THE TRIBUNE REPORT GETS IT WRONG ON HAITI DEPLOYMENT

There is a problem with the ethics of too many Bahamian journalists. The latest is Tribune’s reporter Lynaire Munnings writes a story which completely misrepresents the issue of the withdrawal of Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers from Haiti.  Even if one accepts that the statement seemed ambiguous to her as a writer, she ought not to have published it with the attendant speculation unless she was sure about the intent.  She did not check. She simply went and wrote a story that The Bahamas government would allow the soldiers of Multi National Force in Haiti withdraw at will if they felt unsafe.  She relied on a quote from the Foreign Minister.  If you examine the context, you could clearly see that he remarks were about the diplomatic staff.  The staff  of the embassy are also RBDF officers. That was all that was meant and was what the thoughts were directed to.  Unfortunately what was reported caused quite a kerfuffle with the Haitian government and with the people of Hait.  The society is rife with rumours and this inaccurate report was used to suggest that this was a sign of no confidence of the government of The Bahamas in the new Haitian administration.  No such thing is the case nor was meant. The Tribune’s mantra is don’t let the truth interfere with a good story.  It seems like the mantra has been passed to the next generation of writers as well.