A basic tenet of journalism is to verify facts
THE Kaieteur News report headed `OP denies Jagdeo visited Switzerland in its July 1, 2009 edition misses the point of the letter from Press and Publicity Officer to the President, Kwame McCoy.

A basic tenet of journalism is to check facts as far as possible before publication. Verification is the name of the game for professionals and all it would have taken for any serious journalist or columnist is a basic check of the facts before rushing to print.

Notwithstanding the statement from Guyana’s Consul in Canada, which incidentally said the President was to attend a conference in Geneva, a simple check with his office would have verified that he had cancelled the visit.

I still maintain that the columnist failed to observe some basic tenets of journalism as is his wont.

There are numerous examples of inaccurate, irresponsible and unfair accounts even when the facts are presented to him on a platter.
KWAME Mc COY
Press & Publicity Officer to the President
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Announcer has given a new meaning to radio
I wish to query about a very good radio announcer who in my opinion has given a whole new meaning to radio.

His programmes are so well organised, educational and entertaining, he is second to none.

I speak about none other than Mr. Henry Singh. Someone told me he is now doing sports programmes early in the mornings.

I wish to urge the CEO of NCN or whoever is responsible for placing these announcers to do various programmes to utilise Mr. Henry Singh more. Just having him doing sports is a complete waste both to the radio station and the listening public.
CONCERNED LISTENER
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God cannot be tempted
DANIEL Singh insists that he means what he says (Guyana Chronicle – June 27th).
The so-called pastor clarified, “the New Testament was written in Greek and the original Greek word used for “tempted” in James 1:13 is actually “not temptable”. Therefore, God cannot be tempted.”

So there you have it. Daniel Singh means what he says, in Greek.

“I do not recall giving Seegobin the right to speak on my behalf,” Singh declared. That’s a job I cannot do as I don’t speak Greek and much of what Singh writes is Greek to readers anyway.

It is “cowardice” Singh says, if a nom de plume is used in the letters column. How ridiculous is this coming from a man who hides the name of his theological school and cannot even profess the title of his church.
DAVID SEEGOBIN
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Benschop back to his old self
MARK Benschop is up to his usual disruptive self again! And this begs the question; has he truly learnt his lesson with respect to the rule of law? Ever since Benschop’s return to Guyana he has been nothing more than a nuisance to peace and tranquility and continues to show the same penchant for law breaking practices which had earlier landed him in prison despite being the recipient of a Presidential pardon.

His most recent escapade has seen him once again take to center-stage outside the very Office of the President compound once again on Friday 26th June last. And it no doubt, left many in bewilderment as we were reminded of the famous quote “those who forget their past are condemned to repeat it”. With a group that consisted of about 5 placard bearing persons and included Benschop and Freddie Kissoon. It was business as usual as they readily regurgitated the usual anti-government stuff that we have so much grown accustomed to.

It’s ironic that history seems to be repeating itself. A couple of years ago a similar protest led by Benschop and Phillip Bynoe resulted in the storming of the highest office in the land and shots being fired to restore calm which in turn led to the death of one.

In light of what had transpired back then this most recent action can be seen as an attempt to “test the waters” by Benschop in anticipation of what is to come.

I think that he has not learned his lesson and can also recall subsequent to his Presidential pardon he publicly stated his desire to become a Priest or a Social Worker; did he abandon his aspirations? There is an old saying “easy lesson good for dunce.” Mr. Benschop should take note.
MARCELLE JOSEPH
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Treat Guyanese with respect
AS your paper noted on the front page, intra-CARICOM immigration ought to be the most important issue to be discussed at the summit. CARICOM members agreed to free movement of its citizens. We even have a passport that has CARICOM emblazoned on it. Yet, citizens of a few states (most being Guyanese) are treated like pariahs. This must come to an end. We should all be treated with equality, respect and dignity.

While a nation must take measures to control its borders from illegal entries, given the seriousness of security threat, authorities must be fair and compassionate. Simply rounding up illegal Guyanese as has been done in Barbados and Trinidad and deporting them is unacceptable.

