By Abena Rockcliffe The Alliance For Change has taken umbrage at an editorial published in the October 29 edition of the Guyana Chronicle, deeming it disrespectful and contemptuous.The party stated that “it is appalling that such an article could be published by a newspaper. For a newspaper to refer to the work of our National Assembly, a bastion of our democracy, as a farce, is beyond comprehension.“It is eye-pass to the highest degree. It is disrespectful; it is insulting, contemptuous and full of disdain not only for our elected officials, but also for the thousands of Guyanese who took the time to cast their vote on November 28, 2011.”The AFC said that the editorial went further as it cast allegations against US law enforcement officials.The party was adamant that while editorial privileges would allow an editor to express an opinion, “such an opinion must be supported by facts and evidence; Journalism 101.”Party member, Beverly Alert, said that “in a single editorial, that chronic organ of the State, in one swoop, attacked and cast damaging aspersions of the law enforcement arm of one of Guyana’s closest allies and mocked a pillar of our democracy, our National Assembly.”Noting that the editorial stated that the young men who were reportedly killed by members of the Police Force were involved in heinous crimes; Alert asked, “What evidence the newspaper possesses to make such an allegation?”She further questioned, “Is Chronicle saying that Yohance Douglas, Dameon Belgrave and Shaquille Grant committed heinous crimes?“As if denouncing the fortress of our democracy was not enough, the editorial sought to evoke that old, worn out spectre of racism. Why would Chronicle enter into that realm?”The party member said that any responsible newspaper, owned and operated by persons who are conscious of their responsibilities as a media house “would know better than to publish a single line, much less an entire article or editorial that can be construed as racially inciting, and they would know that such mischief cannot be disguised.”Alert said that it is clear that the Chronicle has a sinister motive “to put the people of this country against each other. Guyanese have worked hard to exorcise that demon called racism and no amount of chronic voodoo will bring it to life. The young people, especially, of this country,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, have no interest in racist sentiments. They are looking to leaders who stamp out corruption and fight for justice.”
