KAIETEUR News, in a shameless attempt to hide the positive results of the National Stakeholders Consultation held at the Guyana International Conference Centre on July 25th 2013, has concocted a headline story titled: ‘Media barred from asking questions’ (Kaieteur News – July 26th edition – Front Page).

This is a total misrepresentation and a twisting of the facts to achieve a pre-determined agenda best known to the Kaieteur News.

As the person who chaired this activity, I categorically deny that the media were barred from asking questions.
To ensure participation from the wide cross-section of stakeholders present, which was in excess of three hundred (300) persons, I merely advised the media to make use of the several opportunities that are available to them on a weekly basis to ask their questions.
This was purely to allow for fuller participation by all. To ascribe a motive is simply being mischievous. No one present listening to the tone and content of what was said could have concluded that the media were being barred. It was never an issue.
I therefore reject Kaieteur News’s fabrication in its entirety.
I will advise journalists to “report the news and not make the news.”