est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

The Nation Newspaper Gaffe: A Case NOT to EXPLOIT Children

The Fourth Estate plays a critical role to the proper functioning of a democracy, it must. Providing citizens with information which equips them to make the best decisions and at the same time act as a watchdog targeting those who act as gatekeepers of authority and influence in our society. Any attempt to sanitize, filter,…

, , , , , , ,
Photo Credit: Barbados Today
Photo Credit: Barbados Today

The Fourth Estate plays a critical role to the proper functioning of a democracy, it must. Providing citizens with information which equips them to make the best decisions and at the same time act as a watchdog targeting those who act as gatekeepers of authority and influence in our society. Any attempt to sanitize, filter, manipulate information which it feeds to the public must be rejected as a fourth estate reneging on its obligation. The consequence is a compromised democracy.

In Barbados the media [fourth estate] is heavily self-censored. With the exception of a couple media practitioners there is a lack of respect for the profession by the decisionmakers and general public. It is fair to suggest that media workers demonstrate a lack of respect for themselves if we are to judge their inability to promote a vibrant union or association. The Barbados Association of Journalists (BAJ) does not even have an official website or Facebook presence in 2013 such is the inadequacy of how media workers see themselves.

Related Link: Statement issued by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ag) Crime, Lionel M. Thompson

One of the tenets of a working Fourth Estate is the right to  leverage freedom of expression. However, while accepting that media must have the right to report freely on matters of public interest there are certain universal norms which respected media outlets observe. The requirement of a society to defend public morals and therefore the need to filter OBSCENITY.   There is DEFAMATION of course and a host of others based on jurisdiction. The one of interest to BU is PORNOGRAPHY and in this instance, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. A simple definition of child pornography is “material that visually depicts sexual conduct by children”.

The arrest of Nation newspaper Publisher Vivian-Anne Gittens, Editor in Chief Roy Morris and Editor Sanka Price in connection with the sex story published on October 26, 2013 has signalled a departure from the norm given the response it has attracted. Many who read the article believed that the Nation had a right to report the matter, where they got it wrong was how it executed.    BU found it surprising how many leading commentators made the point that the Nation newspaper was on good ground to expose the matter and at the same time excuse the graphic presentation of the incident. Win lose or draw a message has been sent to media houses that sensationalizing stories of this nature which involve children will not be tolerated, and this is a good thing.   The time has come to fight back against the decline in standards in every facet of our society. There is one thing which as adults we cannot compromise and that is proving leadership (mentorship) to our children.

It gives BU no joy to see others brought before the Court on such a serious charge BUT enough is enough. BU had the opportunity when we received the link to the sex video to post a more graphic blog, we also had the opportunity to use the Nation’s redacted  image, we did not AND it did not require much deliberation on the part of the BU household. The good from the story is that the sensibilities of Barbadians everywhere have been aroused.  Let us hope it sends a message to the idiots who feel compelled to post all and sundry to social media. To all the schools which are covering up infelicities. To all the parents who are in denial. To the incompetents at the ministry of education who are cheating on their roles as guardians of our education system.

Congratulations to the Police and Director of Public Prosecutions for demonstrating the courage to travel a different path this time around.

185 responses to “The Nation Newspaper Gaffe: A Case NOT to EXPLOIT Children”

  1. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    These blogs have always been monitored.Isn’t it funny how this is now known by some?Too busy writing celebratory poetry I guess!

  2. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    In the Public’s interest.

    And thanks to person going by the pseudonym, balance, for electronically digitally produced data image to BU, of what represents the wording of the Children Protection Act.

    A careful reading of the Act will show that the particular Nation staffers and or alternatively the Nation Publishing Company, do/does NOT legally have a case to answer what so ever.

    Furthermore, the particular staffers should have never been charged for anything.

