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St. Maarten's 4th Estate
The term '4th Estate' is used to describe the role of the media within a healthy progressive democratic society, in particular the role of journalists and print newspapers.
I'd like to talk about St. Maarten's '4th Estate' and it's role in our healthy progressive democratic society, the one we hope one day to have.
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A few weeks ago this letter appeared in the Daily Herald, the reader upset, in particular about the lack of reporting on local events. Now, his claim that the Today has raced past the DH is ridiculous of course and I will show why a little later on in this blog post, but he does raise some very good points and questions for the Daily Herald and kudo's for them printing it too.
One of the problems with the DH is not that it prints too much 'hard' or 'foreign' news, it's that it prints far too much 'advertising' news. By this I mean the articles made to appear as news, but which are really just advertising for some businesses new products or promotion. WIB has a new cash card, Grand Marche is raffling yet another car, Chippie has a new service, ect. In your face advertising, they want us to read them thinking it is news.
A second problem I have with the DH is that far too many news articles, in particular those involving public figures and politicians, are written almost directly as if from the tape recording made by the reporter. Very rarely do the politicians get questioned on the statements they make, its a "he said, she said" style of writing.
My last problem with the Daily Herald is the complete lack of any investigative reporting that touches on government corruption or scandle. They may write a report, often based on what was reported elsewhere, but the general attitude is to keep it all at arms length, never to get in close and graple with it. This is not to say they don't have good journalists, because they do and they produce some great investigative work, just not in the area St. Maarten needs it.
By no means do I mean to slur them in anyway by also pointing out the 'fear factor' which would be involved with this kind of investigative reporting. It's a small island, doors close quickly and life can be made uncomfortable and awkward if you step on the wrong toes. I also possess this "fear factor' by the way, I too understand that there are mean people out there.
All in all, lets face it, the Daily Herald is no Grey Lady, but they do a reasonable job of reporting the news on the island, just not to any great depth.
Now, moving on swiftly to the Today, which certainly has sped past the Daily Herald in terms of entertainment, a good thing only if that's what you seek in a news paper. Don't get me wrong, they to write some interesting articles and stories and sometimes their news items have more or different information than those in the DH. However, every now and then, about once a week, along comes a story or editorial that just leaves you stunned.
Or giggling hysterically.
Take for example this story they ran on the 5th, about a family who believed that a relative had been killed by a Jumbie in a haunted house. You really should read it, it's so full of wonderful Caribbean talk.
Anyway, you are probably thinking it's a one off, just one of those bizarre oddball stories and the Today is just going along with it, keeping the relatives happy with a story on their concerns, it is humorous after all, at least to those of us who don't believe in Jumbies. You would be mistaken.
Two days later on the 7th, with a small front page header too, the Today announced that a doctor had confirmed that the man had indeed died of a heart attack, something one of the relatives just didn't want to believe. " I never seen a man die of a heartattack with foam. No sah!". Which does lead me to wonder just how many heart attacks he has seen before, if any.
I'm sure those of you out there who were concerned about this story are relieved to hear this news and just to be doubly sure about it, the Today reported today, the 13th, that the Landlord had proved the house was not haunted. It would appear he turned up at the Today claiming that he and others had lived in the house with no problems, he even bought along two former tenants and stack of papers to back him up. Are you giggling yet?? Please note that the Today checked the papers to confirm what the man was saying.
He was angry no doubt about all the false rumors being spread by his tenants, the article makes no mention of the Today's participation in this. I imagine he is having trouble collecting rent, "We no go pay rent, dis a jumbie house!" or worry that he will have trouble finding tenents in the future. Me? I'd be concerned some Jumbie nut would burn it down after all the credence the Today has given this story, the rumors and those that believe in such nonsense.
Now, take a few minutes to recover because I have more, or rather, the Today has more....
On the 6th, between the first two Jumbie stories, the today has another investigative piece about how the air pumps at gas stations around the island, don't work. Seeing the headline, St Maarten running out of air I took a deep breath and dived in.
It's quite true really, most of the air pumps on the island are dysfuctional, usually at the times you need to find one the most. But really, when it comes down to it, the motorist has several options, such as carrying a spare, a fix-a-flat can or even one of those small pumps you plug into a lighter socket, they have them at Cost U Less I hear, cheap too. The motorists also have the option, in the day time at least, of stopping at one of the numerous tire dealers who also have pumps. Even making sure they have good tires is an option that many out there should consider carefully too.
