Multi-million dollar COI writer says reports false, gov’t still owes him

The “special correspondent” said to be attached to the Guyana Chronicle that was reportedly paid $1.4 Million per month for covering and writing on the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry’s work has taken to his Facebook page to explain his paycheck that left the new APNU+AFC government and members of the local media corps in disbelief.

News surfaced late Monday that the former PPP Civic administration spent over $320 Million on the still to be concluded Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry which included payment to Shun Samaroo of over $16 Million so far to write on the commission’s work.

Samaroo, who lives abroad, explained that the money was for him to write and publish a book, produce a documentary, archive documents online, engage global audience and publish the findings.

“At no time and under no circumstance did the Government of Guyana contract my professional media services, or paid me, to report in the State media. I was never contracted as a State media reporter,” he denied.

He is claiming that the then PPP government failed to fulfil aspects of the Contract, including outstanding payment. “The G o G never provided internet access nor office space, as was stipulated in the contract. However, I overlooked such shortcomings, and proceeded to do my best to enhance the work of the Rodney Commission.”

In the same Facebook post, Samaroo released the terms of the contract between himself and the Office of the President of the Government of Guyana, regarding the Rodney Commission.

“I was contracted for a specific purpose, and it had nothing to do with reporting in the State media,” he lamented.

He admitted however that he in fact contributed several reports to the Guyana Chronicle on the work of the Commission pro bono, “never once receiving any payment for that work.”

“I also contributed dozens of columns to the Guyana Chronicle without compensation of any sort. I did this because I was concerned at the sorry state of Guyana’s State media, and wanted to play a role in lifting the standard of Journalism, and to contribute my writing to the national stage,” he added.

Below is the alleged terms of the contract:

1. Design and build a global social media platform that generates ongoing professional coverage of the Rodney Commission, in multimedia format – print, video, audio, and electronic; this includes engaging discussions online;
2. Write news reports, stories, features and multimedia scripts around daily happenings at the Commission;
3. Coordinate national and international media organs in full local and global coverage of the Commission’s findings, and testimonies;
4. After the Commission would have completed its work, write and publish a book on the Commission’s work, on behalf of the Government of Guyana;
5. Write the script for, and produce, a Video Documentary on DVD, of the Commission’s work on behalf of the Government of Guyana, at the completion of the Commission’s work;
6. Create an online forum where the full findings, testimonies and reports of the Commission can be archived and available for global consumption;
7. Network with global organizations, academic institutions and relevant interests to popularize the findings of the Commission.

Much of this work is to be done after the completion of the Commission’s final report, and it is my full intention to fulfil this obligation.