    For, any reasonable objective person any where, any place, any time, having carefully read the purpose of the Protection of the Children Act, having properly read the Interpretation Section of the Act, and having carefully read the relevant section under which they have been charged, namely S. 3, must have had – there and then – to subject the facts of the matter, the back page story of the particular Saturday Sun, to a reasonable test, in light of the said provisions under which they have been charged with the particular offences, and would have had to come to the conclusion that those staffers have no case to answer at all, and not only that, they should never have been charged by the police with the particular offences in the first place at all.

    Such a reasonable objective test, in any possible instances of the following, is: where, when, how did the particular staffers, or alternatively the Nation Publishing Company, on the particular day in question (said day of the issue of the Saturday Sun) TAKE, PERMIT TO BE TAKEN an indecent photograph of the children in question, DISTRIBUTED or SHOWED any indecent photograph of the children in question, or HAD IN THEIR POSSESSION an indecent photograph of the said children, whether or not with a view to it (the photograph) being DISTRIBUTED or SHOWN by them??, and (and we will hereby stretch it into the realm of utter irrelevance and absurdity) PUBLISHED or CAUSED TO BE PUBLISHED any advertisement that WAS LIKELY to HAVE BEEN understood as conveying that the advertisement DISTRIBUTED or SHOWED an indecent photograph of the children, or HAD INTENDED to do so??

    Any reasonable objective person would therefore have had to successfully come to the conclusion that they never did do any thing of the sort that they are accused of doing by the police/DPP.

    For such a person will say that it was not a photograph of the two children in question, but part of a newspaper that they – the particular staffers – had responsibility for producing and distributing for purposes of passing on to members of public, but that was itself passed on to them and many others from the vendors who wheresoever howsoever were receiving monies from the recipients of the newspapers; will say that what they saw/deduced was an image in the particular Saturday Sun newspaper of a previously produced image alleged by some to have been created by a cell phone some other place at some time in the past and transmitted to and received by other media though various processes known and unknown, and not a photograph that was taken, developed, printed and enlarged by various means and distributed by hands, mechanical means, etc of the particular staffers or the Nation Publishing Company, whether decent or indecent, acceptable or unacceptable to them or who so ever else – and finally they will say too that was they saw/deduced was not a copy of a photograph, but a part of a newsPAPER PRESENTED image that was made from a different process altogether than those which involved the presentation of ELECTRONIC DIGITAL images from the internet, the cell phone of the alleged original takers, and such like, whether decent or indecent, acceptable or unacceptable to them or who so ever else, where so ever.

    Too, it is clearly the case to that the drafters of the Act, and the parliamentarians the Governor General who took charge of it, or any subsequent amendments to it, if so, did not intend to give it application to a corporate like the Nation Newpaper.

    But in cases of those corporates engaging in the business of producing, marketing and distributing child pornography, where such corporates have been are concerned, and who are referred to in the Act, the broad intention therefore of the drafters, the parliamentarians, the Governor General was to deal with the corporates that actually were into that kind of business of producing, marketing and distributing picture/film/video based child pornography in the country.

    What is also clearly the case is that the drafters of the Act, and the parliamentarians and the Governor General who took charge of it, or any subsequent amendments to it, if so, did not foresee an Act that would have applied to the kind and extent of social media of the present information communication technological age, the kind and extent of development of electronically digitally produced marketed distributed images, etc.

    PDC

  3. David Avatar
    David

    BU was very careful to use the word EXPLOIT in the title of the blog, it does not mean that any action was illegally taken.

  4. ac Avatar
    ac

    What all seem to lost point of is that the picture depicting two children through simulation engaging in a sex act.under the laws and guidlines of the “childrens Protection act” is illegal.I hate to think that the Nation publish this article without legal guidance and if they did seek legal consultation this gaffe has shows up the the inept and incompetence which like a cancer grows and premeates our legal system.

  5. robert ross Avatar
    robert ross

    BAF

    And on ‘show trials’ is this really any different from the Jeff Broomes inquiry? In other words – is this really just a modus operandi, a sort of exhibition of self-importance?

