Dear Editor,
Every morning, I will really miss the Stabroek News.[1] Why?
Along the spectrum of the media landscape in Guyana, this newspaper represented the best thinking and the highest purpose of independent journalism – no one person, political party or ethnic ancestry has all the knowledge, capabilities and experiences to find the best solutions for transforming complex challenges and problems into opportunities for building a peaceful, safe and secure society and economy. It never encouraged blind criticism of or blind allegiance to any political party, ethnic ancestry or class.
The letters section was the real essence of Stabroek News. That was an unprecedented and unequaled success with few parallels in the Caribbean and even internationally. It will not be easy to replace. Many Guyanese, at home and in the diaspora, were given the space to learn about and respect each other’s opinions, and find common ground to explore, evaluate and propose new and usable solutions. It accommodated harsh criticism of the government and, at the same time, it published letters that expressed praise and appreciation for government policies.
Despite the concerns that many of its editorials and most of its columnists did not always present sufficiently balanced analysis of the ‘big picture’ and all the details of a challenge or problem, the letters section made a massive, historic and shining contribution towards building a society based on the universal human rights of equal justice, equal opportunity and equal dignity for every Guyanese individual and family. Well done!
To really honour the journalists and editorial staff, we all have a responsibility to find ways to continue that essence of the Stabroek News. Without being able to change the ways we think about doing things, it will be virtually impossible to successfully transform Guyana into a society where all its citizens can have a better life.