Stabroek News Attacks Government Again

Once again Stabroek News attempt to smear the government of Guyana has failed, simply because the attempt lacks basic common sense. Two weeks in a stretch its editorial has been rambling on the Buddy’s International Hotel. The latest attempt to smear the government however shows that the news paper is really loosing creditability as a news provider. Below are paragraphs extracted from Monday online Stabroek News editorial. Judge for yourselves.

“First, other interested investors may well look at the MoU and ask themselves on what basis did the government arrive at the conclusion that the Buddy's investor was the fittest person to enter into a contract with for this prestigious project

Second, the MoU indicates some significant promises to Buddy's. On a minimum investment of US$8M the investor has been granted a corporate tax holiday for five years beginning from the first year of commercial operation.

Third - perhaps the most troubling of all - is the two-sentence clause 4.3 which says that the government shall "A(s) far as is permitted by the laws of Guyana, facilitate the company's request to operate a casino on the said hotel premises..”

The first paragraph in quotes by the Stabroek News editorial gives the impression that the hotel is a government project. This could not be further from the truth since this project was a private one.

Second issue about “tax holiday” for “five years” is more than acceptable. What is so wrong with giving an investment of this magnitude such a small concession? Why didn’t Stabroek News draw a comparison between this and OMAI, GT&T and BARAMA?

The third issue about the Casino is the lamest of all. Since when does the whole population have to give consent before the government makes a decision? There are a few, not a majority of folks who might not want casinos operating in Guyana. That is okay. So what is the big deal?

Come on; give the government a break and some credit for allowing development in Guyana by its own people. Maybe another foreigner might have been more acceptable for such a major project, is what Stabroek News seems to want.

Further Stabroek News give the impression it is bent on stirring up chaos and strife in Guyana so it can once again flourish with sensationalism. But sadly this once excellent newspaper is loosing its creditability and is indeed becoming a third rated newspaper. Maybe it is time to change the leadership at Stabroek News.

Here is the link to the more recent Stabroek News editorial: http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_editorial?id=56515938

Email me your responses: Persaudanthony@yahoo.com