    Crusoe

    Your four questions are very incisive I think. The only one which concerned me was no. 3 (?) in which you suggested that the school was a ‘public place’. I already wondered about that one. There is an unreported Trinidadian case where Wooding CJ said that a public place was “a restricted or defined area to which the public go or may go, or to which the public resort or may resort”. Whatever else, a school cannot be accounted a ‘private’ place.

    Shocked

    You know this discussion was proceeding in a very reflective manner. Name-calling is simply unnecessary, unwarranted and, if you’ll forgive me, is incredibly vulgar on a sunday you idiot……err…….

  6. ac Avatar
    ac

    Another point What people seem to forget that many of barbadios laws are not in agreement with the International laws which they have signed and agreed to. These outdated laws can most certainly be challenged. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. a couple years ago wikipedia found itself in the crosshairs of the USA govt for publishing similar articles and simulation . many heads rolled at that organisation. Barbados is part of a golbal community and is not exempt or immune in its responsibilties

  7. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Shocked

    Did you read the charges: if so, you would realise that no one was charged with respect to the written word.

    >

  8. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @ ac

    You speak of a possible “gaffe” which “shows up the the inept and incompetence” regarding the Nation, and which you indicate is “like a cancer[that] grows and premeates [sic.] our legal system.”
    For your sake and others that are so quick to come to a conclusive position, even with the many possible inferences to be drawn, I hope the Barbados authorities do not have to pay out some very hefty sums to those now accused.
    The public, already reeling from a shrinking economy and fractured society, may well react in unexpected or unwanted ways.

  9. newblood Avatar
    newblood

    @George

    Please for God sake make some sense.

    I have no problem with the nation pblishing an article about sexual activity in schools, but the publication of the article and the showing of the act even though the students could not be identified must be a concern. The nation shuold be a responsible entity, and to insinuate that it might be political is a stretch of the imagination.

  10. balance Avatar
    balance

    Caswell I am glad you touched on the role of the DPP in the seemingly sordid affair for I too was wondering if his judgment was not influenced by the pummelling he has been receiving over some of his previous decisions which did not find favour with many on BU and otherwise.
    The ill-formed confused explanation of sorts by our now well run officials of the constabulary sends mixed signals at least to me about the conclusiveness of the decision to arrest and charge. Having perused the Protection of Children Act, I would have much difficult as a juror in finding those arrested guilty of the charges as they stand..

    ” For the purposes of this Act, a person is to be regarded as distributing an indecent photograph if that person parts with possession of the photograph, or exposes or offers it for acquisition by another person.”

    I am not too bright but persons brighter than balance are known to posit that the law can be an ass at times.
    We await the outcome which from the Assistant Commissioner’s apology appears to be taking on the face of a shenanigan but who knows we might very well be on the verge of turning a new leaf .

  11. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Oft I sit squandering time
    Salacious in salubrious
    But find an ant calling mine
    Nay Twas the nite befoe Christmas
    Was but plagiarism divine
    Ant Hill you waste of time..

  12. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @ newblood

    After writing that “to insinuate that it might be political is a stretch of the imagination,” would clearly ascribe the reader’s torment rather than the intent or deed of the writer. I made no such claim in my posts here, although such a position may not be ‘farfetched’. Perhaps it does make sense after all, and I thank you for introducing the political element that I did not.

  13. ac Avatar
    ac

    arbadians would continue to bury their head in the sands out of ignorance unaware inequipped and misguded and always first fast and furious to excuse the inexcusable. case and point are those who so far have run to the head of the line to defend the nation actions some of whom call themselves and hold the title of SERVANTS OF THE COURTS(lawyers) i am totally amused

  14. robert ross Avatar
    robert ross

    PDC writer

    I think you make a strong case. The ‘reasonableness’ test, though it has no statutory authority, is clearly relevant to the defence, in section 4, of
    ‘legitimate reason’. It is also relevant to the issue of ‘indecency’, usually geared to ‘indecent intention’, since the act complained (say in indecent assault)must be indecent to “all right minded people”. CF also the concept of “immoral purpose” in soliciting under s.19, Sexual Offences Act. The test there has been held to be the judgement of the majority of contemporary fellow citizens in the context of sexual conduct. It would be wholly unreasonable, so the argument would run, to say that a picture which showed no private parts and which was visibly no more than wukking up, was indecent in this sense – save by those, as I said above, who only go to bed with Bibles and for whom wukking up is nothing less than lewd and depraved and orchestrated by the devil.

