Some Barbadians can remember when the Nation newspaper was born and its focus was on people and the community. It was a newspaper which many Barbadians eagerly lined-up to purchase to savour the richness of the content. The focus then of the Nation was on finding the story. Fulfilling the advertising pages was almost an afterthought. Then it was gone, sold to One Caribbean Media. A few people needed to secure a golden parachute and since then a key stakeholder of our Fourth Estate has been in a comatose state.
The current brouhaha caused by an alleged threatening telephone call by government advisor Hartley Henry to Sunday Sun Editor Carol Martindale is another case of a weak media exposed. The unprofessional haste with which the Nation newspaper ran to press with what any first year law student would dismiss as a flimsy case should make Barbadians sit up and ask why. Instead there is the predictable response along party lines.
What is this story which according to reports occurred Saturday afternoon and merited Frontpage news on Sunday? A telephone call between Henry and Martindale where he allegedly threatened the Sun Editor if she did not give prominence to the CADRES poll in the Sunday Sun next day. In her defense a Nation staffer Maria Bradshaw heard part of the conversation between Martindale and Henry. We should note Henry is known to Martindale for many years. Another important point is the fact Henry is an advisor to the government; he is not an elected member of parliament or member of the Cabinet of Barbados. The final point to note is to recognize the practice of government officials over the years calling friends and others in the media to ensure news favourable to them is published; sometimes using the most muscular of language, it is done by private sector companies as well.
Again we ask what would have merited the Nation management rushing with unholy haste to write to international media organs to press a claim of harassment of the media by the Barbados government. It also is puzzling why the Royal Barbados Police Force would have been summons in the circumstances. Our sources indicate the conversation was NOT taped. We have now learned from Prime Minister Thompson that Henry spoke to Martindale in the presence of three persons. Martindale has one witness who heard part of the conversation. Three to one is said to be murder!
Where the hell was the Nation newspaper when the region was kicking our asses over the immigration matter? They were rehashing baseless stories published in the Guyana newspapers unfavourable to Barbados.
Where the hell was the Nation newspaper for all these years when they were operating with a defunct Barbados Association of Journalists which has recently been resuscitated.
What the hell does the Nation stand for? Ooops we remember now; you have sold your soul for 30 pieces of silver to corporate Barbados!
Where the hell was the Nation newspaper when former Editor of the Advocate newspaper Reudon Eversley was hounded out of a job? What champion what cause for 36 years what!?!
Where the hell is the Nation newspaper when many of their reporters over the years have been known to curry favours from the private sector in return for…?
Where the hell is the Nation newspaper when they turned their backs to the indiscretions of Roy Morris? Look where it has landed the man now.
Where the hell was the Nation newspaper when the government asked companies to hold strain given the depressed economic conditions but OMC/Nation newspaper was one of the first companies to shed staff despite profit making. The sell out by Harold Hoyte et al of the Nation newspaper will besmirch their legacy now and forever.
Finally, we have media practitioner Kim J Young condemning the action of Henry ; yet she was the one shouting at CBC for outing the personal business of the Nigerian nurses.
In time BU will say some more on this matter. Until such time we reiterate our position for the government to yank advertising from the Nation for 60 days. We also urged Barbadians if they must read the Nation to do it online. Show people power and boycott the Port of Spain controlled newspaper!
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