Some leading members of the PPP are concerned that the decision by GINA to withdraw government ads from the Stabroek News was going against the PPP's struggle for democracy and press freedom during the Forbes Burnham regime.
Canvassed for their views on the issue, some leading members of the PPP and one member of the civic faction felt that the party should speak on behalf of its membership on this matter. Nevertheless, they did not agree with the decision and felt it should be withdrawn.
One posited that the decision was "against everything we fought for all our lives and it was now tarnishing the party's reputation, when in fact it was not a party decision but a government decision. We are for freedom of the press."
Meanwhile, Stabroek News wishes to correct a statement attributed to PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar in yesterday's edition which said that the party had accepted the government's explanation on the ads. Ramotar had in fact said that the PPP did not discuss the issue and could not have accepted the government's explanation without taking a decision. He had said "I accepted the government's explanation that the withdrawal was for reasons of economics and it certainly was not a political decision of the PPP".
Stabroek News understand that there is concern over the issue at Freedom House with some for, some against and some not sure which side to support since former Presi-dent, Mrs Janet Jagan, considered the matriarch of the party, and President Bharrat Jagdeo were favourites in the party and their views on the issue differed.
Mrs Jagan has called for a reversal of the withdrawal of the ads decision by GINA and President Jagdeo has insisted that the government's decision was purely for economic reasons.
On Thursday when Stabroek News asked Ramotar for the party's views on Jagdeo's comments with regard to Mrs Jagan's opinion that the government should reverse its decision on the issue; whether or not it was true that there was concern at Freedom House that the President had shown a disregard for Mrs Jagan's opinions and whether or not the party had discussed the issue, he had said that he had "no comments" to make.
A reliable source at Freedom House told this newspaper that there was concern that disrespect had been shown to Mrs Jagan whose institutional memory and wisdom was still relied on for guidance.
The source said, too, that there was concern that Jagdeo, who is particularly popular among the younger party members, was being "stubborn" on the ads issue and this is beginning to affect his standing in general and could affect the party's position at home and abroad. "People would not separate the party from the government," he said.
Noting the position being taken by the regional media condemning the withdrawal of the ads, he said that it should not have reached "this stage."
There was also concern, the source said, that Jagdeo's reaction to Mrs Jagan's suggestion might be an indication that he would not be open to advice from less influential members.
Mrs Jagan in her column of the last edition of the Weekend Mirror had disagreed with the government's stance on ceasing ads to Stabroek News on a purely commercial basis. She had said that "government advertisements should be spread through the media on a fair basis, despite circulation and content" and had suggested that the decision be reversed.
To this, Jagdeo had said that Mrs Jagan was entitled to her opinion as a private citizen. "Her opinion is not government's policy, especially when the matter relates to the use of taxpayers' funds," GINA quoted him as saying.
Stabroek News maintains that the cut-off of the ads had nothing to do with commercial considerations but was politically motivated. (Miranda La Rose)