VZCZCXRO3646
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHGE #0702/01 3461053
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111053Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6879
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL 0139

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000702 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GY SOCI PREL MARR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION TO THE USS KEARSARGE VISIT 
 
REF: GEORGETOWN 698 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. The November 9-22 humanitarian mission to Guyana of 
the USS KEARSARGE generated widespread and overwhelmingly favorable 
coverage in both print and broadcast local media. The media 
consistently incorporated the KEARSARGE's motto "Continuing Promise" 
into their reporting, and frequently utilized buzz words such as 
"partnership." This was a significant achievement considering the 
logistical challenges involved in arranging media coverage for 
medical activities that took place entirely within the remote and 
sparsely populated Region One, which has zero local media outlets 
and only reachable by air. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) From the opening ceremony and commencement of medical 
activities on November 10 through the closing ceremony and the 
ship's departure on November 22, the mission of the USS KEARSARGE 
captured the public's interest and generated ample coverage in print 
and broadcast media. The four local newspapers collectively carried 
a total of 46 stories covering the visit and activities of the 
ship's personnel, and the mission garnered front-page photos on 
multiple occasions. Headlines included "Northwest residents grateful 
for U.S. medical mission," "USS Kearsarge Medical Team Saves Moruca 
Girl," "U.S. medical personnel 'Open' Eyes of Mabaruma Girl," and 
"Mission Accomplished: USS Kearsarge Crew bids Poignant Farewell." 
Kearsarge-related broadcast stories also led evening newscasts on 
five stations, in most cases on several occasions. Media outlets 
also provided ample coverage to the five engineering activities 
carried out in the Georgetown area; one article covering a 
ribbon-cutting ceremony was headlined: "Smiles All Around." 
 
¶3. (U) In addition to lauding the overall effort and marveling at 
the ship and its capacities, the press also drew attention to 
individual stories of both patients and crew. The Guyana Times 
featured a story of a three year-old girl with fused eyelids who was 
taken aboard the ship for surgery, as well as featuring 
before-and-afte photos of the result, which the story stated 
"...allowed her to see her parents for the first time in her life." 
Kaieteur News featured a front page photo and article about the 
life-saving transport flight by a KEARSARGE helicopter of a fifteen 
year-old girl in need of an emergency appendectomy rom her Region 
One town to Georgetown, where she as able to successfully undergo 
surgery by a locl doctor. Several media outlets highlighted the 
edication and patriotism of five Guyanese-Americancrewmen among 
the U.S. Navy contingent aboard th ship, and how they felt about 
being involved with the humanitarian mission to help their native 
country. 
 
¶4. (U) Local media repeatedly invoked USG buzzwords for the 
KEARSARGE mission, with particular focus on the "collaboration" 
between Kearsarge personnel and their Guyanese counterparts, as well 
as the mission motto: "Continuing Promise". 
 
¶5. (U) As noted in reftel, the logistical challenges involved in the 
KEARSARGE medical operation were significant, principally due to the 
remote locations. Arranging adequate media coverage was no less 
complicated. By providing an early opportunity for eighteen local 
journalists to travel by helicopter to tour the ship and meet the 
crew, and then by ensuring there were at least several helo seats 
available for journalists on all site visits, the PD teams of the 
ship and the Embassy were able to facilitate wide coverage of 
activities taking place in a part of the country where no media 
representatives reside, and where many Georgetown-based media have 
never visited. 
 
¶6. (U) There are no reliable statistics available regarding 
newspaper readership in Guyana. Anecdotally, the Stabroek News and 
Kaieteur News are both read widely, including by the New York City 
diaspora, with the former considered a better source for sound 
journalism, and the latter more sensationalist. The Guyana Chronicle 
is the government-owned paper, while the generally 
government-leaning Guyana Times started operating earlier this year. 
All four papers are widely available along Guyana's coast, where 
ninety percent of the population lives. None of the papers has a 
significant pro or anti-American tilt, and all report on 
Embassy-related events regularly. Likewise, the Hinterland 
Highlights, a quarterly publication circulated widely in Region One, 
featured a color centerfold of the humanitarian mission in its issue 
just prior to the ship's arrival. 
 
¶7. (U) Comment: While post anticipated diminishing media attention 
in the mission considering its nearly two-week duration, KEARSARGE 
fatigue never materialized. The remote nature of the medical sites - 
and the corresponding inaccessibility for local media - as well as 
the staggered schedule of medical activities actually helped us 
stretch the coverage out. Since the media could only cover an 
activity when they were flown to it, each ship tour or site visit 
brought a fresh set of stories in the next news cycle. As is the 
case with the medical outreach activities themselves, from a public 
diplomacy standpoint, Guyana is fertile ground for this type of 
activity. End Comment. 
 
 
GEORGETOWN 00000702  002 OF 002 
 
 
JONES