Dear Editor,
The news that Mr. David de Caires’ brainchild and the love of his professional life, Stabroek News, will be closing in March is indeed a serious blow to the concept of “freedom of the press” which is the very belly of real democracy.
A real democracy does not need a government-owned newspaper. The loss of SN is simply a blow to the facade of a free press in Guyana and your daily newspaper will surely be missed by the general public and that SN is owed $80 million and is not being paid is a lesson in absurdity (and maybe conspiracy).
Editor, the very fact that the remnants of our Portuguese brethren who lived in Guyana (most Portuguese left Guyana in the 1960 s & 1970s for foreign domicile), among whom the de Caires family are a part, is being denuded further by this sad news. To close such an important institution as SN which represents and speaks out on behalf of a lot of us Guyanese , and which was invented and nurtured by a Portuguese family who refused to leave Guyana, is a sad reflection on our past- and present. We Guyanese owe the de Caires family and all their former and present employees, a debt of gratitude and honour for their service to us over the years by giving us a breath of fresh air in journalism and freedom of expression. Thank you Mr David in heaven, for your willingness to make SN not only newsworthy, but to promote the arts, sciences, letter writing, cultural stories, great viewpoints, etc. and to live the motto: “ truth for justice” – the creation of SN was a patriotic act and Mr. David is a genuine patriot of Guyana.
Editor, this sad news should wake up our people, whether you buy and read SN or not; whether you are rich or poor, Guyanese should pool together resources to save this newspaper with advertisements, subscriptions and other efforts- especially the rich and famous who should remember that the greatest economy on Earth, the USA, grew it’s economic and political power while it was expanding the free press. SN is at the apex of Guyana’s free press and in fact, it is even in the interest of this government to see the survival of SN.
So, Mr. Government, Mr. Rich Man, Mr. Middle Class Man, Mr. Foreign Guyanese and even Mr. Regular, – please think about it and let us all try to keep SN open for at least a year more, into 2027.