Tough times ahead, but Guyanese can make it
THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sounded the warning and the people in the Caribbean, including Guyana, can brace themselves for some very harsh economic times. This is due mainly because of a slowdown in economic growth over the next two years as a result of a recession in the United States.
This a matter of grave concern to all of us as the IMF has painted a gloomy picture in terms of growth in the region which the institution says will slow to 4.4 percent this year and slowdown even further in 2009. Already the region’s people are buckling under severe food shortages and rising prices which have already led to social disorders in some countries in the region.
Global warming and climate change have already had telling effects on the world’s population and the prognosis is that millions of people will face starvation this year. This is indeed a sad tale, and quite rightly, Caribbean leaders have come together to form a common front to tackle food shortages and rising prices.
However, this will be an uphill task since the IMF has suggested that the Caribbean should not expect any relief from the rising cost of living which has hit countries across the world. The IMF has also predicted that prices in the region will increase by 7.9 percent this year while it is likely to drop back next year to 5.7 percent.
Only recently we saw riots in Haiti, Asia and Africa etc. which were prompted by soaring food prices that are hitting the vulnerable very hard.
The Guyana government has been keeping abreast with the situation and has already started taking certain steps to cushion some of the effects the rising prices will have on the people. The people recognise that in Guyana there are abundant supplies of food, especially agricultural produce, but some adjustments will have to be made to our eating culture.
Our Ministry of Agriculture has made tremendous strides and implemented numerous projects and programmes, to ensure that food supplies are sustained and not out of the reach of the average Guyanese. Some of the positive moves by the Ministry recently include diversification and a heavy injection of funds in the pig sector. Guyanese are aware that we have enough pork, beef, mutton, chicken, eggs and fish, vegetables and ground provision, rice and sugar, and in a move to bring down or regularize the price of flour and flour products, the government recently withdrew the licencing regime for the importation of the commodity.
At the moment we are in the process of harvesting a bumper rice crop which will satisfy both local demand and external markets, and when the state of the art sugar factory at Skeldon comes into operation later this year there will be increased sugar production from which the entire Guyanese nation will benefit.
While the signals are a source of worry, the Guyanese people are not likely to be so much affected like their CARICOM counterparts who depend largely on food imports to satisfy their needs.
The Guyana government must also be lauded for taking a firm position not to divert agricultural products for the manufacture of Ethanol fuel. This practice of using up large stocks of corn, wheat and other grains for the manufacture of Ethanol has significantly contributed to the shortage of supplies of these crops, and has also caused prices to increase.
We believe that with the resilience of the Guyanese people, it will not be too difficult for us to get out of this period, especially against the backdrop of our huge agricultural potential which has not been fully unleashed as yet.
Mr Sharma must be more professional
April 15, 2008
Dear Editor,
I really cannot understand the role of television personality Mr CN Sharma. I was told that Mr Sharma aired a person on his ‘Voice of the People’ programme calling for the death of the President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Now to my opinion this brings freedom of speech and professional journalism into disrepute. It is my gut feeling that Mr Sharma believes he is a powerful individual in this country. He speaks carelessly without due care and consideration. No intelligent person who pretends to be in the journalism field and is the owner of a television station should behave in such an irresponsible manner. He does not have any respect for the law but cries out when strong penalties are carried out against him. Not one of his advisors seems to know better because they are supporting him when he violates the law.
The President of this country is a human being like Mr Sharma and all others. Therefore from time to time he would make mistakes but how useful will it be if we join with the illiterate to use strong inappropriate words against him without thinking of the results.
I have one piece of advice for Mr CN Sharma, tone down and please do not get carried away with the support you are receiving with your ‘Voice of the People’ programme. This is the way people react when they can obtain something free of cost.
Think for yourself and apply just a small amount of professionalism when you are hosting your programme. I can tell you very honestly you were totally wrong to encourage that illiterate caller on air. Please accept your fault and let this ban be the last for your television station.
Yours faithfully,
Tajpaul Gainda
Support closure of Sharma
IT is most unfortunate that it has reached a stage where a local TV station has to be suspended because of unethical broadcasting. But the offence is very serious.
I fully support President Jagdeo for his action to ban the operation of Mr. Sharma’s television station for four months due to irresponsible broadcasting and breaching television protocols.
As I understand it, President Jagdeo did not suspend the Channel because of the remarks made on the first day but because of the presumptuousness of Mr. Sharma to air that exact programme three times without deleting or editing it. This is an act of sheer recklessness.
I read in the newspapers, Mr. Sharma is taking the issue to Court because his lawyer Nigel Hughes advised him that Mr. Jagdeo being the subject of the complaint was in no position to close the station. But Hughes did not tell Mr. Sharma that President Jagdeo is the Minister of Information and can make his rule in this regard and more so him being the threatened subject.
