Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 15, 2008 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
“Uncle Peeper, I have three questions about cricket for you,” remarked the voice on the other end of the line.
“Go straight ahead,” I replied.
The caller asked the three questions. I was stumped. I did not know the answers to any of them so I asked where the caller got those questions from.
The caller replied, “The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and Guyana Times have a Sports Quiz and if you answer the questions and cut out the newspaper coupon and send it in to the Ministry you have a chance of winning a cricket bat.
“I did not know that you buy the Chronicle,” I answered.
“Is not the Chronicle that the sports quiz is in; it is in the Guyana Times,” said the caller.
“I do not think I heard you correctly. Could you repeat that?” I asked.
“The Sports Quiz is in the Guyana Times, not the Guyana Chronicle,” came the confirmation from the caller.
I could not believe what I was hearing. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for some inexplicable reason is running off a Sports Quiz, and of all the newspapers available to publish this quiz, it chose the Guyana Times. Is this not an insult to the Guyanese people?
Firstly, what possible reason has the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for running off a sports quiz? Why is the Ministry doing this? Do we not have enough sports quizzes in this country for the government to be running off one?
What is there for the Ministry to gain? What is the service the Ministry is providing by running a sports quiz and asking persons to send entries into the Ministry?
It seems to me that the only place that will benefit from this sports quiz is the hard times newspaper since this promotion may help to generate some sales. I am, therefore, calling on the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport to explain the rationale behind his Ministry sponsoring such a quiz.
Further, I am asking for him to explain to the taxpayers of this country whose hard earned taxes have to pay for the advertisement in the hard times newspaper, just why, if there is a justifiable reason for launching the quiz, was the Guyana Times chosen instead of the Guyana Chronicle?
The Guyana Chronicle is owned by the taxpayers of this country. This fact was one of the justifications given for the government continuing to advertise in that newspaper despite its falling circulation. Thus, one would have expected that if the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is running off a sports quiz – a very unusual development in itself– that its first choice for advertising would have been in the Guyana Chronicle.
But no, what we have here is a situation where the sports quiz is being placed in the Guyana Times.
Why would this be occurring? I think the answer is obvious. But it would be interesting if the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport would explain to the people of this country how it is that he has chosen a newspaper which many in the media believe to be still in diapers and also a private entity. I ask the Minister to explain.
This Minister must not make political mistakes. He must be careful that he does not step into a bear trap since there are persons who wish to see his political career fall and therefore he has to be careful that he does not hurt his political career by being led down the wrong track.
As I said, I do not know why the Ministry has to promote a sports quiz at all. The cost of advertising the quiz may end up being more expensive than the prizes themselves.
However, since the Ministry is into quizzes, I wish to develop my own quiz and see whether the Ministry can answer my question. So here goes.
Just why are the Ministries of Agriculture, Tourism, and now Sport, advertising in the Guyana Times?
I need an answer to my question. I have no prizes to offer, but I believe that with the answer a great deal of mystery and uncertainty about the advertising will be cleared up and this will allow for clearer consciences, which I believe is the greatest prize anyone can desire.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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