Truth as victim to propaganda
The PNM has now thrown caution to the wind in their floundering build up to the General Elections. Bereft of any visionary ideas to take the twin island Republic on the road to continued development, the opposition has resorted to the vilest form of mudslinging, slander and character assassination to further their cause.
Their game plot is now to recruit an army of paid mercenaries, fugitives and other ghosts to spread propaganda. It was thought that some of the mercenaries came from main stream media.
These so called journalists and columnists appeared to be so blatantly biased that it boggled the mind as to whether the editors approved of the twaddle presented as investigative journalism.
Certain media houses express themselves in such a way that one could believe that they were in the real estate business. Away from the classified ads to front pages, were luxurious homes with photographs and prices. All family information and form of purchases were detailed. It was also important to feature names of next door neighbors. Perhaps one day these super sleuths may tell the population whether the owners came on the Fatel Rozak or the Calcutta ship!
While they do this, they do not find time to investigate the source of funds of a newspaper director who was allegedly fingered in illegal foreign currency transactions and whose family is involved in a multibillion dollar supermarket empire. No photographs of owner or photocopies of checks necessary here!
No investigation into any possible links between the former Managing Director of a bank and the large Supermarket chain where a family member may have been on the Board of the Bank. No investigating or reporting if huge sums of foreign currency were deposited. No investigative journalism as to whether there is a family link of the former Managing Director and a young PNM candidate!
Perhaps what is necessary of Krystan is not necessary of Carl.
In addition to the usual suspect journalists are the regular columnist whose profession and author description bear no link to their articles. Winford James, a lecturer in English mysteriously becomes a political analyst and possible Chief Secretary for Tobago. He now makes absolutely no sense and makes no apologies in endorsing Keith Rowley to be next Prime Minister.
Former deputy Governor of the Central Bank clearly not a fine mind as his deceased brother, writes with no bearing to economics or finance and has now deteriorated to racial innuendoes and a PNM bias. Has he been promised thirty pieces of silver and to be Governor as compensation for his weekly diatribe? Capil Bissoon however has to display his party allegiance.
Another daily (sic) writer has been lamenting that the Government may abuse spending during the time there is no Parliamentary oversight. Perhaps I may have missed his column when he condemned the PNM opposition for walking out of Parliament and abdicating their role of oversight. Perhaps I may have also missed all his other articles being critical of the PNM or Rowley. Is it because he shares the same law Chambers with a close relative of Rowley that his articles continuously reflect a condemnatory PP stance and a gushing and glowing appreciation of the Rowley camp?
So what is the game plan?
Clearly it is to divert the attention of the community away from the performance of the Partnership Government to issues which have no public policy bearings.
On the other side of the PNM plot comes no other than Basdeo Panday. Since his shameful beating by Kamla Persad Bissessar in the internal UNC elections of 2010, Panday has become even bitterer. In his dying quest to exact revenge, this aging warrior has become and embodiment of gripe and snipe, apparently oblivious of the anger his appearance generates. His support of the PNM may eventually backfire on them as was their courting of the Man from Elie Street.
The obscene media coverage of tapes may disappear in less than 10 seconds as the public chooses not to accept the PNM plot of smoke and mirrors. Agent of files and tapes now face Mission Impossible as the Date of July 9th beckons.
The population must be on the alert before truth becomes a victim to propaganda!
Rabindra Moonan
via email