Prime Minister’s Office to approve all headlines in Chronicle Newspaper
August 26, 2015 3:40 pm Category: latest news A+ / A-
By Fareeza Haniff
Director of Public Information, Imran Khan
Director of Public Information, Imran Khan
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Office of the Prime Minister has taken control of the State owned Guyana Chronicle Newspaper, following the brazen front page headline in the Tuesday, August 25 edition.
iNews has been reliably informed that General Manager of the Guyana Chronicle, Michael Gordon has been instructed to ensure that all headlines are approved by Director of Public Information in the Office of the Prime Minister, Imran Khan, before the paper goes to press.
It should be noted that this decision by the APNU+AFC government goes against the very stance taken by the Party during its time in the Opposition, where it had heavily criticized the then PPP administration for controlling what the State media produces and publishes on a daily basis.
iNews also understands that this very procedure was done under the People’ National Congress (PNC) when the Minister of Information would dictate what goes in the paper.
Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who is also responsible for the Information sector, had vowed that he would not be a “minister of interference”, noting that he respects press freedom.
The situation took a turn for the worse on Tuesday, when Nagamootoo expressed “disappointment” with the headline carried by the newspaper and even sought to reprimand the journalist, Derwayne Wills, at Parliament Building.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo
The article headlined: “Gov’t blunders on Budget Estimates … violates laws assented to by President Granger” made it pass the Editor and onto the front page of the Guyana Chronicle and has been making it rounds on social media.
While the Prime Minister is claiming that he does not interfere with the editorial department of the newspaper, his Director of Public Information was observed inside the newsroom on Tuesday evening, August 26, passing instructions.
iNews made contact with Khan, who promised to return a call to the news entity, but up to the time of publishing that was not done.
He did the right thing. You folks use GINA Money to spawn inews, as a cash cow for propaganda messaging here with you on the books among others. I am happy the took that over and fire the lot of you freeloaders. Hopefully they will do better with the states money than you crooks have done.
You are foolish...pransing around like an analyst...same nonsense going on here...its a step towards censorship, why dont you knuckleheads see it for what it is...but I am guessing its payback time and the coalition can do no wrong.
You and your crows needs to be censored...for being inordinately liberal with your theft of the nations funds to finance schemes like suppressing conversations on places like this board. You and Jason, and Benn jr and Amar and Shadood were all here racking up posts and being paid by the word count. I hope Nagamottoo fire all you crows and open up the place and let som light in to disinfect the flees you folks may have left behind. Clean house Naga!