  15. robert ross Avatar
    robert ross

    ac

    “I am totally amused”

    You got that right.

  16. are-we-there-yet? Avatar
    are-we-there-yet?

    The comments last night and this morning by RR, Balance, Caswell, Prodigal and others are trending towards putting this matter in its true perspective.

    There is a strong probability that the case against the Nation staffers will not prevail. But if that is true it would seem to beg the question as to why the charges were laid at all since the authorities here have in the past been seen to practically always err on the side of caution in matters of this type.

    With the Police producing a very uncharacteristic and perhaps unforced explanation of the reasons for their actions and, to the minds of at least Balance and myself, subliminally proffering a pre-emptive “apology” of sorts to the Nation, one might also suggest that the actions are indeed recognized as not being cut and dried for success in the courts and might even suggest that they are meant primarily as a tough message to certain elements in the society, no more.

    Oh for eyes to see!

  17. David Avatar
    David

    So far we are all giving our positions in the court of public opinion.

    So far many are unaware of the planks of law which the prosecution in this matter will offer a case.

    BU finds the following extract from statement the statement given by the Police interesting:

    Thompson said that he was constrained to speak in general terms on the case as it is sub judice. However, he said the police began “three parallel and simultaneous investigations” into the story that was carried in the Nation newspaper. “The charging of the three persons…represents the conclusion of one of the three investigations,” he said, adding that the second investigation had resulted in the charges being laid against the children.

    “The other investigation remains open,” said Thompson, adding that in considering the charges against the media workers, the police “took full cognisance of the debates on the issues as the public saw them. In pursuing the three investigations, the RBPF came to the conclusion that there was enough evidence to support the charges that were brought, he said. He added that the RBPF had sought and followed the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the matter.

  18. are-we-there-yet? Avatar
    are-we-there-yet?

    David;

    As a layman, I think Robert Ross, Balance and Caswell (to some extent) dealt with the planks of law favouring the prosecution in coming to their general conclusions. Of course there may be other planks and interpretations outside theirs but imho the defence will have a case also and likely a superior one.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    And as usual with most issues in Barbados they eventually coalesce around political considerations.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @are we there yet?

    And this is the point, law is open to interpretation, it is why we have a judiciary.

  21. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    I could just imagine how Vivian, who didnt want Roy Morris back at the Nation feels. She looked like she wanted to break down and cry coming from the court yard. I feel sorry for her. Overall she has to take some responsibility, but that article had Sanka Price’s name written all over. One could of just read the article and see the pic and know it was him. Send up Sanka and Roy. fine Vivian. Wonder how high and mighty Harold Hoyte feels.

  22. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Is this how the next 4 years is projected to be? …..While Rome is burning we seeing the exhibitions of politico flex via a gladiator ring?….. No more than money wastage to the extreme…

  23. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    Simple Simon
    When I read that opening sentence by the Senior police officer I got an instant headache and started to question my IQ.

  24. ac Avatar
    ac

    I am going to sit back her and watch how others make a.sses of themselves while trying to portray that the govt used heavy handiness to pursue the Nation even though cases tried under the Children’s ‘Protection Act prove differently and have been used internationally to prosecute and convict persons or organization with similar evidence

    And to you Caswell you are being watched as you stretch your tail so long that it is almost wrapped around your throat,

  25. NationBLPnewspaper Avatar
    NationBLPnewspaper

    The Nation newspaper has become very predictable in its political tone and in its salacious and often inaccurate presentation of events in Barbados.

