Dear Barbados Free Press,
I feel it necessary to write to you concerning the article on Gwenetha Clarke. (Welcome To First World Barbados – Bring Your Own Water Pail, Forget About Bathing)
I note and appreciate the “Note From Marcus” yet I think that further action should be taken. The article still clearly outlines a conversation between Shona and Owen Arthur without any reference to the fact that it is simply an imaginative way of illustrating the issue. The entire ‘conversation’ should be removed or prefaced with a phrase like “Here’s how we think the conversation would have gone”.
Over the past few months BFP has taken a dramatic turn towards being the most professional, ethical, timely, and reliable source of information on the island. As such, your readership has increased and the cross section of individuals making up that readership has changed. If this article is the first experience that a reader has of BFP then it is likely that such a reader will view BFP as some kind of gossip column, comedic outlet, or even some radical extremist.
It is vitally important that you maintain the highest standards when it comes to things like integrity, transparency, accuracy, and professionalism. And more important it is vital that the BFP readership can see these characteristics in all of your work. Do not be frustrated into writing randomness and obscurities. I encourage you to continue writing intriguing, informational, out-of-the-box articles but to do so with the utmost care, understanding, and appreciation for the responsibility that you hold.
Please don’t interpret this to mean that jokes, insinuation, and controversial pieces are not appreciated – they are great! But they must be used with skill and relevance. Keep up the fantastic work!
Bajan Bullets
p.s. Looking forward to the next print edition
Barbados Free Press replies…
Thanks for the support and the advice. We’ve changed the article as you suggested.
We really appreciate the feedback. As most of our longtime readers know, we are not journalists – only ordinary folks who love Barbados, and believe that knowledge, transparency and accountability are fundamental to a healthy democracy.
BFP will continue to expose the corruption of our government and the cowardly silence of our Bajan media.
We ask readers for your prayers, your moral support and occasionally for your kind advice and forgiveness as we seek to do a job that really should be done by the professional Barbados media.
Marcus, Shona, George, Robert, Auntie Moses… and a very contrite and sometimes impulsive Cliverton.