By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – President Donald Ramotar, during a press briefing at his office this afternoon (Friday August 29), sought to discourage what he said were false and slanderous media reports regarding investment in Guyana; pointing out that many reports in recent times have not been very helpful in that regard.
Speaking to the recent articles in one section of the media regarding the activities of Chinese logging company – Bai Shan Lin – the Head of State observed that most of the articles were entirely false.
The Company is accused of exploitation and indiscriminate logging; an accusation that has been rejected by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
He made his case by dismissing as erroneous a front page article in the today’s Kaieteur News which alleged that a foreign company, investing in Guyana, was given 60,000 hectares in the Canje Basin.
“I don’t think press freedom means the freedom to distort and slander… all of these things are aimed at slandering the government and chasing away investors,” the President said.
He pointed out too that such reports give the impression that corruption is rampant when in actuality it is totally false.
Speaking directly to the Bai Shan Lin issue, President Ramotar said he understands from the Forestry Commission that attempts were made to clarify the misinformation but was ignored by the very news entity which had published it.
He said even when responses are made to the erroneous report it is either not published or heavily edited whenever it is given any prevalence.
President Ramotar restated that it was all blatant attempts to slander and distort; adding that he remains very concerned at the attack on all investment.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yessss, I am the Great Pretender…pretending that I’m doing well….