A Corrupt Government

Would Fear one investigative journalist

More than one million people at the ballot box
Michael Cuba Ryan, LLM-JD

My first day in journalism school twenty-four years ago is a day I would

never forget. My lecturer who was ex British SAS said this: Quote “an
investigative journalist would among other things bring content
quality to the table but most of all, he investigates what is
deliberately hidden, like corruption” End of quote.
I say without hesitation that investigative
journalism in Guyana is nonexistent. No active
journalist knows the first thing about
investigation. In fact, I would say they are
scared to ask questions of people who they think
are hiding the truth, they fear for their jobs.
I remember when stabroeknews was the papers to
read. They told it like it was back in the day.
Today, the stabroeknews live under a cloud of
fear instilled in them by the PPP regime. They
fear that they may lose an ad or two from the
Government.
This fear allows the PPP crooks in office to get
away with defrauding the public committing
racist and discriminatory actions against a
large cross section of the Guyanese public.
Had the Guyanese journalist not been asleep at
the wheel, they would have discovered that city
hall was robbing the city blind and that
employees of city hall was mugging the treasury
like stick up kids.
They would have uncovered that assistant
commissioner Steve Mari had a checkered history
since he was on the streets as a beat duty cop
in tiger bay, thus he would not have reached the
level he is at on the force right now.
Millions of US dollars in grants from the
Chinese would not have been channeled to freedom
house in amounts totaling over 5.9 Billion over
the Years, without the Guyanese public knowing.
If we had true investigative journalist in
Guyana, the top cop checkered past going back
some twenty years would have been found out and
made public, he would not have been top cop
today or even a lawyer, in fact he might have
been in jail along with Laurie Lewis.
One well-trained investigative journalist would
have found out that the Guyana bar association
have admitted know offenders, to the bar and are
defending criminals or imprisoning them, when
they themselves are criminals. The public have
that right to know, but the journalist has
failed us.
Had our journalist in Guyana, had the heart, one
from KN would have investigated the possible
link between a TV station owner in Guyana and a
few dead girls in south Ruimveldt area a few
years back.
However, the most troubling thing is that a
female reporter from stabroeknews would have
been able to expose a phantom squad killer and
possible found him with a gun in his taxi,
before he was killed on the EBD in a car
accident. I think she did not follow up because
his family name in the police force rings very
loud.
An investigative journalist would have exposed
why kwamee MC Coy is still in the employ of the
state and his personal connection with the
president. Had I been in the position of a
Guyanese journalist, I would have wanted answers
as to why the president of Guyana spends more
time out side of Guyana than in his office. If
the president is travelling so much, what is the
minister of foreign affairs doing for a living?
Is the president the new foreign affaire
minister? Why is he doing the work of the
foreign minister?
A journalist must ask why the constitution was
changed to protect one drug dealer recently and
why all the nation banks are run by people of
East Indian origin.
In an investigation, the police can go but so
far, but the powers of an investigative
journalist in a democratic state are frightening
if he or she knows how to use it.
A police officer may ask question (A) and get
into treble for violating the civil rights of a
citizen. On the other hand, a well-trained
journalist can ask that same question, and
demand an answer, In the interest of reporting
the news fair and balanced,
TV station owners must stop trying to oust
shine, fight against the other stations, and
focus more on the intelligent aspect in
reporting the news, like accruing spy cameras
for your unknown reporter’s aka undercover
reporters.
In summation, WE the people would like to know
why no TV station owner has offered Mark
Benschop a spot on his or her channel since his
return from prison? Is he or she that scared of
telling the truth? Are they scared of Bharrot
[the dictator] Jagdeo?
Guyana does not need the lie detector, they need
a few good investigative journalists, and today
we have none.