    Pat Hoyos and Albert Branford are the resident BLP journalists on Sunday with one sided partisan opinions masquerading as independent analysis.
    Before you pick up the Sunday Nation BLP newspaper, you know that the Hoyos and Brandford “articles” serve a pro BLP agenda but then again, that is why they along with Mascoll and Ezra Alleyne are featured weekly in the NATION BLP NEWSPAPER.

    The Nation newspaper is in the BLP’s pocket – ask BLP stalwart and one Caribbean Media chairman Sir Fred Gollop.

  26. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    I have noticed some ‘new’ monikers popping up and they are all targeting the same 1 or 2 individuals. Theses put forward by some posters are starting to look less “farfetched”. Just an observation.

  27. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @ The Jamaica Gleaner “That The Nation published a photograph of an incident, with the faces of the minors engaged in the sexual act blurred and unrecognisable, does not suggest an act of prurience that would scandalise public morals, or be deemed the exploitation of children.”

    Notwithstanding what the Jamaica Gleaner has written, to many Bajans
    the published photograph and its accompanying text did indeed suggest an act of prurience that would scandalise public morals, or be deemed the exploitation of children.

    If it was the 14 year old daughter of Caswell Franklyn or of Robert Ross or Roy Morris or Vivian Ann Gittens or Sanka Price or the daughter of the unnamed editor of the Gleaner, or Richard Hoad’s daughter, or the daughter of any other Nation employee or columnist, or Freundel Stuart’s daughter, or Owen Arthur’s daughter or the Governor General’s granddaughter, I rather suspect that these people would find the photograph to be indecent and would be morally outraged that the newspaper published such a photograph of their 14 year old daughter (and or son)

    Well many of us, maybe most of us are outraged that the Nation published the photograph of the daughter [and son] of other people. Many of us feel for other people’s children, even or especially if their daddies and mummies are not big shots.

    We do not believe that these children are the children of lesser mortals. We believe that they are entitled to the same protections as the daughters [and] sons of Caswell, Robert, Roy, Vivian Anne, Sanka, Hoad, the Gleaner editor, Freundel, Owen, and the Governor General.

    And contrary to what Robert Ross insinuates some of us have for decades gone to bed happily with our partners

  28. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    @ are-we-there-yet?
    “…….it would seem to beg the question as to why the charges were laid at all ….”

    The answer as I posited in an earlier post to much the same question by Balance is a “dog and pony show”.

    My prediction as a layperson is that the criminal charge will come to nothing one way or the other . A total waste of Police time and resources and public funds collected from us overtaxed citizens.

  29. are-we-there-yet? Avatar
    are-we-there-yet?

    Enuff;
    I also had to think hard about that opening sentence.

    “Let me commence by contextualising the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) postulates.”

    Eventually I came around to thinking that it meant:
    Let me start by putting our (the RBPF) position and thinking into perspective.

    The rest that followed, imho, put that perspective quite clearly. It showed a police force that wants the population to see (think) that it was moving away and making a distinct break from past perspectives and ways of doing things to a modern perspective and perhaps methodology that is somewhat akin to the North American one. Within that perspective it was necessary to acknowledge the normal supporting role of the press and ensure that the public knew that it was the DPP who had sanctioned the current action.

    That statement is a clear signpost to changing strategies and merits careful dissection and proper analysis.

  30. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @BAFBFP |November 17, 2013 at 2:02 AM “I remember when a very well respected White expat Bajan”

    If you mean the late Peter Morgan, DLP Cabinet Minister why don’t you say so. He is dead you know.

    As dead as the Governor General whose wife who used to shop lift from ever store in Bridgetown, even while her husband had the final determination in deciding who got the death penalty.

    But we have always been deceitful.

    Deceitful in saying that Barbados has always been a Christian society. A society born and nourished in the exploitation of its majority enslaved men, women and children, a society in which sexual exploitation of young girls [and boys] has always been rife. A society in which the minority white population has injected their DNA into every single member of the enslaved and oppressed black population.

