The need for investigative journalism
Stabroek News
February 8, 2004
Dear Editor,
I meant to write you much sooner regarding a few startling observations, which I recently made but several pressing issues beset me.
Firstly, it must be said that I have always regarded Stabroek News as the front-runner, indeed the bastion of Guyana's conservative free press, widely touted and renowned as the purveyor of truth where strict adherence to journalistic ethics and principles are upheld, though recently numerable detractors, included a few high brow personalities, have had a field day with their opposing views in light of certain regrettable slippages.
Having said that, imagine my profound disbelief having read the following excerpt which was attributed to your Editor-in-Chief, David de Caires, and which was featured in the Monday, February 2, 2004, edition of the Kaieteur News under the caption, "Drug trade grows as borders more porous," authored by Gaiutra Bahadur, whom I later discovered is a staff writer with the internationally acclaimed Philadelphia Inquirer.
"…Guyana's Stabroek News won't investigate the alleged nexus of drugs, militias and government. "No way," said publisher David de Caires."
Initially, I was taken aback by this emphatic statement, but immediately decided to independently verify the wholesomeness and authenticity of the article in question. Since these days you can't be too sure about what you read in print particularly when it emanates from certain quarters, whose interests are purely commercially driven.
And there it was in cyberspace, admittedly it took a while finding it, but there it was for all to see, in all of its unblemished glory, under the original title, "Guyana: Drug Trade Is Squeezed To Guyana, With Its Lax Borders," http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n202/a08.html.
Instinctively, I thought the writer must have taken David de Caires' comments out of context, however, left unexplained and undefended it does seem to suggest that Stabroek News' resolve to uncover the truth pertaining to the "alleged nexus of drugs, militias and government" has migrated down south.
In the protracted absence of any government probe into the phantom squad allegations and what appears to be the head of state's reluctance to order any such probe, your stated position or skirting of this deeply sensitive national issue, is rather disconcerting since the citizenry, including your collective readership, would be on the receiving end of half baked exposes.
Ironically and sadly enough, shortly after I also read your editorial, "Angles to investigate," [February, 2, 2004] and immediately sensed that the plethora of questions you posed therein would not be asked by your newspaper in any in-depth probe, which to say the very least does not augur well for the spirit and future of investigative journalism behind the walls of this impoverished republic.
Understandably, the head of state in levelling accusations against the media, principally against the Stabroek News, citing what he alone misguidedly perceives to be a media conspiracy to "supplant the government," is upset with the media for reporting on these disturbing allegations, moreover, because he knows that the media possesses the power to expose rank injustices.
Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Media at Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, Silvio Waisbord, in his dossier, "Why Democracy Needs Investigative Journalism," notes as follows…
"…The centrality of the media in contemporary democracies makes political elites sensitive to news, particularly to "bad" news that often causes a public commotion. The publication of news about political and economic wrongdoing can trigger congressional and judicial investigations." Obviously, Professor Waisbord has never heard of this wannabee democracy where the citizenry literally have to cause a riot before any course of action is even considered and maybe finally taken.
He further notes, "…In cases when government institutions fail to conduct further inquiries, or investigations are plagued with problems and suspicions, journalism can contribute to accountability by monitoring the functioning of these institutions. It can examine how well these institutions actually fulfil their constitutional mandate to govern responsibly in the face of press reports that reveal dysfunction, dishonesty, or wrongdoing in government and society. At minimum, investigative reporting retains important agenda-setting powers to remind citizens and political elites about the existence of certain issues. There are no guarantees, however, that continuous press attention will result in congressional and judicial actions to investigate and prosecute those responsible for wrongdoing.
Additionally, "…Investigative journalism also contributes to democracy by nurturing an informed citizenry. Information is a vital resource to empower a vigilant public that ultimately holds government accountable through voting and participation. With the ascent of media-centered politics in contemporary democracies, the media have eclipsed other social institutions as the main source of information about issues and processes that affect citizens' lives."
Information in whatever form it takes, whether raw, refined or censored has the power to move, the power to reveal, to educate, to enlighten and in the contextual framework of the print media and as relates to the topic under discussion, the unmatched power to expose corruption and state sponsored injustices, which can sometimes be mistakenly equated with improper motives.
I am not unmindful of the inherent dangers posed by seeking to unearth the truth surrounding the phantom squad allegations, and I know that it shouldn't be lightly dismissed and written off as occupational hazards, after all, the physical well being and safety of your reporters should be of overriding importance.
However, I have to wonder considering your apparent apprehension in uncovering the truth, just whom amongst us will fearlessly step forward and hold the freedom of expression mantle up high.
I wonder if Michael Power, Guinness' international journalist and man of action is available to answer the call.
Yours faithfully
Heston K. Rodrigues
Editor's note:
Ms. Bahadur came in to see Mr. de Caires and said she was doing a series of articles on the drug trade in Guyana. There was a fairly lengthy discussion in which the methods of transhipment (boat, plane, human carriers) were discussed. There was agreement that carriers were being recruited in New York and elsewhere to come to Guyana to take out drugs in their luggage or on their person, given the high number of foreigners being caught.
Mr. de Caires said that as regards reporting the situation the recent export of drugs in a shipment of timber had, for example, been fully investigated and so had other drug busts and all police investigations. However, the question of sending reporters under cover to infiltrate and expose drug operations was a highly specialised and dangerous job and the Stabroek News was not equipped to and did not undertake that sort of investigation. As far as he was aware, nor did any other media in Guyana.
What emerged from a lengthy and fairly wide ranging discussion is the single sentence quoted by the writer.