The shameful 'secret' behind the Herald's ownership
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Dear Editor,
For some unknown reasons, the Sunday Herald refuses to disclose the names of its owners. Don't you find it strange, Mr Editor?
Peter Bunting and Rev Garnett Roper
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A newspaper which prides itself on digging up dirt against its perceived enemies cannot say who its shareholders are. That causes me to wonder. How can you claim the moral authority to call for transparency in government and national life, but not hold yourself to that same standard? Unless they can provide the public with information that states otherwise, I strongly believe that the reason for the Herald's silence is that all its shareholders are members of the People's National Party.
We know from what has already been published, although not confirmed by the newspaper, that the PNP general secretary Mr Peter Bunting is a key figure behind the Herald and that it is fronted by its chairman.the well known PNP activist Rev Garnett Roper.
That by itself might not be a bad thing, that the PNP owns the paper. But the question is, why are they ashamed to say so? Why is that secret being so jealously guarded?
I make reference to my letter that was kindly published in the Sunday Observer, in which I said the Herald was a mouthpiece for the PNP. If you had any doubt, all you need to do is read the current issue of the Herald. Look at how they treat Danny Williams, one of the greatest sons of Jamaica and a man with utmost integrity who has worked hard for this country, by suggesting that he was in some kind of secret deal over the Sandals Whitehouse hotel. Only politicians operate that way.
The paper is willing to sacrifice Mr Williams for the political interest of the PNP, even though he once served that very party when he rose to become minister of industry in the time of Mr Michael Manley. At the same time, they conveniently forget to address the matter of the estimated US$40 million cost overrun on the hotel during the tenure of the PNP, much of which probably ended up in certain people's pockets.
Anthony Jefferson
anjef112@aol.com
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/letters/The-shameful--secret--behind-the-Herald-s-ownership_8231938#ixzz186lTgDmu
