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Former Member
Barefaced
Indefensible cover up
The Muckraker is trying to cover up its gratuitous defamatory attacks against NICIL and its CEO by fobbing it all off on ‘politicians’. It had appointed itself as the defender of public morality and probity but now it doesn’t have the guts to stand up for its ‘convictions’. One of its Peeping Toms claimed: “An allegation made by a political party with the standing of the AFC must be deemed to be a matter of public interest, and even if unverified may be published.” The PT went so far to say that the publication was okay ‘even if it is bogus arithmetic”. Really!!
PT is being disingenuous. Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd is the definitive House of Lords case in English defamation law concerning qualified privilege for publication of defamatory statements in the public interest. It advised a 10 part test. Let’s see how the Muckraker stacks up on its $50 billion claim:
1) The seriousness of the allegation. The more serious the charge, the more the public is misinformed and the individual harmed, if the allegation is not true. The allegations KN published were beyond serious. Brassington and the entire administration were presented as raping the public treasury.
2) The nature of the information, and the extent to which the subject-matter is a matter of public concern. While the information was undoubtedly of public concern, its nature was totally speculative.
3) The source of the information. Some informants have no direct knowledge of the events. Some have their own axes to grind. The Muckraker admits that the only source of its information was the AFC. This is an opposition party, led by two PPP defectors, doing their darndest to remove the PPP from government. The KN saw them as ‘credible’? Please!!!
4) The steps taken to verify the information. This is the most damming lapse. The KN admits it took no steps to verify the information. It merely cited the AFC sourced NICIL’s 2004 Report and converted ‘revenue’ into ‘profits’!
5) The status of the information. The allegation may have already been the subject of an investigation which commands respect. The allegation of NICIL fraud was being raised for the very first time.
6) The urgency of the matter. News is often a perishable commodity. Any NICIL perfidy was not going to disappear if KN had taken time to check before publishing… again and again and again.
7) Whether comment was sought from the plaintiff. He may have information others do not possess or have not disclosed. Initial publication was done without seeking comment. When the CEO disputed the figure, it was reported slantingly: Money invested, “only” US3.5 million remain.
Whether the article contained the gist of the plaintiff’s side of the story. When the KN finally published the CEO’s comments, it subjected him to further ridicule. For instance, in a front page headline KN screamed: “Brassington statements akin to a pleading criminal about to be jailed – Ramjattan”.
9) The tone of the article. A newspaper can raise queries or call for an investigation. It need not adopt allegations as statements of fact. Every article that KN carried on the NICIL matter, its language was definitive and conclusive. It sought out opposition figures exclusively to make comments. Example “NICIL’s REFUSAL TO HAND OVER $$$B IS CRIMINAL”.
10) The circumstances of the publication, including the timing. The KN published screaming banner headlines on NICIL almost daily during the month of May.
Why people like to embarass themselves so. A word of advice for Mr Lall, stay in the back Office. Adam Harris, it is not too late to get an Education in Journalism. Pathetic, Shamefull and embarassing. KN license should be revoked for lack of basic Journalism education.
I like when Mr Lall says " And you know the rest"
Also, I am shitting in my Pants, can I call my Editor?
Laad Ah Mercy. I am surprise that Guyana is so PROGRESSIVE despite uneducated people like these.
Former Member
It does not matter what obfuscating "news" the self generate t he fact that this government holding company has been run like a personal cakeshop with no accounting is not only negligent but criminal. That we are here debating whether they should "debate" the obvious speak to the corrupt practices that have become habit over 20 years and the asking for accountability is a system shock. Well, we need the damn accounting and fast.
Former Member
nehru i suggest you keep some bail money for some of these ppp thief, time is longer than time the guyanes people want answers and no more bullshit from you ppp crime family
Former Member
NICIL has proper accounting the President said so last week in New York. The money is used for development projects.
Former Member
Originally Posted by martin Carter:
NICIL has proper accounting the President said so last week in New York. The money is used for development projects.
then the president lied. It is clear they have not submitted a report since 2004 per their requirement by parliament. If the money is used then we need to know where and on what projects and to whom. That is their mandate and on that they have failed. What is becoming clear is they have been using NICIL as a clearing house for themselves. It apparently is a means whereby the do a little accounting gymnastic and voila! one of their cronies or kinfolk has a property formerly owned by the state.
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by martin Carter:
NICIL has proper accounting the President said so last week in New York. The money is used for development projects.
then the president lied. It is clear they have not submitted a report since 2004 per their requirement by parliament. If the money is used then we need to know where and on what projects and to whom. That is their mandate and on that they have failed. What is becoming clear is they have been using NICIL as a clearing house for themselves. It apparently is a means whereby the do a little accounting gymnastic and voila! one of their cronies or kinfolk has a property formerly owned by the state.
Reminiscent of what happened in Russia when state assets were privatized and sold off to cronies of the ruling clan, creating the present day oligarchs who became wealthy overnight.
Former Member
I thought Guyana had many ACCAs. Ashni was right that you can’t take gross revenues from 2004 and extrapolate to 2011 and say NICL has $50 bill. I cannot believe the AFC would make this kind of error. Perhaps it was a purely political decision. The problem with using raw politics is you will vitiate much of what you have won. The sad thing is the PPP sycophants and slavish propaganda coolies will use this against the AFC in the most deceitful manner distract from the clear problems that came from the NICL debate. It has become all about $50 bill. The sycophants don’t want to mention that NICL did not produce audited books since 2004. Of course they did not see Brassingon dodging the question of whether NICL separates privatization proceeds from incomes of state-owned companies. They did not see the bizarre economic justification Ashni gave for setting the Berbice bridge toll to US$11 per car. They did not see the clear insider trading problem of a man selling his brother shares. What methodology was used to value the shares? They did not see that NICL will invest US$19 mill in Marriott when Brassington is saying NICL only have G$700 mill in the bank. From where will NICL get the money? Is NICL a state-owned venture capitalist company? They did not bother to ask a question of whether Ashni’s justification for the Marriott made sense. Since Barbados and TT government bulid hotels Guyana should do the same, according to Ashni. Well that is true. But why spend US$19 mill on the Marriott in GT? Why not develop an eco-tourism system in the interior?
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