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The Guyana Daily News has sacked its Editor-in-Chief over a misleading article which stated that the policeman who shot and killed Quindon Bacchus was released from police custody.
The news outlet has since retracted the article, but it has received widespread condemnation as many believe it was the misleading article that sparked the ongoing protest along the East Coast Demerara corridor. “The Guyana Daily News observed calls for actions to be taken against this media outlet, for the troubles that have been caused by a misleading article, that was shared. The management and staff of Guyana Daily News have acknowledged the calls and have taken a step to ensure that the same mistake is not repeated in the future. The Editor in Chief (EIC) Mr. Ronald Singh, has been terminated with immediate effect. Guyana Daily News is committed to bringing you the public accurate information, and we will strive to ensure that this is maintained at all costs,” a statement from the outlet said.
The Guyana Press Association has also cautioned against the use of social media platforms claiming to function as independent news organisations – particularly in the face of unrest and instability. “We remind all media practitioners that verification of news and information is a primary requirement of newsgathering and dissemination. This is an obligation that’s sadly absent in the outputs of some groups and individuals presenting themselves as media operatives. In this regard, we do not consider an entity describing itself as Guyana Daily News as consistently meeting the basic standards expected of a professional news organisation. This is based on repeated instances in which its content has proven to be unreliable, unverified, and unethically intended to mislead media audiences. The GPA therefore does not recognise this outfit to be a bona fide news organisation within the strict meaning of the term and with regard to basic journalistic obligations,” the GPA statement read.