    Well no more we are tired of the sexual exploitation of young black girls [and boys]

    The sex lives of our boys and girls is not a fit subject for the entertainment of adults ALL OF WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

  31. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    The first thing that caught my eye was the very pornographic description of what the two minors were doing, particularly what the boy was doing, according to Price ‘thrusting in and out” that is freaking PORNOGRAPHIC in description, even before i took a good look at the photo, i don’t know how the DPP and police view the law, but maybe now they are being reminded about what they obviously omitted, the charges against the sleazy nation newspaper trio should indeed be amended to include the pornographic text.

    The Jamaican Gleaner should be the watchdog for all the child rape and exploitation of the island’s children that has become more than epidemic in Jamaica and has ruined generations of Jamaican children.

    Simple Simon…….hypocrisy knows no bounds in Barbados, there is one law for those who considers themselves titled, higher up and better off, another law for the minorities, and a totally different law steeped in fire and brimstone for the majority blacks most of whom are deemed poor and ‘nobody’….the bible thumping know-it-alls they have not yet become acquainted with karma.

  32. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Simple Simon | November 17, 2013 at 10:34 AM |

    They are trying to drop the age of sexual consent in the UK from 16 to 15.
    The reason being the fact that many under 16s are engaging in sexual activity and the age of puberty is arriving much earlier than in the past.

    What do you have to say about that, SS?
    You think it should be lowered to reflect the new trends, remain the same or raised to stymie the growing prurience among the misguided hormonal confused youth to make them conform to Judeo-Christian principles as laid down in the book of Leviticus?

  33. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Hamilton Hill November 17, 2013 at 7:22 AM “It was right here on BU that I read a post from former Nation News journalist Wade Gibbons about a story he had written and submitted being purged from the system.That story highlighted the twenty million dollars of VAT receipts owed to the government.”

    Maybe the Nation did not wish to lose all that lovely revenue from full page full colour Courts ads.

    Would you rather have all that lovely money go to the VAT office (so that we can proved proper numbers of qualified teachers and counsellors children) rather than to the Nation’s bottom line. The Nation has to pay its senior executives big shot salaries you know, they have to provide them with big rides, serious sized bonuses etc.

    The Nation editorial decisions should be made at the editorial table, but alas it seems that too often they are made at the advertising table.

    That said how much are we willing to pay for our daily Nation? $1.25, $2.00, $4.00?

    If the newspaper has to forego advertising revenue then the money has to come from somewhere else. Are we willing to pay for it out of our pickets?

    If not then we will continue to get a cheap ($1.25) newspaper, but we are big men and women and we know very well that cheap and NASTY often go together.

    So yes we Bajans are getting what we are willing to pay for at a price ($1.25) that we are willing to pay.

  34. ac Avatar
    ac

    i am also totally amused that here on BU there are so-called lawyers who previously like ROSS and Caswell made comments to the effect that the Nation article was not subjected to the scrutiny of “child porn” only now to be proven wrong with the recent arrest of the Editor and publishers of the Nation. One would have to be a fool not to realise that these arrests stemmed not necessarily from the article itself but from the contents and the the images which depicted children in sexual or preverted acts, ,

  35. David Avatar
    David

    @Simple Simon

    Why not finish your last point and say that the matter is reported to be on appeal. What is the status? Can a government official shed some light? On what grounds has Courts filed an appeal?

  36. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Caswell Franklyn November 17, 2013 at 12:28 AM “Ministry and school handling a problem where sex is involved usually mean that they get together and shut it down to protect the good name of the school. Ask them how many instances of teacher and child sexual activity have they dealt with? And then ask: What happened to the teacher involved? Sometimes the perverted teacher might suffer the punishment of a transfer to another school where he starts all over again.”

