Dear Editor,
Quite recently, in a letter to the editor, I advocated for media houses to do a fact check before reporting or publishing. My recommendation, then, was occasioned by the numerous instances that Freddie Kissoon`s column, in Kaieteur News, innocently or maliciously misrepresented verifiable information; and was unresponsive to factual corrections.
Kaieteur News on Jan 14 carried an article headlined: “GECOM Commissioners pocket $450,000 monthly even if they walk out of meetings”. The content of the article specified that $450,000 is the approximate monthly stipend “after tax”. This information is inaccurate by tens of thousands and points to editorial issues beyond the publication of Freddie Kissoon`s diet of misinformation and misrepresentations.
I am therefore fortified in my call for fact checks. Any further such occurrence, of erroneous information being fed to the public, will only lead to one of two possible conclusions: professional incompetence or mal-intent.
It is also my sincere hope that GECOM finds it prudent to correct the misinformation, referred to above, with the same alacrity of its response to the Press Release of three of its commissioners, on their withdrawal from the meeting of
Yours truly,
Vincent Alexander
GECOM Commissioner
