Legacy of Stabroek News will endure

Dear Editor,

As a Fifth Form student at Bishops’ High School, I spent much of my time in the science laboratories. At that stage of my life, those “labs” were the centre of my academic interests. It was there that a particular science teacher would occasionally pique my interest in politics. Those conversations, though informal, sparked in me a growing curiosity about the concept of “free and fair elections” and why it was so important for our beloved Guyana. At the time, this subject was part of the national discourse.

During the 1986 – 1987 period, I began reading some of President Hugh Desmond Hoyte’s thoughts in the Guyana Chronicle. At the time, however, the Chronicle largely reflected the official government perspective exclusively. But the news often felt one-dimensional and boring.

One Monday morning, that same teacher offered me a complimentary copy of a new newspaper that had just been launched. It was called the Stabroek News (SN). I gladly accepted. That afternoon, I opened the red paper.

From its first edition, the newspaper struck me as being different. It appeared committed to presenting the news plainly, without embellishment or partisan framing, and its style struck a nerve in me. I was hooked.

While reading that complimentary copy of that newspaper, I noticed a photograph of the editorial board, none of whom I knew at the time, though I would later become familiar with the name Sharief Khan, one of the reporters whom I occasionally encountered at the USIS Library in Main Street, while still a student.

What captured my attention most was a compelling story concerning a controversial figure of the time, widely known as the “Rabbi.” While serving a fifteen-year sentence for manslaughter, he had sought preferential treatment to have his meals brought in from outside the prison, against regulations at that time. I recall feeling youthful satisfaction when I read that President Hoyte, who also held responsibility for Home Affairs, had rejected the request from the “Rabbi.” Reading Father Andrew Morrison’s book will provide enough evidence that the “Rabbi” was not a good man; not a good soul at all and he did lots of damage to our socio-political landscape at the time with his “hockey stick” gang.

More importantly, I was struck by the boldness of the reporting. Guyana was still emerging from deeply restrictive political currents. It felt significant that such a story could be published openly for national scrutiny.

At the time, I did not fully appreciate that this expansion of space for independent journalism had been facilitated under President Hoyte’s leadership. Over the years, I have developed considerable respect for President Hoyte’s role in opening that democratic space, even while acknowledging that aspects of his later political approach, including the “slow fya, mo fya” marches, did complicate his public image. But that debate is for another day.

Equally impactful was the newspaper’s policy statement, words that have remained with me ever since:

“We believe in and will work for a free and open society in which the rule of law prevails. We believe that an independent and responsible newspaper can make an important contribution to the political and cultural life of a society and can accustom people to thinking for themselves and forming their own opinions.”

From that day forward, I made it a point to purchase the SN whenever I could. Demand often exceeded supply during those early days; and the vendor at the La Penitence Market next to Kawall Drug Store would ration copies. Yet, as a regular customer, she would discreetly set one aside for me. With my red Guyana one-dollar note in hand, I would buy my SN (of course, with devaluation, the price subsequently increased).

As I matured, I did not always agree with every editorial position taken by the newspaper. However, that was never the point. The value of the Fourth Estate lies not in unanimity of opinion but in its independence of thought that was open to debate. When not steered or constrained, it remains one of the strongest institutional safeguards of any democratic society.

A democratic system cannot function meaningfully if citizens are limited to curated or controlled information. An independent press amplifies diverse voices, provide platforms for minority perspectives, and strengthens pluralism. Unity cannot be sustained without respect for diversity.

Now that the decision has been made and the familiar coffee tables on which new editions of the SN previously rested, will no longer hold fresh copies, life will have to go on; that is life. I expect a natural sense of quiet from the departure of the SN in our home circle. The discussions once sparked by a headline or investigative piece may no longer fill the room in the same way; but the only constant in life is change. It is my earnest wish that the stories already written must be preserved and archived for the researchers of the future. These past articles form part of our beautiful history as a country especially those articles prior to 1992.

As an example, I vividly recall August 30, 1992, when Sharief Khan’s headline in the SN announced, “October 5 is the day.” In the months that followed, detailed reports in the SN registered the entry of eleven political parties into the election race.

The many articles during that day, recorded with precision, the sequence in which representatives submitted their lists before the 18:00-hour deadline, a moment that symbolized a permanent turning point in our country’s history. Such reporting did more than document events; it preserved the unfolding of our democracy in real time.

An idea truly dies only when it is forgotten. The work of the many journalists who laboured at the Stabroek News will not be forgotten. The principle of an independent and responsible newspaper (committed to openness, legality, and intellectual independence) will always have a place in a democratic society.

To Mr. Anand Persaud and his team: thank you for your stewardship. The contribution has been significant; the newspapers may be gone from our sight, but the legacy endures. Let us pray that the idea of a Stabroek News does not die since such a condition carries serious consequences for our country and our commitment to the idea of democracy.