A free press is a must for any democratic nation

Today, I savored the days while employed at the New York Times, Times Square New York. I was not a journalist but rubbed shoulders with some of the best. I was fortunate to meet Arthur Ochs Sulzberger (publisher and significant owners of the paper at that time) and family during our lunch sessions. It was common for both father and son to dine in the company’s cafeteria. What was notable about this publication was separation of the editorial (all the news that’s fit to print) from the advertising desk, (the money-making side of the business). I also did a brief stint at the Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones and Company and confirmed the pen is mightier than the sword when used wisely. More journalists died in 2023 than any other year. As Thomas Jefferson said, he’d rather have newspapers and no government than government and no newspapers.

It is my opinion the DPI (Department of Public Information) the Guyana Chronicle, NCN, in Guyana has failed the nation. Not being proactive daily in bringing to the people of this nation timely and accurate information is a failure. We always seem to have to beg the question to gain insight. Most communication in Guyana are still whispers, rumors, or fake social media diatribe. I have met many afraid to speak or looking over their shoulders, “Secrecy is a vacuum, and nothing fills a vacuum like paranoid speculation” - Max Brooks. Likewise, those speaking (questions) truth to power are quickly demonized as against the government in power or haters of the opposition. We will have to ask Julius Assange his opinion.

One of my opportunities as an employee then was being able to peruse books sent in for review by their authors to the (NYT). Many became bestsellers, others faded to the wayside, a bad review was like a condemnation. Being on the technology side I was able to see how a newspaper was put together, massive rolls of newsprints, needed a forklift to be placed on the presses, the pagination layout process of the papers’ content and ultimately the Heidelberg presses in action. Why do we need to wait for an annual update from Ministers on their performance? Journalists should be probing what was planned or promised and what was delivered monthly. “The printing press is the greatest weapon in the armory of the modern commander” - T. E. Lawrence. The art of communicating has changed with the advent of social media, government need to get out front with the truth timely to prevail.

A free press is a must for any democratic nation, there are perhaps few publications around the world that can reliably be trusted to give you 99% of the facts, the New York Times is one of them. A good publisher is one that is a great gatekeeper, keeping bias out of reporting and driving good investigative and probative journalism. We in Guyana can learn from this! I have grown not to rely on most social media news unless verified. Yes. Social media “Internet” has allowed us speed, but many distorted facts, which controls the thoughts of those not inquisitive for the truth. “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw.

I mentioned the foregoing not to amplify my traits, but as a witness to the many distortions, limited information and confidentiality agreements proliferating our government. In many cases, the behaviour is reactive versus proactive, the secrecy and lack of inclusion is stifling from the government, when questions are asked. I proffer our government is one of immaturity, but after 60 years we can do better with a reliable source of government information, that quickly dispels rumors, other than waiting for a party news conference each Thursday afternoon. It should be a government news conference! “I think that presidents deserve to be questioned. Irreverently, most of the time. Bring ’em down a size. You see a president, ask a question. You have one chance in the barrel. Don’t blow it.” - Helen Thomas - American Journalist.

I am not sure if the way our judges interpret the libel laws in Guyana has suffocated open communication by many or is it a holdover from Jagan & Burnham, call a spade a spade. In true democracies there are 3 essential branches of Government - Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The fourth leg is the media (Journalist). However. in Guyana we can surmise there are really 2.5 branches, Judiciary, Executive/legislative – we need to restore first past the post and the media is the final fraction. NDCs react to their executive leadership – all politics is local, however in most part they are dependent on the purse string of the central government. “It’s not the voting that is Democracy, it’s the counting.” - Tom Stoppard. Finally, both leading parties are guilty, glad I was part of recounting the votes in 2020!