Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony has refuted claims that he used government?s resources to fund his 13-year-old daughter Ashley Anthony?s book which was released in December. But writer Ruel Johnson who made the allegations said the minister must now back his statement by revealing records of his payments.
Speaking to sections of the media recently, Dr Anthony stated that none of the government?s money was used to publish the book. The minister said he paid for the publishing of the book in its entirety, from his private resources. Dr Anthony said it is hurtful when people try to misrepresent an accomplishment and paint it as something else. He believes that Johnson of the AFC, who made the allegations in a letter on January 5, to the editor of Stabroek News paper, should have at least asked him for a comment. Johnson stated that taxpayers? dollars have funded the literary efforts of the daughter of a minister of government. It also stated that it saw Dr Anthony profiting from the sale of her books.
The book written by the young Ashley Anthony is entitled Mysterious Association and the Virtu Gems.
The minister noted that when something is published in a newspaper about someone and the person then has to respond, it seems as though that person is defending him/herself. He posited that Johnson is the one who should be held to higher public scrutiny. He highlighted that he had an attorney send letters to both the Stabroek News and to Johnson, stating that what was written or what the newspaper caused to be published is clearly libellous.? Dr Anthony stated that the newspaper and Johnson should apologise so all parties can move on.
Copies of the book were presented to President Donald Ramotar and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.
Show us the records
Guyana Times contacted Ruel Johnson who said that he has no problem with the book but how it came to be published. He apologised to Ashley Anthony for any stress his addressing the issue might have caused her, and encouraged her to continue writing in the hope that she would eventually make a career of it.
Johnson noted that there is no doubt that the minister?s daughter is brilliant. He stated that the minister telling persons to contact Dr David Dabydeen is ludicrous, since his ministry is in charge of the press. He said in any other place in the world, such an occurrence would be seen as a conflict of interest.
According to Johnson, it was not until his letter was published that the minister said the book was financed by private funds when the country knows the press is funded by taxpayers? money.? He stated that an apology to the minister himself is going to be prejudiced upon,?a verifiable transactional record of the publication, in which the minister paid fair market value for the publication of the book. Johnson said ?an announcement made, prior to the publication of his daughter?s book, that the Caribbean Press would publish the work of anyone who fitted clearly established eligibility criteria, and were willing to self-fund the publication of their work?.
Source: http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/?p=12320
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