I KNOW that Mr. David De Caries always insists that the Stabroek News is impartial and tries to give fair coverage.

However, it seems that he is losing control of his paper or has already lost control. This was visibly demonstrated in the Sunday December 23, 2001 issue.

President Jagdeo and opposition leader Hoyte were both shown in photographs shopping during the Christmas period. The difference is that Mr. Hoyte is shown on the front page full colour, (7"x5 1/2") photo, while President Jagdeo is on page 9, a poor black and white (5" x 5 1/2") photo.

If that is not a clear demonstration of bias Mr. Editor, then what is? It shows that the Stabroek News is gradually falling into the hands of the PNC.

As far as I am aware there is no journalist on the staff known to support the PPP.

On the other hand many are known to be strong PNC supporters or even members. Mr. Patrick Denny was a former official of the PNC; Oscar Clarke is the son of the PNC's General Secretary, and Anna Benjamin for some reason demonstrates anti-PPP and anti-Government bias in almost all the editorial on Sundays.

It is hard to find out the real reason for this bias. After all the history of the PPP is a history of always expanding media and personal freedoms.

In that regard the press should be friendly to the PPP. Instead many who supported the dictatorship are now abusing the freedoms, particularly freedom of the press.

The Stabroek News' concept of being impartial is somewhat warped. It seem that the concept is that to be fair you must attack the government. If that is so, it is wrong.

What is most necessary to be impartial is to be objective.
Putting Hoyte on the front page and the President on page 9, both doing Christmas shopping is not being objective; it is pandering to the PNC.
Oliver Sam