…foundation was laid for Guyana Times to benefit…tax dollars not an entitlement for media houses – Glenn LallBy Leonard GildarieThe State’s use of tax dollars to advertise in media houses has come under heavy scrutiny, with calls now being made for the control of Government advertisements to be removed from the Office of the President.During a lively debate, Tuesday, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Trinidad, media workers from around the world were split over whether media houses are entitled to Government ads or whether they should not be considered as a form of bribe.Several media entities in Guyana, including Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and Demerara Waves, were in the twin-island Republic for International Press Institute (IPI)’s Annual Congress, a prestigious event that was held in the Caribbean over the weekend for the first time.Kaieteur News’ Publisher, Glenn Lall (left),Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, makes a point to CNN’s Jim Clancy. In the background is one of the newspaper’s senior reporters, Leonard Gildarie.During a panel session on Tuesday under the theme, “Manipulating the Media: Government advertising as a Reward or Punishment for Media Outlets”, Publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, insisted that advertisements from Government are not an entitlement to media houses.He warned the journalists and editors gathered that newspapers and other media houses have to continue to find initiatives that would allow them to not have to depend on tax dollars and so raise questions over their independence.On the panel were Anand Persaud, Editor-in-Chief, Stabroek News; Guyana-born, Clive Bacchus, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Federation Media Group, St. Kitts and Nevis; and Eleanora Rabinovich, Director, Freedom of Expression Program, Association for Civil Rights, Argentina.CNN International Anchor and Correspondent, Jim Clancy, was the moderator.Lall said that following the government’s decision to pull state ads in late 2006, Kaieteur News in reassessing the situation, decided to raise its price from $60 to $80. Sales did not drop,Cheap MLB Jerseys, but rather increased for Kaieteur News.NO ADS FOR KNResponding to statements by Stabroek News’s Editor-in-Chief, Anand Persaud, that Kaieteur News did not come in defence of that newspaper when government decided to pull their advertisements, Lall noted that his newspaper was published for years without state ads.“When Kaieteur News was growing,http://www.airmaxfantasy.us.com/Asics/, we operated without government ads for a long time. Stabroek News had said not a word. Government eventually paid attention to the position of Kaieteur News as the leading daily, with greater circulation, and decided to place ads.”According to Lall, former President Bharrat Jagdeo had listed as his reason for pulling ads that he wanted to ensure value for money for State funds.The Head of State at the point had also said that daily circulation had played a significant role in the country’s decision where to place ads.“I agree with that decision,” Lall said. “Our newspaper continues to centre its operations and stories on honesty, sincerity and integrity, and these are the factors that contributed to where our newspaper is at this time.”Kaieteur News, as part of its duty to the public, has been carrying government ads for free,Wholesale NFL Jerseys Online, Lall said.CONSPIRACYDuring the panel discussion on Tuesday, the Stabroek News, Editor-in-Chief also said that government’s decision to reinstate the ads in 2008 to privately-owned newspapers was a conspiracy to ensure that the Guyana Times,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, a new daily, could benefit from state ads.Lall said he agreed with Persaud’s assessment of the situation – that it was a conspiracy by the Jagdeo-led administration. Government pays millions of dollars every year for the placement of its ads.During his recount of the circumstances that led to Government withdrawing the ads, Persaud said that state advertising remained a real example of a major threat that governments hold over privately-owned media houses.An example of this was in November 2006 when the Office of the President ceased placing Government ads, which included procurement notices, in that newspaper. Stabroek News immediately lost 15 per cent of its revenues.Persaud opined that Jagdeo should have known as the Head of State, of the decision.The coverage by the newspaper of a new political party, the Alliance For Change, may have been the reason, he said.Persaud also said that the argument of low circulation by Jagdeo did not make sense and that Kaieteur News may have benefited because at the time it was “in cahoots” with government.Some 17 months after the ads were wit

