Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 02, 2008 News
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, yesterday lashed out at the Stabroek News, accusing the newspaper of ‘conjuring up’ much speculation and pitting the Joint Services against public opinion over the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the eight miners at Lindo Creek.
Leonard Arokium, who owns the mining camp at Lindo Creek, found his eight workers, among them his son and brother, dead and cremated.
Reading a prepared statement yesterday, the minister said that in three successive editorials within a week, the newspaper kept up ‘this highly speculative humdrum.’
The Stabroek News, he said, continues ‘ad nauseam to cast uncalled for aspersions at the Joint Services.’
“In yesterday’s edition (Monday’s edition), it has gone further with its contrived propaganda piece, “What the people Say.”
In this regard, he said, the Stabroek News posed a most ‘dangerous’ and ‘reckless’ question for persons to answer, resulting in the passing of judgement on the Joint Services.
He said that this deemed the Joint Services guilty of an act for which there is not ‘a single shred of evidence,’ and for an act which falls squarely within the purview of the scientific community and evidence based on credible and thorough criminal investigation.
“The question may very well be asked: ‘What if another newspaper was to carry out a survey by asking readers what they think about the publisher of one of Guyana’s dailies being a drug lord?’ Is this the extent to which we want to stretch such contrived surveys?” Rohee asked.
Speaking about the reports in the media about the availability of a Forensic Pathology Team from the United States of America and its yet to be determined presence in Guyana, the minister said this is a ‘good example’ of the media intruding in a highly sensitive matter and seeking to drive the process by speculative means.
“The fact of the matter is that the administration is keeping its options open. If the US team is unable to come, there are other options open in the Caribbean. From enquiries made, it appears that other options are available within the region,” Rohee added.
Commenting on the Gordon Gilhuys incident, the minister said that the Director of Public Prosecutions has been asked for advice on the matter. He said that the Police are yet to receive a response from the DPP.
The minister, on several occasions, has been asking that persons who are charged with gun offences be refused bail. However, when asked yesterday whether this should also be applicable to Magistrate Gilhuys, he said: “I would leave that matter to the DPP to pronounce on.”
Asked if he would be surprised if the magistrate is granted bail if charged, Rohee added, “Now-a-days I am not surprised at anything. ‘Surprise’ was a race horse, but he died.’
Meanwhile, the Guyana Defence Force, responding to the publication of opinions expressed in the Stabroek News of Monday, June 30, in the “What the people say about…” column, in which members of the public were asked to share their opinions regarding the Lindo Creek murders, says that it is strongly advising all members of the media against fuelling speculation regarding the tragedy.
It described the report as a publication of unfounded opinions by members of the general public.
“While everyone is entitled to an opinion, such publication tends to spur attitudes of distrust, and have other negative spin-offs which can only redound to the disintegration of our society,” the army stated in a release.
It added, “The Guyana Defence Force asks, instead, that the public be informed that a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy is currently underway.”
“The Guyana Defence Force wishes to assure all Guyanese that its responsibility to the nation will never be taken lightly, and toward this end we are working to ensure that the realities regarding the tragedy become clear to all concerned.
“Again, we take this opportunity to express our deepest sympathies to all the families, relatives and friends of the victims.”
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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