C.N Sharma says, “ I am Innocent.”
By: Dhanpaul Narine in the WEST INDIAN NY
“ I am innocent,” C.N Sharma said emphatically. “These are all trumped-up charges designed to smear my character. They are doing this to make me look bad. This is not the first time that I have been subjected to this kind of treatment. I contested three elections and in each one of them they filed some kind of bogus charge against me but they have no proof or evidence. I categorically deny that I had anything improper to do with any child or children. No such thing ever happened.”
Mr. Chandra Narine Sharma has long been a thorn in the side of the establishment in Guyana. He is best known as the owner of CNS television station in Guyana and for the programs that the channel offers. One program in particular is the ‘ Voice of the People’ a show in which there are discussions on topics of national interest.
In the nineties Mr. Sharma was a critic of the government as well but he was not as caustic as he is today. That was probably due to the fact that Cheddi Jagan was around and Mr. Sharma had a healthy respect for the late President. But in recent years Mr. Sharma has used his television shows to tell it like it is, and the consequences mattered little. Mr. Sharma has no qualms about giving air-time to those who want to criticize the government. He explained that he also offered time to the PPP in the 2011 election campaign but that the PPP refused it.
In any healthy democracy varying viewpoints must be allowed but this comes with a responsibility. When Anthony Vieira went on the air and made degrading statements against Bishop Juan Edghill this was not responsible journalism. Mr. Sharma responded by admitting that this was a breach and he stated that he offered an apology to all concerned but that the government was not prepared to accept it. They were seeking a suspension of the station from broadcasting.
Then there was the case of another show ‘ Keeping them Honest’ which was dropped from the program format. The former President, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, allegedly put pressure on the station to stop broadcasting. Mr. Sharma wrote to one of the presenters and said, “ I thank you most profusely for choosing the people’s station…and I trust you will understand the pressures to which my TV station has been subject to over these past several years and the sensitivity of the authorities in the current politically charged environment.”
Mr. Sharma has an explanation for these events. If political pressure is applied to CNS then the station has to act appropriately and in this case the presenters said that they understood the position. Over the years CN Sharma has become a household name in Guyana. In fact one poll saw him ‘as the most popular person in Guyana.’ The sight of him with a microphone in his hand investigating the latest wrongdoing in Guyana must have caused a few hearts to flutter.
As many of his admirers know the television programs morphed into a political party, ‘the Justice for all Party.’ This party contested the elections and won two regional seats, according to Mr. Sharma. In the 2011elections the PPP was not returned with a majority and this means that the PPP will have to work with the other parties to get legislation passed. President Donald Ramotar has stated that in such a situation cooperation is a much-needed ingredient in Guyanese politics.
As APNU sets about choosing its Members of Parliament Mr. Sharma is hoping that a close family member will be sitting in the benches in Parliament. Mr.Sharma has strong political views and he will say them aloud for anyone that is listening. Take the Value Added Tax or (VAT), for instance. Mr. Sharma feels that VAT is expensive and that poor people can’t pay it. He said that Guyanese are already paying a lot of taxes and that VAT is killing the people. He also said that the taxes are too high. A car that is imported from abroad attracts huge taxes sometimes 100 per cent of the cost of the original price. What about that pension that is earmarked for President Jagdeo? Mr. Sharma feels that the pension is too high and that it should be investigated. In fact one person has already challenged it in the courts.
Mr. Sharma wishes the new government well. He is happy that President Ramotar is speaking about the importance of inclusivity because it is by working together and respecting each other that Guyana can move forward. But Mr. Sharma says that President Ramotar does not have a Parliament to work with and this may mean the stalling of legislation if there is an impasse in Parliament. Elections can then be called and where the country goes from there is anyone’s guess.
By: Dhanpaul Narine in the WEST INDIAN NY
“ I am innocent,” C.N Sharma said emphatically. “These are all trumped-up charges designed to smear my character. They are doing this to make me look bad. This is not the first time that I have been subjected to this kind of treatment. I contested three elections and in each one of them they filed some kind of bogus charge against me but they have no proof or evidence. I categorically deny that I had anything improper to do with any child or children. No such thing ever happened.”
Mr. Chandra Narine Sharma has long been a thorn in the side of the establishment in Guyana. He is best known as the owner of CNS television station in Guyana and for the programs that the channel offers. One program in particular is the ‘ Voice of the People’ a show in which there are discussions on topics of national interest.
In the nineties Mr. Sharma was a critic of the government as well but he was not as caustic as he is today. That was probably due to the fact that Cheddi Jagan was around and Mr. Sharma had a healthy respect for the late President. But in recent years Mr. Sharma has used his television shows to tell it like it is, and the consequences mattered little. Mr. Sharma has no qualms about giving air-time to those who want to criticize the government. He explained that he also offered time to the PPP in the 2011 election campaign but that the PPP refused it.
In any healthy democracy varying viewpoints must be allowed but this comes with a responsibility. When Anthony Vieira went on the air and made degrading statements against Bishop Juan Edghill this was not responsible journalism. Mr. Sharma responded by admitting that this was a breach and he stated that he offered an apology to all concerned but that the government was not prepared to accept it. They were seeking a suspension of the station from broadcasting.
Then there was the case of another show ‘ Keeping them Honest’ which was dropped from the program format. The former President, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, allegedly put pressure on the station to stop broadcasting. Mr. Sharma wrote to one of the presenters and said, “ I thank you most profusely for choosing the people’s station…and I trust you will understand the pressures to which my TV station has been subject to over these past several years and the sensitivity of the authorities in the current politically charged environment.”
Mr. Sharma has an explanation for these events. If political pressure is applied to CNS then the station has to act appropriately and in this case the presenters said that they understood the position. Over the years CN Sharma has become a household name in Guyana. In fact one poll saw him ‘as the most popular person in Guyana.’ The sight of him with a microphone in his hand investigating the latest wrongdoing in Guyana must have caused a few hearts to flutter.
As many of his admirers know the television programs morphed into a political party, ‘the Justice for all Party.’ This party contested the elections and won two regional seats, according to Mr. Sharma. In the 2011elections the PPP was not returned with a majority and this means that the PPP will have to work with the other parties to get legislation passed. President Donald Ramotar has stated that in such a situation cooperation is a much-needed ingredient in Guyanese politics.
As APNU sets about choosing its Members of Parliament Mr. Sharma is hoping that a close family member will be sitting in the benches in Parliament. Mr.Sharma has strong political views and he will say them aloud for anyone that is listening. Take the Value Added Tax or (VAT), for instance. Mr. Sharma feels that VAT is expensive and that poor people can’t pay it. He said that Guyanese are already paying a lot of taxes and that VAT is killing the people. He also said that the taxes are too high. A car that is imported from abroad attracts huge taxes sometimes 100 per cent of the cost of the original price. What about that pension that is earmarked for President Jagdeo? Mr. Sharma feels that the pension is too high and that it should be investigated. In fact one person has already challenged it in the courts.
Mr. Sharma wishes the new government well. He is happy that President Ramotar is speaking about the importance of inclusivity because it is by working together and respecting each other that Guyana can move forward. But Mr. Sharma says that President Ramotar does not have a Parliament to work with and this may mean the stalling of legislation if there is an impasse in Parliament. Elections can then be called and where the country goes from there is anyone’s guess.