a similar manner, independent media houses have a responsibility to operate in a manner that conforms to the highest ethical standards. This, however, appears to be lacking on the part of a few media houses.
For illustration, it would appear that Stabroek News (SN) is collaborating with the likes of Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram and Elson Low, the Economic Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition. This media house would have published two of my essays in which I challenged both individuals on their publicly stated positions on certain matters. Both parties also responded and had same published. However, when I put forward my rebuttals to both of them (Ram and Low) that were largely technical in nature and grounded in empiricism, to the extent that it is almost impossible for them to credibly counteract or debunk, SN did not publish those rebuttals.
Observably, SN did this on several other occasions in the past, which involved debates between the undersigned and the said individuals.
Notably, Elson Low is on record in a Globespan WhatsApp forum stating that he will only respond to the undersigned if Stabroek News publishes my rebuttal. Unfortunately, it was never published by SN, hence, Elson Low was saved the embarrassment, and more so, he was saved, unashamedly from defending his own arguments and proposals.
So, here’s the million dollars question. Is it reasonable to assume that SN may be consulting with Ram and Mr. Low before it decides to publish rebuttals by the undersigned? And if they are unable to cogently defend their arguments, SN would protect these two individuals from the embarrassment by not publishing the undersigned’s rebuttals?
I hasten to say that this practice by an independent media house, whereby it facilitates a debate, but then depending on how the arguments unfold, it becomes a one-sided discourse, can be characterized as propagandization.
I, the undersigned, therefore, wish to remind the independent media, and the named individuals (Lalbachan Ram and Elson Low) that in their respective capacities that they hold, from which they publicly write, speak, pontificate, and criticize public policy, that they are not only obligated, but duty bound to defend their positions and proposals, robustly, and plausibly. In other words, in the same way that they enjoy criticizing, while making a living out of doing so, at the expense of taxpayers, under the pretext of holding the government to public scrutiny, they too, are subject to penetrating public scrutiny.
I wish to also add that anyone with any degree of credibility, professionalism, and competence of substance, who are performing the role of these two individuals, will never cede any opportunity to hold themselves to public scrutiny of the highest order.
Yours respectfully,
Joel Bhagwandin