But the article isn't what I want to bring your attention to, it's the Editorial of the same day that proclaimed that "Customers have right to free air!"
The Today, or at least the editor of the day, believes that
...when a company is making money on it's sales and services, there are certain things that company should do to keep the public happy".
Like provide free air?. I think it escapes the writer and even Frank Mingo that providing an air pump is an option for gas stations, not an obligation. The idea is that people coming in to the gas station to use the air pump are also quite likely to buy gas too, or something at the store. In the same way the stores on front street blast their airconditioning (disgracefully) into the street, it's to entice people in.
Frank, as former minister of finance should realise that by investing in fixing his pump, obtaining some spare parts and perhaps putting it in a place more easily supervised and secure would help his business. Hey, if he does it right he could start marketing his station as "The one where the air pump always works!"
The Today has problems, of that there is no doubt. Just last week they announced the fall of the Dutch government with a front page story and headline two years old. and this mistake was quite funny too.
Animals R Us?
They also ran afoul of Gromyko Wilson this past week, using a photo of his child at school for this article about abuse of children's rights. (We caught the photo too, so if you read this Gromyko then let us know if you would like us to remove it.) The attitude at the Today doesn't appear to have been helpful, strange when they use or have used so many of Gromyko's own news photos in the past. In fact it seems like the same sort of non appologetic attitude we witnessed in the reply to the outcry from their outragous Gay Bashing Editorial.
Gromyko also brings up the issue of the staff at the Today. We must remember that Leonard Gildarie was given a run around and he was denied his bids to get working papers as a journalist for the National, this is why he originally got deported. The real reasons are of course that he trod on the wrong people toes too often and his leaving also saw the end of the National. If I recall correctly, I believe one of the reasons cited in refusing him the permits was that journalist jobs are reserved for locals. (Someone correct me if I have it wrong.)
The Today has several staff members about whom it would be quite legitimate to questions on their status here.
It's difficult to condemn the Today, because from time to time they do have important news and articles, even a decent editorial now and then. But when it claims to be a newspaper whilst printing articles like this which was blogged about back in October, or using misleading headlines like this then questions have to be asked. About how much damage they are doing and how much they are holding the people of the island from moving forwards.
What exactly are they trying to achieve by headlining that the Island Idiot represents the Public?
The scary thing is, they believed the Jumbie story, it's the only explaination for them checking the guys paperwork too. This is disturbing to say the least.
I suspect from now on, whenever you think of Jumbies, you will giggle. But if you can find some time, please share your views and opinions on our islands '4th Estate'.
Flipper
PS, about the Toady thing. I thought it was appropriate after reading
this, which reminded me of this bizarre occurance back in November.
This of course, is no surprise.
THis is the newspaper who thinks more Casinos are good for ths island. Meanwhile, walk into any Casino on the island and you'll find over 50% of the people in there local, about 80% if you go into town. I know tourists that won't go to more than a few of them because everytime they get harrassed, gimmee a dollar sort of harrassment.
What ever happened to the Casinos are for our tourists and that locals are limited in visiting them? Clearly a system that was totally unworkable from the start, but I think they knew that, it was just to appease those who foresaw the situtation we have now. A Casino Inspector can't do their job in respect to locals in the Casinos because it's an impossible job to do.
Mr Poker, Geno Lawrenzi constantly promotes gambling in the Today, I estimate that the first few months of this year saw at least 30 or more articles about it from him. When you look at the Google search on his name you can see that this is the love of his life.
Who is he? Where is he from? How did he get his papers?
Hmmmm? Anyone?
LH
Local hero,
You ask very good questions.
This Lawrenzie guy, he looks like an old cowboy with snake boots, a big belt buckle and cowboy hat. I am guessing he is about 70 plus years old. Most probably came on a gambling vacation, lost all his money, then decided to take a job working to support his gambling habit. No idea why the immigration did not pay him a visit as yet, while at it, how about that Jamaican national who is the new editor at the TODAY.
Do not forget it was the TODAY newspaper's owner Richard Gibson that brought in Gildarie to work and never secured his working papers, nor his residency papers.
