Stabroek News should act to preserve its independence

Dear Editor,

Now that Mr. Ralph Ramkarran SC has been formally announced as the presidential candidate for A New and United Guyana (ANUG), it is incumbent on Stabroek News to act with swiftness if it wishes to preserve any vestige of being an independent newspaper. Mr. Ramkarran has been a weekly columnist in the Sunday Stabroek for some time, penning the Conversation Tree column which has not unexpectedly taken on a naked

political persona. Now that he is a named presidential candidate Stabroek News is obligated to take one of two actions in accordance with the principles of fairness, balance and equal access. The newspaper could either offer equally prominent space in its pages to all other presidential candidates on the same arrangement as with Mr. Ramkarran or, alternatively, the newspaper can suspend Mr. Ramkarran’s column until the conclusion of elections.

Should the newspaper continue to offer Mr. Ramkarran premium space in its pages (without a similar offer to other presidential candidates) it would be a clear statement of political bias. This would mean that the newspaper would be offering to Mr. Ramkarran unfettered space above and beyond what it is offering to other presidential candidates. And further the newspaper will be submitting itself as a platform for the propagation of ANUG policy and plans and to allow Mr. Ramkarran to execute political attacks on his opponents.

It is worthy to note as well that Dr. Henry Jeffrey, a senior executive and certain to be a candidate of ANUG is also a weekly columnist in the Stabroek News. Mr. Ramkarran is himself a member of the board of directors of the publisher of Stabroek News, as is another senior executive of ANUG, Mr. Timothy Jonas. The once independent newspaper is at grave risk of being identified solely as the mouthpiece of ANUG should it refuse to act as it once might have done under the leadership of its founder, Mr. David de Caires. Stabroek News’ editorial policy has come under fierce scrutiny recently following the debacle with its debunked allegations regarding the placement of government advertisements. Should the newspaper seek to retain any modicum of balance it must demonstrate that by action as outlined above. Failure to act in accordance with the principles of fair and balanced journalism and democratic access to the press will further diminish the newspaper’s once lofty pride of place in Guyana’s media landscape.

Yours faithfully, Earl Hamilton

Editor-in-Chief’s note: Mr Ramkarran is not a member of the board of directors of this newspaper. Mr Jonas has been a director on the board for over ten years and there is no conflict between this position and his constitutional right to freedom of association. As we have stated before, the columns by Messrs Ramkarran and Jeffrey will continue but no electioneering will be permitted in those. Closer to the election date, contending parties would be availed space in the newspaper to outline policies.

Contrary to Mr Hamilton’s view, the withdrawal of advertisements from Stabroek News by the Department of Public Information constitutes an unvarnished attack on press freedom by the Granger administration and this will be publicised at all available fora.