Dear Editor,
The ground has shifted beneath our feet. The announcement of the impending closure of Stabroek News, took me by surprise. It left me crestfallen. The statement by Isabelle and Brendan de Caires which followed was beautifully written, very informative and touching. After high school (in the mid 1970’s) I worked in the Registry of the High Court and also clerked for judges. I first saw Mr. David de Caires in the corridor of the court building. I did not know who he was but assumed that he was a lawyer, based on his bearing and the way he was dressed. My impression was that he was a dignified and serious man. He had an earnest presence.
The story of how Mr. de Caires came to found Stabroek News has been told. Lawyers come and go but how many lawyers create something that, in the words of Isabelle and Brendan, means so much to so many? Something that endured for nearly four decades; a national institution that people cherish and identify with. That something is the Stabroek News.
I recall reading that Mr. de Caires’ initial thought was “Let a thousand views contend and the truth will come out.” He said he discovered that, in reality, it didn’t quite work out that way. I suppose messy discourse is inevitable in a democratic society. In terms of population, Guyana is a small country. Mainly due to its history and ethnic makeup, it is hyper-political; debates and polemic are to be expected. At the same time, we need to keep in mind that we should respect and value each other and strive for cohesion. The social fabric can easily be torn by statements that are abrasive, ego-driven, mean spirited and uncalled for. Knowledge and wisdom are two different things. Was it Oscar Wilde who said that a cynic is a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing?
With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to Stabroek News. Will Austin’s bookstore on Church St be next? Mr. Lloyd Austin, a national awardee, is an iconic Guyanese. He is a good and decent man. For decades, he has been providing selfless service to Guyanese. Now, for various reasons, the bookstore is struggling and the cloud of possible closure hangs over it. That should not happen. That must not happen. I urge all – high officials included – to visit Austin’s and support and patronize the store.