Media houses with a partisan political agenda must be called out and condemned

Dear Editor,

The deceptive political narratives perpetuated by the state-owned Guyana Chronicle and Guyana Times newspapers demand immediate scrutiny and condemnation. The headlines, “PAC exposes major fuel scandal in Region Five under coalition,” and “Over 25 ‘mystery vehicles’ received fuel under APNU+AFC at taxpayers’ expense – PAC hears,” published on Tuesday, 21st November, 2023, are not just mischievous but indicative of a dangerous trend in biased reporting for narrow political gains.

As the Member of Parliament who presided over the Public Accounts Committee session examining Region 5, it is my duty to provide clarity and expose the deliberate misrepresentation of facts. The PAC, in its meticulous examination, discovered that the service station had erroneously submitted vehicle numbers, creating an illusion of a scandal. The Regional Authorities promptly clarified that the errors were human, with the incorrect use of, for example, ‘PWW’ instead of ‘PVV.’ To further validate their claims, the PAC sought verification from the Guyana Revenue Authority, which confirmed that most vehicle numbers did not exist in their records.

This revelation strongly suggests that a genuine mistake occurred on the part of the service station. However, to ensure an impartial conclusion, the PAC directed the Auditor General to conduct a thorough investigation. The aim is to verify the Region’s defense, reconcile any discrepancies, and determine if there are substantial issues surrounding the distribution of fuel to authorized vehicles in the Region. The matter remains open and is yet to be conclusively addressed by the PAC.

It is disheartening that these pro-PPP news entities have chosen to manipulate facts to serve their political agenda. While I acknowledge the imperative to appease their political masters, it is crucial for them to demonstrate political acumen rather than political foolishness. The dissemination of information to the public demands a commitment to truth and accuracy, with credibility as the foremost priority. My response to these misleading reports is absolutely necessary, as we cannot permit misinformation to erode the foundations of our democratic principles. The media must rise above partisan interests and uphold the responsibility of being impartial conveyors of information for the public good.

Yours truly,

Ganesh Mahipaul. M.P.

Member of the PAC.