Dear Editor,
Walter Rodney and the motivational factors guiding his passionate denunciation and courageous struggles against an oppressive and dictatorial regime are being introduced herein through one of his speeches. The Guyana Chronicle, which Rodney describes under Burnham’s rule was replicated under Granger’s tenure. Excerpts are as follows:
“The Chronicle of lies.
In one sense, we can dismiss this as nonsensical. In another sense, however, it is a reminder to all of us how much contempt the Government of this country has heaped upon the people of this country.
“You have to be absolutely contemptuous of the people whom you are addressing to tell them such foolishness and expect them to believe. It is a total insult to anyone’s intelligence to be given such an interpretation, when most Guyanese today and certainly those of us who live in Georgetown have by now gotten a clear picture of what happened on that day. But the ruling class is continually trying to tell us that whatever they say is the truth — no matter what you see, no matter what you experience. Even if you saw it with your own eyes and they print the opposite in the Chronicle, you are supposed to say to yourself, “I must have been dreaming when I thought I saw it that way.” (Laughter) They continually insult our intelligence and our capacity to make independent decisions.
The Chronicle, of course as you realise, have sunk to a new low. Part of their recent propaganda has to do with the Bauxite strike, and it is not the first time that they have concocted propaganda about the bauxite strike. I believe that they work on the assumption that because Linden is separated from Georgetown, or Kwakwani is separated from Georgetown, they can tell us here in Georgetown and tell the people in Corentyne and Essequibo anything about Linden, and people will believe. But they publish so many contradictions in their own newspapers that even the most uninformed reader must come to the conclusion that they are reading a tissue of lies.
“A few days ago, the Editorial comment on page one of the Chronicle proved itself a most remarkable document. I read it four or five times and still find it difficult to understand. In an editorial which dealt with the question of truth — they said they were searching for truth — they themselves wanted to know where to find it. One day we hear the strike is crumbling and the next day we hear the strike is firm. One day we hear how everybody turned out to work. Next day we understand it is only one man. (Laughter). And then they ask the question in the end, “Where is the truth amidst all of these confusing statements?
“The thing about that editorial is that the contradictory statements to which they refer are all published in their own newspaper. They were not taking these statements elsewhere — they were using the information from the Chronicle to write an editorial saying that “We ain’t know wha is truth, because every day we does print a different story.” (Laughter). And yet, spectators continue to buy it, and to read it, while the PNC expect us to believe anything that they present to us. It is ultimately, as I said, apart from comedy, an insult to the Guyanese people, and we have to say that we will put an end to those in power who have such a low estimation of our abilities. (Applause). Not only are they insulting us, but in the real sense, it seems as if they have taken leave of all sanity.”
Yours very truly,
Erin Northe