Sharma said he believes that the Government is not pleased with his decision to allow regular airtime to the Opposition Parties. Why would the Government be upset with this decision? I would more think that the Government feels sorry for Sharma since he is being used by the other so-called Parties as a tool to attack the Government, hoping to destabilize it.
Mr. Sharma you are wrong but want to play strong in this situation. Put yourself in the President’s boots. I think you would have revoked the licence rather than enforcing only a suspension.
Why don’t you come out of the clutches of your advisers? Don’t you realize they are using you, Mr. Sharma?
PATRICIA MAHENS
Govt. was elected by majority of people
ONCE again we are hearing that threatening the life of the President in the public media is freedom of speech.
Once again all must be reminded that freedom of speech comes with consequences.
It is most ludicrous for the AFC to compare the ruling PPP/C Government to Burnham and Hoyte illegal governments of the past.
The AFC must be reminded that this Government was elected by the majority of people for the people of Guyana.
Channel 6 and Sharma were very lucky to be on air for so long.
It's about time action be taken against this vile TV station and its owner.
AFC has to be out of its mind to say this Government is dictatorial and worse since the days of Burnham.
First of all, if this Government was dictatorial and worse, Sharma would never be on the air to make his mischief.
Secondly, the AFC would not be a political party to come to the defense of Sharma.
Thirdly, the AFC and Sharma will never be able to call for mass street protest in Guyana.
Fourthly, Sharma and the AFC would never have any news media in which to write about this episode.
If this PPP/C Government was dictatorial, the voices of Sharma, AFC and PNCR would have been silenced a very long time ago.
It's about time this Government act as it is mandated to act for the majority of people that elected it to Govern.
So it's bravo to the PPP/C Government and good riddance Sharma and Channel 6 are gone.
T. KING
Sharma must learn from mistakes
FREEDOM of speech and expression is healthy in any democratic society such as ours in Guyana.
However when threats are being uttered to any particular individual or groups then it’s not tolerated. And it’s being viewed as unwarranted and unwelcome.
Therefore a strong message is being sent to the proprietor of Channel 6 to be responsible for what the station is broadcasting to the world.
I must give credit to CNS Channel 6 for showcasing most of the shortcomings in society.
Many contents aired on Channel 6 are in the interest of the underprivileged. No one will deny that but there is the use of intemperate language that separates what is being considered acceptable.
There are certain limitations and guidelines that a medium needs to adopt and unfortunately this specific channel needs to understand that being controversial and not screening certain comments will end up in this current dilemma that they are being faced with in having their broadcasting licence revoked for four months. This is not the first time Channel 6 was warned for unwarranted comments and unhealthy contents aired to the populace.
When a democratic Head of State is being threatened with death, it’s totally unacceptable. And maybe this channel will understand and reconsider what is allowed to be broadcast to the world.
These days in Guyana everyone easily criticizes the government even for the heavy rainfall … There was once a time when Guyanese could not even hold peaceful demonstrations. How soon we forget.
I sometimes wonder if a television transmission licence would have been granted to so many independent broadcasting houses in Guyana if the opposition PNC regime were in power. Let alone criticizing them.
Any democratic society in the world will do exactly what was done to Channel 6. Some will go to the extent in revoking their licence indefinitely,
So Mr. Sharma during this suspension period its time to rethink and learn from the mistakes that Channel 6 had made to cause harm to itself and tarnish its image.
AYUBE KHAN
Toronto Canada
PPP says Channel Six has a history of violations
THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) yesterday commented on the suspension of Channel Six licence, which, it claimed, is causing opposition forces to make the issue one of freedom of speech.
A press release from the ruling party added that Channel Six has had a long history of violating broadcasting rules, and to talk about killing any individual is unacceptable. To do so in relation to the Head of State is much worse.
The statement said it should be noted that if the Channel Six proprietor recognized that a caller talking about killing the President was a violation when it occurred live on television, why should he continue to rebroadcast the same programme at least on three occasions.
The PPP noted that this is not the first time that Channel Six sought to create problems and incite the people.
“We recall that during the 2005 floods, Channel Six aired a programme showing the President dancing with Minister Gail Tiexeira. The impression conveyed was that while a large section of people were suffering, the president and ministers were enjoying themselves,” the release said.
It pointed out that in fact the clip showed on the station was taken at a Christmas party a year earlier.
“This type of behaviour is unacceptable in our democracy,” it continued.
“We must have standards and ensure that in our society laws are upheld,” the release said.
The PPP said that it hopes that such violations of the broadcasting licence would not be repeated by Channel Six or any other medium in the future
