Those who perpetrated the slaughter of the five employees of the Kaieteur News must have intended to silence the newspaper and cause the Guyanese media, in general, to cower in fear.

But this brutal yet cowardly design must not be allowed to succeed. This attack in Guyana takes violent crime in the Caribbean to a new level as it attempts to shake the democracy upon which our societies are built. It is a democracy which the communication media, the guide of public discussion, have the responsibility to preserve.

The media can only do this if they have the freedom to seek and speak the truth. This is the freedom which was put in danger by this act of terrorism.

Publisher Glen Lall said shortly after the incident that he believed the shooting was due to the paper’s outspokenness on matters relating to gangs and their violence. He said: “We have been fearless in reporting on these gunmen and we call a spade a spade.” Such is the stuff of good journalism.

The call, however, for reporters at the Kaieteur News or any other media house to be given guns to defend themselves is hardly the way to go about protecting this freedom.

Journalists, by the craft they practise, already have the tools to defend democracy. They are the very tools of communication they are called to use with wisdom.

Democracy will become more of a reality in the region as journalists more fully recognise the responsibility and the privilege that are entrusted to them, and act with courage to preserve and develop these principles.

Prophetic Task

In one of the readings of this weekend’s liturgy, St Paul says: “Be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people. This may be a wicked age, but your lives should redeem it” (Ephesians 5: 16).

It is a word for everyone, of course, but it holds a pointed message for all involved in the field of the communication media. St Paul here emphasises integrity of life rather than one’s work. The high standard of the journalist’s work will flow from the quality of his or her life.

The atrocities in Guyana challenge the journalist’s concept of morality and of God in a particular way. “What am I to make of these killings?” “Do I pull back from speaking the truth if my life is put in danger?”

Journalists are called to the prophetic task of helping all citizens to embrace positive change and bring about conversion. From a Christian perspective, it can be seen most clearly that those who died at the Kaieteur News were called to pay a heavy price.

These deaths must remind all involved in the growing field of communication media of the grave responsibility and great privilege they are given.

They call us to a Christian hope that good will flow from them. In the deaths of these workers is reflected Christ’s own death. He it is who, first of all, died so we might know the truth and have life.

The Catholic News joins the other media houses in the region and the several other organisations who have already extended condolences to the families of victims, to the staff of Kaieteur News and to the people of Guyana. See Caribbean  Church News >>

Far from moving us to fear and despondency, may these sad events in Guyana move us all to an even greater search for freedom and truth.