Dear Editor,
The article published on Friday, 12 January 2024 with a large photographic image of Figueira, with what to my mind was the most deceitful and misleading headline,
“Figueira admits Norton’s performance assessment correct; pledges support for Nima Flue-Best”, was crafted with the dubious aim of inducing alarm and confusion, to stir up interest and to mislead the population.
The only truth in that piece — with my profound and intentional use of sardonic and sarcastic responses to the questions asked by the author, who skilfully manipulated my words in an un-journalistic style of writing to convey a very false and grossly inaccurate narrative — was my intended efforts and commitment to work with, and help, my colleague MP Mrs Nima Flue-Bess.
I was caught off-guard in Chabrol’s scheming tactics. I’ve come to learn in hindsight that he is a close associate of Mr Norton, and no doubt seized the opportunity presented by the trending nature of the Shadow Cabinet debacle and negative backlash Norton is receiving from the support base on the ground, the diaspora, and countless others on multiple social media platforms to give credence to this party leader’s baseless, witless, inept and daft analysis of my performance, and decisions on his pre-budget pre-elections political moves. To play with words is an art that was surely on display in that colourful and deceptive Demerara Waves piece, which was misrepresentative of the actual truth.
Editor, I put the following to you to reinforce my point:
1. A woman without her man is nothing.
2. A woman, without her man is nothing.
3. A woman, without her, man is nothing.
The play of the identical words connotes three different ideas. My truthful ideas were intentionally not captured in that piece.
Editor, I do understand, and can appreciate that, in some instances, newspapers and social media platforms do use sensational headlines to grab the attention of readers and entice them to buy or read their publications. In today’s competitive media landscape, attention is a valuable commodity, and sensational headlines are a way for newspapers and other media entities to stand out from the crowd. Additionally, sensational headlines can generate buzz on social media and attract clicks to online articles and shares, which can drive traffic and increase advertising and sales revenues.
However, some journalistic ethics is expected; and it is in this regard that I specifically wish to express umbrage at this news entity’s deliberate and misleading headline and play of words with the sole aim of invoking a certain response and feeling in the public domain. Hence my deliberate and sarcastic assertion “Mr. Norton was right” could not be further from the truth.
Editor, I can assure you that with such a headline and wordplay, some of his intended purposes were achieved: to cause confusion, accusations, speculations, and much gossip; because most who rush to judge and made the wrong conclusion didn’t take time to read what was posited in the true positions of my articulations. It is a sign of maturity when one can read not only what are on the lines, but what are between the lines.
I will continue to speak truth to power for the betterment of our country and its people, once things are not done the right and correct way. I will resolutely continue to offer ideas I believe can bring about positive change or spark the conversations that would lead to change and engender national unity and development for all Guyanese, despite knowing that some may not agree with me at times; and that is okay, in a democratic and civilised society, that is welcome.
Neither unscrupulous actors with malicious and wicked intentions, nor interlopers wielding the pen of ‘semantic tyranny’ would deter me.
Yours truly,
Jermaine Figueira, MP