    We in Barbados have been too afraid of firing some people. We have to be wiling to charge teachers and or Ministry of Education officials who engage children in sexual activity, we have to be wiling to suspend them while the investigation and trial takes place. We have to be willing to FIRE them when they are convicted. We have to keep them on a sexual offender’s file that PREVENTS THEM FORM EVER WORKING WITH CHILDREN AGAIN.

    But Caswell in this case we were dealing with two 14 year old children, and we have to handle it differently from if one of the parties was an adult. In this case counselling for the children engaged in the sex act at school, and the same for those children who took the picture and published it. I would also separate the children, each of the children would be sent to a different school, not so much as “punishment” but to deny them the opportunity of repeating the behaviour with each other. I would also require the the students not to arrive early for school and not to stay late (this to deny them the opportunity of too much free time on the school premises) and of necessity the parents would have to be heavily involved in enforcing this.

    I might also introduce photography classes in as many schools as possible. I would teach students the ethich involved in taking phoptographs, and the technigues of photographs, and how to market thier photographs for MONEY, NOT FOR FREE on Facebook.

    When I was finished with these and other children some of them would be taking and earning GOOD MONEY from taking photographs at christenings, confirmations, graduations, weddings, some would be taking all the photographs used to market Barbados’ tourism product (why is much of this still in the hands of foreigners) and at least one would be official photographer to Rihanna. In other words I would not take away these children’s cameras. I would get them better cameras, and an excellent photography teacher and put them to learn how to earn a good living by taking and selling good quality photos.

    Have we asked ourselves yet why photos used for marketing Rihanna are being taken by foreigners?

    No I am not dreaming

  37. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Correction: I would teach students the ETHICS involved in taking phoptographs

  38. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    millertheanunnaki | November 17, 2013 at 10:59 AM |
    @ Simple Simon | November 17, 2013 at 10:34 AM |

    They are trying to drop the age of sexual consent in the UK from 16 to 15.
    The reason being the fact that many under 16s are engaging in sexual activity and the age of puberty is arriving much earlier than in the past.

    What do you have to say about that, SS?

    Simple Simon’s response: I don’t agree with what the U.K seems to be proposing, but I don’t vote nor pay taxes in the U.K and my neither my children nor grand children live there. The U.K is also reintroducing domestic science/food and nutrition in al schools starting in September 2014. The U.K is suffering the obesity crisis that has come about since children were no longer taught how to cook. Starting in September 2014 every British child will be taught how to prepare 20 tasty and healthful dishes. Overweight and obese children tend to come into puberty earlier and we to in Barbados are suffering that consequence also. But even though some Bajan children as young as 8 have had their first periods and can therefore become pregnant, I have not yet found a single person who wished that their mummy had given birth to them when she was 9 years old. So Miller etc. we have to protect children, ever those who have reached physical maturity from as early as eight we have to protect them from themselves, and we certainly have to protect them from adult predators. Unless you feel that a generation of 9 year old mummies [and daddies] would be good for Barbados’ social and economic development, I say leave the age at consent to coincide with the school leaving age, which in Barbados is 16. If you feel like sexing at 16, then presumably you also feel like holding a w’uk (different from holding a w’uk-up) to support any children which come from said sexual activity.

    You think it should be lowered to reflect the new trends, remain the same or raised to stymie the growing prurience among the misguided hormonal confused youth to make them conform to Judeo-Christian principles as laid down in the book of Leviticus?

    Simple Simon’s response: It ain’t got nuttin to do with Judeo-Christian nutting. Wunna in de wrong class. Wunna spen’ too much time in the Religion class when wunna should be in the biology class and de economics class.

    In Barbados nuff, nuff people younger that 16 can do the biology, but not a fella younger than 16 can hold paid work to support the outcome of the biuology. And if big men and women have difficulty using condoms properly (as witness the HIV/AIDS epidemic) imagine how bad the pre-16 crowd are (buying? where de money come from) at using contraceptives properly.

