CHAIRMAN of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally has early in his tenure come face to face with the grim reality of what passes for journalism in some so-called media houses and he is bristling.

He should not have been surprised because what he has confronted is what has long been the norm for some parading in the media world.

There have been endless complaints about these excursions into excesses on some local television by `talk show hosts' and respected media observers - foreign and local - have long warned about the extreme dangers they pose to the society.

There is abundant evidence that some have sought to fan the flames of race hate and despite the warnings and the danger signals, the parade continues.

This brand of journalism surfaced almost with glee before, during and after the December 1997 elections and the situation was so grave that media owners, managers and operatives were summoned to a meeting at the Caribbean Community Secretariat in Georgetown where the concerns were fully ventilated.

Nothing changed and the excesses became even more profuse for more than two years after.

There were media roundtables and other sessions on the same issues in the run-up to the elections in March this year but nothing much changed.

Despite the limitations, some media houses tried to play by the rules but there were no rules for others.

And the dangerous TV excursions sought to fuel all that went on after those elections.

There are no sanctions and some TV `hosts' feel free to do as they please and to hell with the consequences.

Some citizens and officials who have been offended by these excursions have moved to the courts to seek redress and this may put a damper on some of the hosts.

But without heavy penalties and sanctions for the excesses, the `hosts' will not feel compelled to mend their ways. Some have a clear political agenda and will not stop unless firm legal sanctions are in place.

Now Dr. Surujbally is confronting the reality head-on.

He has to deal with the "blatant lies", the charges of ethnic cleansing and the trauma caused to his staff and their families.

There have been apologies and expressions of regret over excesses before, with promises of reform.

But nothing much has changed, as the new GECOM Chairman has realised to his pain and sorrow.

It is good that he has gone public with the latest incident and better yet that he called names and did not mince words.

Comforting too was his firm declaration: "...No one places pressure on me. No one dares place pressure on me in any form or any way. It will not happen. It cannot happen".

Dr. Surujbally, however, from his position, should take the lead in following up on trying to put an end to this sorry situation.

He now knows the reality up close and personal and is well placed to begin a public campaign to demand that those who transgress grievously from the well-defined media path should face stern sanctions.