The strike by air traffic controllers is proving to be detrimental, in that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport was forced to be closed from 18:00hrs yesterday to 05:00hrs this morning.As a result, two Caribbean Airlines flights to Guyana from Trinidad were cancelled,Cheap Jerseys, leaving several Guyana-bound passengers stranded in Trinidad.There was only one person operating the radio which controls traffic between the tower and airplanes traversing Guyana’s airspace; but when his shift ended last evening,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, there was no replacement.There is, also, only one engineer manning the equipment at the airport, hence when his shift ends, if an equipment failure were to occur, it could likely be catastrophic.All air traffic controllers have been off the job since Friday, having served notice that they were protesting a number of outstanding issues, among which are salary increases for 2008 and outstanding payment of retroactive overtime imbursements.This newspaper was told that the persons manning the control tower at the CJIA are the Director, Chitrani Heeralall, and managers Rickford Samaroo, Roy Sookhoo, Colin Johashen, and Adrian Bashier.The five are working 12-hour shifts, with no support staff, and as such aviation safety is severely compromised.Ogle aerodrome is completely shut down, as no one turned up for duty yesterday.Pilots taking off from that airstrip are doing so at their own risk, as only when they are airborne can they log their flight routes to the control tower at the CJIA.This, too, is now compromised.Prior to proceeding on strike, these routes were logged with CJIA before the planes took off.The control tower at Ogle would file the flight plan with CJIA. Now,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, with the present industrial action,Nike Air Vapor Max Flyknit, the five officers manning the major airport can only be? given surprise notifications of a departing flight from Ogle on a mere 10 minutes’ notice.A source said that this places additional strain on the operators at CJIA.Just before the strike, the Civil Aviation Authority issued a bulletin stating that it will not maintain contact with any aircraft 75 miles from the airport.Just two months ago, an aircraft crashed outside the 75-mile limit. Had this notice been in place then,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, the crash would never have been reported.Meanwhile, the controllers have said that they are prepared to stay away for as long as it takes to get what they deserve.

Saint Lucia’s leading manufacturing company,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, Baron Foods Limited, won two coveted awards at the annual business awards of the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture.Baron Food’s owner, Ronald RamjattanThe gala awards ceremony was held at the Johnson’s Centre at Rodney Bay on Saturday.The company was nominated as a finalist in both award categories.Baron Foods Limited won the Goods Exporter of the Year Award and the Award for Corporate Leadership.In accepting the Corporate Leadership Award, Baron Foods Limited Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Ramjattan, said he was grateful for the recognition he has received over the years. He also paid tribute to other nominees.Ramjattan recalled that he has faced several challenges, but asserted that each challenge has strengthened him to make him the person he is today.A Guyanese,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Ramjattan described himself as a thorough professional who knows exactly what he wants, setting his eyes on a goal and not shifting his focus until the goal is achieved.In addition to the two recent awards, Baron Foods already boasts an impressive list of other accolades.They include a win at the International Superior Taste Award 2015 in Belgium for the company’s innovative Banana Ketchup product.In 2012, Baron Foods Limited took the Caribbean Business Awards by storm.The company walked away with awards in the categories of “Small to Medium Business of the Year”, “ Award for Innovation”, “Manufacturing Excellence Award 2012” and “CaribbeanSome of products made by Baron Food.Entrepreneur of the Year 2012”.Baron Foods Limited is a dynamic and reputable manufacturing company with plants located in three Caribbean countries.The company currently manufactures over 150 products, certified against FSSC 22000:2010, which includes exotic and gourmet sauces, condiments,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, spices, flavorings,Wholesale NHL Jerseys, low fat mayonnaise,Cheap NFL Jerseys, salad dressings and drink cocktails.Baron Foods Limited, founded in 1991, is export oriented and currently serves markets in the USA, Canada, Europe, Guyana and the entire English, French and Dutch speaking islands of the Caribbean.It also caters to the needs of contract packaging and private labeling markets.