Chronicle Board fires General Manager and Editor

Chronicle Board fires General Manager and Editor

The Board of Directors of the state-owned Guyana National Newspapers Limited which publishes the Guyana Chronicle and Sunday Chronicle, announced today that it has sacked the General Manager and Editor with immediate effect.

According to a statement from the Board, the unanimous decision was made at a meeting on Tuesday December 1, 2015 to discontinue to services of General Manager Mr. Michael Gordon and Editor Mr. Mark Ramotar.

“The Board of Directors has taken these two decisions with a view to strengthening both the administrative leadership and management and the editorial department as the newspaper seeks to rebrand and reposition itself as a credible national newspaper”, the release said.

The statement added that GNNL and the Chronicle newspaper have been suffering from weak management and circulation numbers have been steadily declining and the Board of Directors is of the view that fresh and competent leadership is needed administratively and new editorial direction and support is required.

News Source understands that the board found several problems with the leadership being exhibited by the two former staffers.

Last week, the board requested to see the contracts for all of the employees and many of the board members were shocked to find out that the General Manager’s salary was in excess of $600,000 per month with additional benefits.

Gordon previously served as the Acting CEO of the National Communications Network. He was transferred to serve as the Chronicle’s General Manager under the previous government.

The board had questioned many of his financial decisions, including a decision to continue giving credit to the Government Information Agency even as the agency owed the company more than $70 Million.

The board has announced that Ms. Moshamie Ramotar, who is the wife of the fired Mark Ramotar, will act as General Manager for the next three months.

She is currently the Finance Controller of the company.

Mr. Godfrey Wray will serve as acting editor in support of Mr. Nigel Williams, Editor-in-Chief and Mr. Neil Marks, Sunday Editor.

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