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“Mischievous lies” is how the former Secretary of the Guyana Press Association (GPA) Svetlana Marshall-Abrams characterized a missive by Neil Marks on the GPA’s recent elections where the “electorate rejected him resoundingly”.
One of the main areas of contention was the list of journalists eligible to vote. Marshall-Abrams in a Letter to the Editor says, “Mr. Marks alluded to the 2015 and 2018 Elections, contending that because the presidential nominees for those elections were not challenged, there was no need for a challenger to demand to see the list of members eligible to vote. But the records would show that prior to May 2023, such a demand was never made, nor was a list produced ahead of the association’s elections.”
Additionally, Marshall-Abrams noted a contention of Mr. Marks was that the Association’s “simply walked into media houses, they presumed they had support and signed up new members” and that media houses were chosen that were favorable to the incumbents. The former Secretary contends, “…only five media houses were visited by the Secretary – NCN, Guyana Chronicle, Guyana Times, Kaieteur News, and the News Room, where Mr. Marks works as an editor.”
Marshall-Abrams maintains “It is important to note that of the 110 members who were listed to vote on May 14, 2023, there were no new members included.” And on the charge of a “padded” list, she says that no evidence has been provided to support this. The former Secretary rejects the claims of GTA’s elections being “rigged”.