What these governments are doing is targeting Guyanese which is discriminatory and inhumane and a violation of protocols of CARICOM. Trinidad is being a little more considerate than Barbados by allowing illegal Guyanese some time to remain in the island to settle their “personal affairs” and leave. What is needed is a uniform policy on immigration. Guyanese, many of whom are illegal throughout the Caribbean, are not taking away peoples jobs; they do jobs that most others don’t want. And most Guyanese are not trouble makers as guests in other territories. The trouble makers should be targeted and not those who live quietly and work hard contributing to the development of their host countries.

With regards to other issues, the leaders need to address the Honduran coup, the economic crisis in the region, deportees from North America, tourism, intra-regional trade, cricket, and health issues, among others
VISHNU BISRAM
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Chicken farm at Chateau Margot is a health hazard
VERY often residents in the different areas of our beautiful country would resort to highlight in the print and electronic media, problems that are affecting them. These problems, though being reported to the relevant authorities, never received the attention they deserved.

Likewise the over grown chicken farm at Lot 18M Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara, is not only a dangerous health hazard but a major health disaster waiting to explode. This lot housed both the chicken farm and the ‘L&D Shopping Center’. It is surrounded by 10 habitable homes. There are hundreds of chickens in this farm. The dust, stinking smell, flies of all description and the rats keeps multiplying, all to the detriments of the health of others. If this issue is reported and the owners get to know, then that person is out for a good ‘cuss down’. These people are wrong, yet they behave as if they are so powerful that no authorities can stop them.

This matter was reported several times to the NDC Chairman and other authorities including government ministers. Rather than closing down it is expanding.

Can the Environmental officers, the Public Health Inspectors, other health officers and the Central Housing and Planning Authority please make an urgent visit to this site to have a first hand experience. The print and electronic media is also invited to experience what the ordinary Guyanese have to endure at those who feel that they are above the law.
K.D SINGH
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Tribute to Michael Jackson
The Thriller persona is gone
Shocked by your living arrest
But thrilled the world will be always
By your lovely performances, Michael

In life
Many valleys and peaks
Only Faith and Faith in Him Only
Can bring this mountain to stand

You did show us resilience
Never mind the bizarre acts
The innocent is innocent until proven otherwise
Like a Phoenix you were ready to rise again

Your heart sang while souls prayed
Now that the enemies have lost
Heaven gained a son of angelic ascent
Never to cry again, yet we will forever.

You are not alone
Billie Jean will echo on
Healing the world behind
While the poor pours prayers in oceans of tears everywhere.
HABEEB ALLI
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Singh edited my words to create a false impression
WHILE the Guyana Chronicle must be commended for its willingness to publish controversial letters it must also exercise some level of editorial judgment to weed out lies and distortions. Failing to do so, results in a column that is rife with blatant dishonesty.

David Seegobin has already pointed out how Daniel Singh repeatedly distorts the words of his opponents in his attempts at hacking up a rebuttal.

Singh, an alleged pastor who desperately hides his religious qualifications, has now resorted to redrafting parts of writer’s sentences so that he can misrepresent their ideas. This is bald faced fraudulence.

In his June 29th (GC) letter Singh behaves as though he’s caught me at something!

Singh says Justin De Freitas wrote, “in his June 27th letter to me (and I quote), ‘None of his debunkers said that the Darwinius masillae was the missing link’”.

He is trying to tell readers that I am now denying that Ida is the missing link. But this is not true. Singh edited my words to create a false impression. So much for Christian honesty.

My full sentence reads: “None of his debunkers have ever said that Darwinius masillae is ‘the missing link’ between monkeys and humans.”

Daniel Singh corruptly left out the last three words (even while claiming to use a quote) because those last three words stood in contrast to the lie being crafted.

Now, having set up a false premise based on unethical edits, Singh, the so-called Christian pastor, and then goes on to show the various places where I did actually say Darwinius masillae is a missing link.

In other words, Singh edited what I said, taking out the three most important words. He then uses his corrupted sentence as if it is a direct quote of mine. Then he tells readers see, de Freitas is saying different things at different times.

