President Bharrat Jagdeo says it is "sad and pathetic" that Stabroek News (SN) would make the withdrawal of government ads from the newspaper an issue of press freedom.
At a press briefing he hosted at the Office of the President yesterday to report on his recent visit to Russia, Jagdeo in a "by-the-way" reference to the issue of the Government Information Agency's (GINA) withdrawal of ads from the Stabroek News said that "They (SN) have to work for their ads. They have to get their circulation up. They can't blame the Kaieteur (News) for having a bigger circulation and being the largest private newspaper. You have to get your circulation up then maybe more people would advertise…"
He said that to make the withdrawal of the ads an issue of press freedom was misleading. "They have been doing that to a few agencies that have called me and I have spoken to them. They have said to me that the story that has been painted abroad is that the government has stopped advertising with the private sector and was withdrawing ads from the whole of the private sector including television stations, too."
Jagdeo said the impression was created that the withdrawal was from the entire private sector and not that it was being placed in the Kaieteur News because the circulation of that paper was up. "No one can say that Kaieteur News is sympathetic to the government," he said adding that every day in that daily one or two of the commentaries are "critical and hostile" to the government. "We never use that as criteria for placing ads. We are looking at value for money," he added.
Reiterating that it was a sad and pathetic attempt by the Stabroek News to try to win sympathies, he further reiterated, "Can you imagine how ridiculous it sounds that if we advertise only with this newspaper and we take taxpayers' money and give it to the Stabroek News then we are good boys, there is freedom of the press in Guyana. There is freedom of expression, if I take your money and give it to them but if I don't and we advertise in any other paper, (Stabroek News Editor-in-Chief) David de Caires can't get the ads, so, we are taking away his freedom of expression… Not only his but the country's. It is so sad and pathetic. I don't know. It is unbelievable."
In a comment last evening, Stabroek News Editor Anand Persaud said that President Jagdeo statements had not raised the level or tone of the debate.
Persaud said the President's and GINA's case so far is that the advertisements are being placed with the private daily with the highest circulation but to date neither the President nor GINA had provided one shred of data that would allow the public to judge their decision. Persaud said he was flabbergasted that the President would tolerate such shoddy decision-making by GINA and since the acting Head of GINA Dr Prem Misir was present at yesterday's press conference the President should have called upon him there and then to provide the facts on which the advertising decision was made.
Persaud said that Stabroek News' figures are audited on a monthly basis by a reputable firm of accountants and the newspaper had proposed that the sales of all the dailies be audited so that the truth can be known. Furthermore, the Editor said the President had still not explained the gross contradiction between his value for money assertion - made again yesterday - and the placement of state ads in the state-owned Guyana Chronicle and the Mirror newspaper both of which are known to have low circulation. As a credible newspaper in existence for 20 years, Persaud said Stabroek News was entitled to a share of taxpayers' funded advertising and it was not in the remit of GINA or the Office of the President to obstruct this. He said the President should be guided by the Inter-American Press Association letter which addressed this issue. (See other story on page 12.)
Persaud added that the newspaper would continue to fight this brutal assault on press freedom with every available means and at every possible forum and was heartened at the outpouring of support from local groups such as the Guyana Human Rights Association, the Guyana Manufacturers' and Services Association, the Guyana Trades Union Congress, regional newspapers and press groups and a number of individuals including Guyanese journalist Rickey Singh.
The Editor said the newspaper was also concerned about the cut-off of ads by Guysuco and GPL and the chilling silence from the two state corporations on the reasons behind this. Persaud said it appears that the two corporations had been instructed by the Office of the President to pull the ads or were following its example in a bid to please and appease.