    I has nothing to do with “holy” words written long. long ago. Is is mostly abut if I have sex at 13 and I become pregnant (or impregnate someone) do I have the money for an abortion? and or do I have the money (and the time and skills) to raise the child to adulthood.

    And the thing is miller etc. I don’t know if you have raised any children, but small children tend to be EXCEEDINGLY DEMANDING of their parent’s time. It is kinda hard to look after a child, hold a job to support same child and get all the school work done. There are only 168 hours in a week and I don’t know any younger teen who can fit all that into a week. Most adults in the same circumstance struggle.

  39. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    I’ve never yeat any person who has said “I wish my daddy was 9 when he had me.

    Nobody wants this for themselves because 9 year olds are moneyless, power-less, foolish people.

    Everybody want a powerful, monied, wise daddy (a daddy like miller etc.)

  40. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @old onion bags November 17, 2013 at 7:45 AM “Soon Carson and Ac will be the only ones writing on BU”

    Say it ain’t so. Even though I disagree with everything Carson C. Cadogan writes at least he can write.

    ac writes gibberish, something that is not English, not Bajan, not any language know to humankind. If ac is the only writer left, I’ll have to kill myself.

  41. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    On this matter, ignorance is bliss…..

  42. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Kevin November 17, 2013 at 9:39 AM “I could just imagine how Vivian, who didnt want Roy Morris back at the Nation feels. She looked like she wanted to break down and cry coming from the court yard.”

    I I was Vivian (and I am not) I would feel like I want to, not “break down and cry” …’cause I don’t do cry…I would feel like I want to break Sanka’s neck…and Roy’s

  43. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    In fact if I was Vivian (and I am not) I would break their bloody necks with my own bare hands.

    Good thing for them that I am not Vivian.

  44. NationBLPnewspaper Avatar
    NationBLPnewspaper

    What about corporate Barbados?

    Do they have no principles on which to stand or is it because it is not the child of a so called “big up” that they are sooooo quiet?

    What about Mr. Commissiong , has the cat got his tongue?

    The Nation newspaper advertisers like LIME, Courts , Consolidated Finance, etc need to make a public sentiment on this matter.

  45. balance Avatar
    balance

    “even though cases tried under the Children’s ‘Protection Act prove differently and have been used internationally to prosecute and convict persons or organization with similar evidence ”
    Would be extremely grateful AC if you can post one or two of these cases to assist me in my future dliberations

  46. ac Avatar
    ac

    since you SIMPLE SIMON has engaged my name in your comments and decided to take a big chunk out of my ass with your intelligent comments i would respond quickly and efficiently. Have You noticed that expect for YOU and may be a few members of YOUR family who throws in one or two stars as compliments no one responds to your comments even by Your Intellectual Use of Standard English,,, maybe U should try using Gibberish jack ass it always work. Clear ENUFF FUH U. please don,t fall into the trap of responding cause that would make U a bigger jackass Hav A NIC DEY

  47. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ NationBLPnewspaper | November 17, 2013 at 12:51 PM |
    “The Nation newspaper advertisers like LIME, Courts , Consolidated Finance, etc need to make a public sentiment on this matter.”

    How about you advising them to withdraw their advertising business and divert it to that sole paragon of morality called the Advocate?
    We don’t expect you to be advising the DLP likewise because you guys know better than having any plans of spending thousands, far more millions ,in an future elections for a totally lost cause.

  48. ac Avatar
    ac

    Sir/ balance u have access to the internet use it wisely. First hand evidence is mostly important in discussing these issues. do your own research…………………….

  49. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    Robert Ross,

    We duly acknowledge your points.

    PDC

  50. DR. THE HONOURABLE Avatar
    DR. THE HONOURABLE

    No ‘confusioon’ or ‘delusioon’ , no eating nor drinking sheep or goat in the road or on the beach can tell me that it is not so. I know that it is so and it should be accepted as such

Older Comments
1 2 3 4
Newer Comments

Leave a Reply to Tell me WhyCancel reply

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading