Editor,
From the day, the election dates were announced by ECI your esteemed paper had been periodically reporting about who should become Chief Minister after the State Assembly elections. Even in the edition of February 12, 2023 you published this report in the front page and propagated ethnic friction among the two indigenous tribes in Meghalaya. Apparently the paper is trying to create toxic ideas that may lead to disturbance of peace and bonhomie existing among the indigenous tribes. The question as to who should become Chief Minister of Meghalaya, whether a Khasi or a Jaintia or a Garo or from other tribes recognised in the State is a question best left to political parties. They are competent enough to arrive at such consensus amongst themselves. If The Shillong Times is regularly poking the political parties with that same toxic question, I doubt its apolitical nature. Or is it aspiring to become a political mouthpiece of some political parties?
Also, the political slugfest and associated drama occupies the centre stage in your paper these days. Allegations and counter allegations have become monotonous features. I believe there are more pressing concerns in the State, the country and the globe that you can enrich your readers with rather than petty issues. For instance, a few days ago the news item about students getting sick due to pollution in Byrnihat deserves much applause and would have been much better if it was the main headline to draw the attention of readers.
Yours etc.,
Earningstone R Sangma,
Ex-Manager, United Bank of India,
Shillong
Editor replies: This paper has always been apolitical and will remain so. When leaders of political parties make public claims about who they prefer as the Chief Minister after the results are announced on March 2, it is our duty to voice their views. During elections the public get to know the political parties and their objectives better when they read the newspapers and can make informed opinions about who to vote for. Not all are as well-informed about issues as some are.
Wrong name of factory
Editor,
We would like to draw your kind attention to the report published in your esteemed daily on Feb 11, 2023, regarding students of Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Byrnihat falling ill from fugitive pollutants of a steel plant. The report goes as with a detailed location of the steel plant at Harlibagan, Byrnihat where a team of officials from Ri – Bhoi district administration and Environmental Engineers of Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board visited the plant on Friday for investigation.
Here, we would like to clarify that the name of the plant has been wrongfully published as M/s Commercial Iron & Steel Co. Pvt. Ltd, Byrnihat as our factory is not located at Harlibagan, near Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Byrnihat nor has any official as mentioned in the news item visited our factory to investigate the matter. Our factory is located at EPIP Complex, Rajabagan, Byrnihat at a distance of 7 KM from Harlibagan and the name of our factory has been unnecessarily dragged into the matter.
We hope you will investigate the matter and come up with the correct name of the factory owned by the person as mentioned in your report.
Yours etc.,
G. Saika,
EPIP Complex, Rajabagan
Byrnihat,Meghalaya
Incumbent MLA absent from public debate
Editor,
At thew outset I congratulate the Seng Samla Laitumkhrah for taking the initiative to host a public debate where candidates from different parties could come and share their vision for the 16 East Shillong constituency in this upcoming general election to the Legislative Assembly. The debate was civil, productive, highly stimulating and an eye-opener for the constituents. Unfortunately it was disappointing to note the absence of the incumbent MLA Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh. It saddens me that she couldn’t be there to defend her work as a three-term representative, but perhaps there’s not much to defend since she’s done nothing concrete at all, hence her absence is not surprising. Although her absence was blamed on her busy schedule as informed by her minion (the incumbent MDC). What we all know is that she is busy campaigning for her sister in Nongthymmai. The question is why couldn’t she make some time for her own constituents? We all know that a political de bate is healthy for democracy, and since this being the first political debate hosted in 16 East Shillong, as a three-term candidate her presence would’ve given her rivals an opportunity to question her. Is the Seng Samla’s invitation not worthy of her time? Whatever her excuses may be, her absence is nothing short of an insult to the Seng Samla, to her fellow contenders who also made time out of their busy schedules to participate in the debate and the constituents in general.
We expect better from our MLA. We also expect other constituencies to be inspired and emulate the example set by the Seng Samla Laitumkhrah to hold political debates during this election so that the public get a chance to elect the most eligible candidate to represent us in the Legislative Assembly
Yours etc.,
Nikkita Sawian
Via email
Hats off Seng Samla Laitumkhrah!
Editor,
The Seng Samla Laitumkhrah in partnership with the Shillong Mail organised an interesting and enlightening debate. A unique feature is that it included almost all the contestants of 16 East Shillong who are fighting the current elections. Unfortunately, as a constituent of East Shillong, I am disappointed to see the absence of our incumbent MLA Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh. It saddens me that she couldn’t be there to defend her work as a three-term representative, but then again judging by the current state of affairs of the constituency it would’ve been a herculean effort on her part to answer for the decrepit dispositional effort on the road she had inclined to undertake, thereby making us the public not altogether flabbergasted by her clear act of truancy because it certainly would’ve been an opportune experience as a legislator to come together with her like-minded peers and constituents. That is if she ever considered them as such.
The debate was certainly engaging for us the viewers as well as the candidates touching on a variety of serious subject matters in an environment imbued with maturity and professionalism. It was a positive showcase on how the candidates formulate ideas and reasoning which demonstrated their ability to air out grievances, cooperate and potentially resolve issues plaguing the East Shillong constituency . Although her absence was blamed on her busy schedule as informed by the incumbent MDC who was very kind enough to take the time out of his busy schedule to deliver a letter which certainly explains the reason, yet not the soundness of its content is suspect. It is a known fact that she is busy campaigning for her sister in Nongthymmai, yet being absent on what is most probably the most important platform of deliberation where almost all those contesting the elections took time out of their tight schedules to attend, is unpardonable. The question is why couldn’t she make some time for her own constituents?
The Seng Samla Laitumkhrah is deserving of immense praise and acclamations for taking the initiative to host a public debate the first in the entire history of the constituency where the candidates from different parties could come together and share their vision for the 16- East Shillong constituency in this upcoming general election to the Legislative Assembly. The debate was respectful and productive, stimulating new ideas and perspectives for those in attendance. I am hopeful that other like minded groups will follow suit taking inspiration from the Seng Samla Laitumkhrah’s lead in organising political debates to foster innovative thinking which promotes problem solving through the building of linkages between words and ideas that make concepts more meaningful through the synthesization of wide bodies of complex information to exercise creativity and implement different ways of achieving realistic development and progress for the people residing in 16 East Shillong.
Yours etc.,
Maven Nongrum
Via email