What Singh doesn’t say is that he is actually misquoting me in a vain effort to paint a misleading scenario. How totally dishonest is that?

My point has always been that Ida is indeed a missing link in the long chain of evolution, a link, a transitional form that came just before our ape lineage. Corrupting my words doesn’t alter that belief.

Here’s another example of Singh’s mendacity. He writes: “In his letter on May 23rd in this column, “Justin de Freitas” called “Ida” a “transitional fossil” and then said “we had “Ida” and today we have humans”. He was clearly making the connection that “Ida” was the link between lower and higher primates.”

My full quote, which Singh again corrupted, spells out an evolutionary outline, not a link.

I said, “The scientific trace is becoming clearer: billions of years ago we had chemicals forming RNA, millions of years ago we had "Ida" and today we have modern humans.”

I have been contributing to the letters column for the last fifteen years and never before have I encountered such crass duplicity from any writer, much less one claiming to be Christian. This will be my last letter in regards to Singh; anyone can debate ideas, but contesting clumsily crafted lies and sly distortions are a waste of my time.
JUSTIN de FREITAS.
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One-Stop-Shop at Linden was free and fair
I am a resident of Linden and was at the One-stop-shop programme held in Linden. I stand here as a witness that the programme was free and fair regardless of race; black, yellow, red or blue, everyone had to follow instructions.

One of the PNCR female councillors got preference for teachers in Region 10 who received great coverage. Why not write about the positive aspects of the programme, instead of just the negative which was few.

Now let us look at the overseas-based Guyanese who are accused of being issued house lots. How could we ‘Lindeners’ forget the times when the region had two number bags (to collect a house lot number), one for overseas persons and the other for ‘whoever’ and another point to note is when you are a PPP your application gets lost and there are past regional officials still selling lands. So let us remember that we never had a free and fair distribution of house lots in Linden, this is the first time ever such cooperation, swiftness and justice has been allowed.

When we are looking at properly prepared lands for allocation, let us remember that surveying of those lands was done by past influence. However, I wish that the government would conduct some of these works via Georgetown, because if we continue to utilise the present individuals the only results would be confusion.

Congratulations to the Minister and his Ministry for the good work that they have done and we sincerely hope that the process continues with a fruitful outcome.
S. JAMES
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Ida not a link between lower and higher primates
“JUSTIN de Freitas” fast and fancy foot works have amazed me. He stated in his June 27th letter to me (and I quote), “None of my debunkers said that the Darwinius masillae was the missing link”. Yet his letters indicate there is a missing link somewhere. Incidentally, the name Darwinius masillae was the name given to “Ida” in honour of Charles Darwin.

In his letter on May 23rd in this column, “Justin de Freitas” called “Ida” a “transitional fossil” and then said “we had “Ida” and today we have humans”. He was clearly making the connection that “Ida” was the link between lower and higher primates. On May 30th in this column, he said that ‘Ida” is a “transition to anthropoid primates” (higher primates).

In his letter June 1st in this column and June 4th in Kaieteur News, he stated that “I am upset that Darwinius masillae being the missing link”. He went on to state that “I have no use for the facts regarding the fossilised missing link”.

His tag-team partner “Gossai” defended the “Ida” fossil in his June 8th letter in Kaieteur News and June 14th letter in this column when I wrote that Chris Beard said that further studies will show that “Ida” belongs to the lemur group (lower primate) and is not a missing link.

Unless “Justin de Freitas” is suffering from short-term memory loss, this is some serious back peddling. Then in some bizarre way, “Justin de Freitas” seems to think I agree with him that “Ida” is a transitional fossil. Talk about spinning the facts! “Justin de Freitas” can use all the complex, scientific terms to sound smart. The fact is he dances like a butterfly and spins like a bee.

As Ian Tattersal head of the Natural Museum of History in New York City have said, the facts have proved that “Ida” is transitional only in the sense that it is connected to the lower lemur group (a relative of that group) and is not transitional in the sense of connecting lower and higher primates, proving it is not a missing link.
PASTOR DANIEL SINGH