The Manicou Report

This is my problem with Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj is this: he forgets. Either that or his twist-mouth actually has an effect on the things he says.

While speaking about the recent execution-style killings of print workers in Guyana, Mr. Maharaj said:

“Let us hope that it does not happen in T&T. In recent times, Government has shown it is above the law, and where there is tyranny, there will be anarchy.”

You, see these people simply forget how thing used to be, then they some how find the moral high ground to start preaching from again. What Mr. Maharaj fails to remember is the ways in which the brand new 1995 UNC Government (of which he was a part) went through great lengths to stifle the press in Trinidad. Most of us can remember :

1. In 1995, the Government had a major dispute with the Guardian accusing of bias. How did the Government handle it? They banned the Guardian from attending Government events and demanded that the Editor Jones P. Madeira resign in order for the ban to be lifted. However after the intervention of “regional media managers”, Prime Minister Panday agreed to lift the ban without Mr. Madeira’s resignation. Mr. Madeira and managing editor Alwin Chow both leave anyway and start the short-lived Independent Newspaper.
2. The Julian Rogers Affair, as it was dubbed, occurred in 1998. Mr. Rogers had hosted CCN’s Morning Edition, on the basis of a work permit, for five years, but then, the government who heavily criticized, Mr. Rogers insisted that the position be filled by a Trinidadian.
3. On November 8, supporters of the ruling United National Congress (UNC) party attacked journalists at a UNC rally in Chaguanas. The incident came on the heels of alleged statements by President Panday, who was said to have told party members to treat the media as “political opponents who are out to destroy us” and instructed officials in his government not to speak to any journalists except those of the UNC’s own paper, The Rising Sun.
4. Then Prime Minister Basdeo Panday accused CCN chairman of being a pseudo racist. Mr. Panday was sued by Mr. Gordon who won his lawsuit along with a hefty sum of Mr. Panday’s money.

So when people like Ramesh Lawrence speak in haughty terms about press freedom and that they hope “it doesn’t happen here”, I take it with a grain of salt. It already has, Mr. Maharaj. It didn’t happen with guns and executions, but the media in Trinidad has already been assaulted by the Government you were a part of no less. So please spare us your wishes.