Keep focus on crime & not the photo - Sowande Uhuru
One of his concerns, Sowande explained, was that he did not want the photo to distract from the main issue surrounding the situation, which was the violence that exists within the Territory, the crime that is taking place and the lack of an adequate response, especially by Representatives in leading the charge.
“I think that both the Minister for Education and Culture and David Morris and the rest of the government and the community at large as well should put that into focus and seek to address it,” Sowande stated.
While stating that he was unfamiliar with any agenda to destroy Virgin Islands News Online (VINO), the commentator denied that he was part of any agenda to the same end.
His statements come in the wake of comments that were extracted from the BVI National Forum on Facebook and used as part of an article published recently on the pro-government site BVI Platinum News following the publication of a photo by this news site following the murder of Melbourne Francis.
“I heard the Minister for Education and Culture mention the need for some form of restriction to the media,” Sowande said, “VINO wrote an article before where they interviewed me and I expressed that I am not for any form of censorship in the media. We have laws on slander and libel… if people are not pleased with the content of an article [and] it’s inaccurate, they can take legal recourse.”
The commentator was insistent that he thought VINO did the correct thing in removing the photo and apologising and felt that in future the correct approach would be taken in a similar situation.
He further noted, “I don’t think that this latest incident should be used as a justification for censoring the media.” He also felt there was a role for an aggressive and provocative news agency within the Virgin Islands and disagreed that it was the media’s role to be liked by any individual.
He indicated that the members of the forum were disappointed in the selection of the photo and expressed their views on this and he felt that the forum had no agenda against any particular media house.
Sowande stated that he felt the article published by BVI Platinum News treated the reaction to the photo published by VINO as news and quoted several persons on this, including Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Myron V. Wawyn and Ag Commissioner of Police David Morris.
Sowande’s comment on the BVI National Forum was also used, along with those of others on the forum, as part of the article published by BVI Platinum News.
He also felt that both the Minister and Ag. Commissioner used the opportunity to emphasize views that they had previously held regarding Virgin Islands News Online. “They seized on the opportunity to illustrate what they saw as VINO’s lack of responsibility and to further make their case about what they believed should be done,” he said.
Sowande noted that as the Ag. Commissioner of Police, David Morris, should be familiar with whether any laws were being broken with regard to stories written by VINO. “If the laws needed to be strengthened, the proper process should be exercised in getting this done,” he added.
Sowande said he has met many of the reporters of VINO and has great respect for them as they can be considered a very credible corps of reporters. “[They are] reporters who are ethical and who abide by the standards of journalism… and I am impressed with many of the reporters,” he shared.
“I am also aware that VINO is provocative, it’s aggressive… it goes after stories that some news agencies may not go after and I think that it’s good to have some diversity in the media,” he said.
According to Sowande, it was not his role to like every story that was written on the news site since “the media has a job to do and they don’t have to satisfy any particular individual, group or even government.”
“In a democratic society, the media has to be free and independent…” he related, “sometimes I think that there are stories that need to be exposed and I think that VINO exposes some stories that need to be exposed that perhaps may not have been exposed if not for VINO.”
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27 Responses to “Keep focus on crime & not the photo - Sowande Uhuru”
Two @$$ holes…both need to go away but we will deal with one next elections
the article also says, "He indicated that the members of the forum were disappointed in the selection of the photo and expressed their views on this and he felt that the forum had no agenda against any particular media house."
It seems very clear that Sowande was against the publishing of the photo but doesnt want this incident to be used as a justification for media censorship and wants the focus to be placed on crime prevention.
So why the confusion?
LAst month a Louisville basketball player suffered a horrific injury during a live broadcast, they stopped airing it as a social responsibility. That was CBS, it sparked a week long debate about the responsibility of the media to know what to broadcast explicitly.
Ppl must stop using others misfortune as a means to advance their own agenda. The Francis family & whoever else lost a loved one tragicly we who aren't affected by it have already gotten over it. For those involved it will take yrs. & it is the story.
The BVI has decided not to do anything about the crime situation b/c everybody is focused on politricks...it's the ndp fault for tighten the $$$ it's the VIP fault for teaching the ppl to wait on handouts.
How about addressing the issue of ignorance & arrogance in the community. The uneducated who hate & distrust those with education. The white collar criminal who gets slaps on the wrist while the hard working citizen is imprisoned for possessing a gram of marijuana. But no we rather fuss about NDP & VIP but willing to be the 3rd world NIGGERS with no education & no books & no understanding of the changing world around them.
It is time to marshal all available resources both internal and external to bring the murderers to justice. The fact that. a young man was slaugtheted like an animal should cause every citizen and resident sleepiness nights and nervous days. This lawless action is harmful to the economy, personal well-being and safety and quality of life.
The job will shortly be vacant for applications from experts like yourself. Whoever takes the role will have the same issues to deal with. For example in your interview you may get asked how to deal with low level drug dealing at a well known establishment in cane garden bay, west end. Is the answer a. Rigorous stop and search and high profile uniform patrol, or b. uniform officers don,t stop and search drug dealers there because they fear repercussions. This is typical. I,m sure you answered correctly.
I like your answer......sounds like a well spoken English answer :-)...YOU ARE RIGHT right all the same