I too notice that this Lawrenzie old man covers way too many poker and gambling stories. The casino's have become a past time for locals to spend their money thinking they will hit it rich, while their children are waiting in the cars out in the parking lots. Casino's and lottery houses will cause the demise of the social fabric of St.Maarten's society, high ranking police officers are seen gambling, politicians as well.
I must say that opposition politicians like William Marlin and past politicians Rollocks and Jones were always seen in Casino's during their term serving the public and it was not a pretty sight.
Casino's were never meant for the locals, they were meant for tourists, however something went haywire somewhere around the time that Colloseum was opened. Now, all Frontstreet casinos' fight for the local market and the local chinese market.
Bingo games are popular, patrons can be seen playing 10 cards at a time.
There are some locals that diligently play the slots from morning to night, sometimes at the same slut machine all day thinking it will eventually pay out.
Lawrenzi is some old geezer from the United States cowboy country, no idea how he secured his papers.
I think we should somehow take a bunch of students from the Milton Peters college to the TODAY newspaper and demand that someone trains them, if that doesn't work, the children should go protest at Gibson's Law firm.
All these so called jobs that Roy Marlin said he is securing for locals, how does he explain this Lawrenzie old geezer getting a job that a young person can be trained to do?
Originally from Arizona, and born on May 13, 1937 which makes him 69. Pension age in any country except on Sint Maarten where our (now former) Minister of Constitutional Affairs welcomed him with open arms and gave him a job as a reporter for his personal propaganda flyer. You should know that he was very much needed at the time cause there was absolutely no local who could fill the position.
I guess you didn’t see all the ads for the vacancy. Duh!
Before Lawrenzi landed on our shores he used to be a rodeo rider and later on a professional poker player. Won a big tournament in 2002 and raked in a handsome 42000 dollars and change. A real winner. He had some minor -traffic related- encounters with the law and difficulties controlling his hands for which he spent some nights in a Phoenix slammer. He is not hiding it. You can read it at Online Casino Crawler.
Lawrenzi seems to be a pretty regular guy. Probably nice to hang out with and sip a beer. I have however no frigging clue why Chieftain Lulu deemed it appropriate to give a 69 year old rodeorider a workpermit as a reporter for a local newspaper but I am sure Lulu will soon try to enlighten us why the pokerman is different from Gildarie. Whatever it be Lulu, we don't believe you. Immigration officers!!!! We have just moved from code orange to code red. So jump in your fancy patrol cars and show us that it is still law for one law for all. Lawrenzi pack your boots; you are going on a free flight back to Phoenix. Courtesy of the Sint Maarten taxpayer.
'The Cowboy' tries his hand at being a film critic and in the process reveals a great deal about his character. Lawrenzi's Capote review is entitiled "Dark theme to 'Capote' is disturbing to viewers", a slight adjustment of which would give a more apt title of "Lawenzi's 'Capote' review is disturbing to readers".
Capote is clearly not Geno's cup of coffee and it is unsurprising to learn that John Wayne is more his prefered choice, and he believes also that of the public. His review just really goes to emphasize the level at which he and the Today are operating at, so often shown in their editorials.
It brings to mind the last time I was in the Movies I & II to see Memoirs of a Geisha, when whilst at the counter ordering some lovely cheese cake three local ladies walked in. They asked about the movies showing and if Geisha has "any action", I am pretty sure they meant action as in guns and bombs, not sexual, but they still walked out when told it had neither. Geno needs to stick to the MegaPlex and X-Men and Philipsburg Theatres need to find someone else to do their reviews.
I recommend the review at Rolling Stone or from Roger Ebert instead. So many Awards can't be wrong, even the Catholic News Service called it "...one of the best adult films of the year, and Hoffman a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination" -
And if you want to learn more about Truman Capote then check out the Capote Wikipedia entry.
I think Geno has exposed himself as not only the prime suspect writer of the disgraceful gay bashing editorial but also of many of the other dumb ones too.
On a final thought. In my experience and to my knowledge it is not really wise for organisations involved with children to be associated with gamling, alcohol, pornography and other similar ills of life. Do you uncomfortable with the idea of Casinos promoting Poker in aid of charity?