Panday on the media

THE EDITOR: Former prime minister Basdeo Panday scathingly denounced the news media, accusing them of being only interested in publishing bacchanal and sensationalism as means of diverting the attention of the public from the failures of the PNM government in dealing with the issues of unemployment and poverty, crime and the security of the person, the deteriorating public utilities and alienation of our peoples particularly our youths. He called the media racist — his favourite description of any one or group who in his opinion would not facilitate his quest for power. Today he continues to vent his spleen on those who in his distorted view are rabid racists. He conjures racism in every shadow and dreads the evil machinations which he projects in an unnamed but implied PNM oligarchy who in his vision is in an unceasing quest for wealth and power.

He has managed to sow seeds of suspicion, fear and racial divisiveness in the national community and speaks out to his captive audiences, who generally harbour no inclination to social violence, warning them of the less peaceful reactions that are simmering in their subconscious. He then, in a slick Mephistophelian manner, coyly rejects resorting to violence but claims to understand the feelings of the young people who might choose to go that way. This is the stand of a man who once held the reins of government. The news media report to the public what he publicly prattles.

They have been publishing consistently the honourable, veteran politician’s diatribes and frenetic prophecies of impending disaster. Is this because, “They are only interested in publishing bacchanal and sensationalism...”? He recently stated, “They are paying millions of dollars to a foreign firm for a plan to deal with crime and if they ask any one of you how to solve crime, you will give them a plan for free.” (Newsday March 2, 2005). One has to wonder if this is the way the UNC proposes to manage the business of the country. Is this another way of throwing his hands in the air? Of course the current panacea and unending mantra is “constitutional reform.”

Consistent with his anti media position the silver fox, snarling and slavering accuses the media of attempting “to put the CJ on public trial and to convict and execute him.” Apparently the national community should not be made aware of certain events which have a bearing on their rights as citizens. “Justice,” we are told, “is not a cloistered virtue.” It is this respected gentleman’s interpretation of events that we fear since many of us suspect that the spin he might put on his viewpoint may well influence the fulfillment of his twisted prophecies.

GEORGE DAMIEN
Arima