Dear Editor,
I will truly miss Stabroek News. One of the first things I do most mornings—often before the coffee is even properly brewed—is check the Guyana news, and the first site I click is usually SN. Over the years it has been a real national treasure. One of the things that made it special was the Comments section. Readers didn’t just react to the news—they reacted to each other. Sometimes the exchanges were thoughtful, sometimes heated, and sometimes downright entertaining.
I’m also grateful to SN for giving me space to push my thesis that “Hindu-stani” is a better term for descendants of indentured servants than “Girmitiya.” SN allowed the discussion to happen by giving it oxygen. I also appreciated the paper’s serious investigation into the deaths of hundreds of Guyanese after the 2002 prison breakout, which was published in the online version for weeks. I am grateful for this grim reminder – which should not be forgotten.
I will miss the writing of John “Bill Cotton/Reform” Mair—short, sharp pieces with a clever twist. And of course, Paul Harris’s cartoons, which I believe are among the best in the Caribbean. Then there were the bloggers. I’ll miss my ongoing friendly back-and-forth with Burch1 on race and religion. It was always interesting to see what Buxie and Col123 had to say. But I especially feel sorry for poor “General.” Where will he now take anonymous shots at people brave enough to sign their real names? Thanks again, SN. You’ve served Guyana well, and you will be missed.