[www.inewsguyana.com] – The State-owned Guyana Chronicle has taken a decision to terminate the services of its General Manager Michael Gordon and Editor-in-Chief Mark Ramotar with immediate effect.
According to a media release, the Board of Directors of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL), publisher of the Guyana Chronicle and Sunday Chronicle, at a meeting on Tuesday December 01, 2015 took a unanimous decision to discontinue the services of Gordon and Ramotar effective immediately.
“The Board of Directors is of the view that fresh leadership is needed administratively, and new editorial direction and support is required.”
The Board of Directors thanked both men for their services to the company and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
Mark Ramotar is an award-winning Journalist with a wealth of experience in the Media field. He won the Press Trust of India award for Best Graduating Student when he studied journalism at the Jawaharlall Nehru University in New Delhi, India. Ramotar has been employed at the Guyana Chronicle for the past 16 years. Having been seconded from the Ministry of Information, he rapidly worked his way through the ranks from Senior Reporter, Chief Reporter, Chief Political Reporter, News Editor, Editor, and then Editor-in Chief (ag.), all before he attained the age of 30.
Many observers believe his dismissal is ‘politically motivated’ and due to his perceived close affiliation to the ousted PPP/C Government and friendship with former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
Ramotar, when contacted, declined to comment.
A subsequent release from the Board revealed that the company’s Finance Manager Mrs Moshamie Ramotar – Mark Ramotar’s wife – has been appointed Acting General Manager for the period of three months.
It was noted that GNNL will immediately commence the search for a substantive General Manager following the decision to fire Michael Gordon.
“The post will be publicly advertised and an appointment made following the successful completion of the process,” the release noted.
“The Board of Directors thanks Mr. Gordon for his service to GNNL and wishes him the best in his future endeavours. The Board further expresses its confidence in Mrs Ramotar in taking up the mantle of administrative leadership during this period of transition. Mrs Ramotar is the substantive Finance Director of GNNL.”
Leonard, it is a norm in Guyana as long as one person is gaining wealth by hard dedicated work,enemies emerges from all corner…Progress always breeds enemy.
Time for the wise to listen,comprehend and take accurate note of the speaker who changes course in hours.
I have been monitoring developments at the State media entities for some time now, out of my interest in journalism.
The reason provided for firing Mark Ramotar is more than ridiculous. It is glaring that its nothing more than ‘politically motivated’.
The person whom they have now appointed to replace Mark Ramotar as Editor-in-Chief (Nigel Williams) as well as the Sunday Editor, is a pack of dunce by journalism standards. They are the ones that should have been fired!!
From early indications however, Mark Ramotar should have seen the writing on the wall and simply resign or pressed on with his resignation when he had first offered it to Prime Minister Nagamootoo.
With all the investigation executed on the PPP/C,to date nothing has been found. It is a waste of time and tax payers money. These are accusations that can’t be proven. So shut up Leonard /M. Put a sock in it.
They are not thieves though, they did not steal money from the country.
Why all of you Guyanese Indians are so bias, you describe commerce has been down sine the APNU /AFC took office, what you don’t know under the racist, corrupt, mismanagement PPP the economy was managed by bribery, corruption and narcotics, well, the goal post has moved and of course it will take some time to put almost everything back track, how could say they lack of skills, have checked their profile and academic experience , the PPP are the ones with no skills, they very good in putting their hands in the cookie jars.
At some point, the coalition government has to appear reasonable in its dismissal of persons who did not engage in theft of state funds or resources by first offering such persons alternative employment.
I have to admit that with less than six months in power, the coalition does not inspire confidence. What is worse, though, is that Jagdeo and his minions seem more confident in their attacks despite their known corrupt practices as per audit reports.
At this rate, if free and fair elections were held next month, the coalition could be the next opposition. Many supporters, but especially crossovers, have are growing disillusioned. Granger continues to be distant and aloof as his regime endures a distressing public relations nightmare with gaffe after gaffe.
We are feeling impact of the “FRAGILE” Jagdeo / Ramotar economy inherited by the new administration. Buoyed by once high gold prices, Venezuela’s welfare “rice” payments, drug trafficking, money laundering and remittances, we are now having a reality check
This is ethnic cleansing, ooops Gordon is Black
These people in the coalition Government are a bunch of uncivilized morons who don’t have a clue what they are doing
and the witch hunt continues …..
Well lots of people are reading news on line so why would they bother to buy a paper. Secondly I would have thought that if there are issues with the management then both Ramotar and Gordon would have been given some period of time to improve their performance. These dismissals, especially of Ramotar, is very strange. God help Guyana!
This is Joseph Harman the ‘Butcher’s ‘work.He does the firing and hiring.His time is coming soon as Granger is watching.
Credible national newspaper? Is who they think they’re fooling? This paper has become the mouthpiece for the governing cabal. It has no credibility
Since the APNU took office, economy is dead! Even the news paper sales is down! LOL! So lets install some more Morons and fund them with tax payers dollar to bail out a dead economy….the APNU has no sense on what they are doing -9 Loans in 8 months of being in government…loan from USA, Canada, Saudi, Mexico, India and China….Guyana will soon be under the ocean….these ministers are installed by the directors…they have no economic skills nor management skills to generate revenue.