The Kaieteur News daily is persisting in its misinformation campaign about the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project by failing to clarify that a set of laptops bought by the Office of the President is not for the OLPF. The Office of the President, in responding to a claim by the newspaper that 20 laptops had been bought for the OLPF, had said that five laptops bought for the OLPF were for staff of the unit.
Kaieteur News, in a bid to undo the damage to its image by its erroneous reporting, over the weekend reported that it had evidence that the Office of the President bought 20 laptops last month, failing to mention that these computers were for use by the Office of the President and not for the OLPF.
A government spokesman yesterday noted that in continuing with its misinformation campaign, Kaieteur News fails to make the distinction between the five laptops for the OLPF and the 20 for the Office of the President.
“It is doing this because it wants to stall the progress of the one lap programme, and in the process, it is throwing out basic principles of journalism”, the spokesman said.
“The Kaieteur News is anti-government and this all fits in with its agenda against the government”, he said.
The government Tuesday deplored the continuing unethical and unprofessional journalism by Kaieteur News in a statement by the Government Information Agency.
The agency said that while it does not usually engage in such exchanges, it “feels compelled to denounce these continuing efforts by the local tabloid in question to mislead the public.”
It noted issues raised by Kaieteur News on the OLPF have been addressed by Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ms. Jennifer Webster, and her colleagues in Parliament.
“Despite the provision of relevant information regarding the OLPF project, the Kaieteur News continues with its claims and misinformation”, it said.
It added: “This time it is an allegation about secrecy by the government with regard to information related to procurement.
“GINA wishes to remind the Kaieteur News that the PPP/C Government has upheld the democratic and constitutional rights of all Guyanese with regard to freedom of expression and rights which the Kaieteur News fully enjoys.
“GINA also wishes to remind the Kaieteur News of the transparent manner in which the government conducts its business. The government has empowered the Office of the Auditor General to publish uninhibited, annualised audited reports of ministries and agencies. These reports are submitted to Parliament for scrutiny.
“Government officials are accessible to the media as obtains in the frequent press conferences hosted by President Bharrat Jagdeo, and ministers, and the weekly Cabinet updates hosted by the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon.
“The Kaieteur News must also be reminded of the Procurement Act and the government’s tender procedures, information for which is available on the several government websites for public perusal and the amendments made to include the media when tender documents are being examined. Additionally, the Kaieteur News must be reminded that government ministries have updated websites which provide information to all.
“These are a few reminders of the high level of transparency with which the government manages the affairs of the State.
“As such, there is no commitment to secrecy as insinuated in the Monday, February 07, 2011 edition of the newspaper.”
The APNU+AFC is a corrupt cabal of racists. They did nothing that benefitted ordinary Guyanese, presided over the must corrupt and incompetent government Guyana has ever had and sought to rig their way back into office. Now in opposition lies and racism is their go-to mantra. Here we expose them ....
Kn news has no other way of getting there paper to sell so they attack the government with misleading articles about major project to give the public the wrong impression
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