#BTEditorial – ‘Gainst a wrong that needs resistance’

It is not the norm to use this space to stand in solidarity with another media house given the healthy competition between media entities across our landscape.

But the recent developments that appear to be threatening the very existence of a worthy ‘opponent’, the Barbados Advocate, the Old Lady of Fontabelle, merits some attention.

It must be stated at the outset that in no way do we wish to weigh in on the matters now before the law courts.

Yet we cannot ignore all that is at stake as the island’s oldest newspaper appears to be in peril.

In a statement issued last Friday, Advocate staff revealed that the company has not been able to meet its obligations over the last two months.

At the crux of the worrying development is the legal tussle involving the son of the Advocate’s iconoclastic publisher, the late Sir Anthony Bryan.

In Court Order CV 450 brought by Allan Richard Bryan et al against Gail Sherry-Anne Padmore, one of the directors on the Advocate’s board. The order has led to the company’s main account being frozen since the end of July.

As a result, the workers have been unfortunately been caught in the middle and despite carrying out their duties have been paying the price.

The workers said: “With September’s pay day looming, staff continue to feel the pinch with many at the end of their rope with overdue bills and mortgage and rent payments. Several, who are also parents, have been rendered unable to purchase text books and other school supplies even with the new term starting days ago.

“What makes the situation even more hurtful and insulting is that while provisions have been made in the Order for the Defendant in the matter to receive a weekly allowance, no such thought was put in place to ensure the staff and other obligations of The Advocate could be paid, putting families and the entire organisation at risk.”

This is an unacceptable state of affairs deserving of urgent attention.

We endorse the position of the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM) which raised concern about the situation in a statement issued Tuesday.

BARJAM said: ”What is even of greater concern for BARJAM at this time, is the very severe consequence the prolonged matter is now having on the editorial employees who have continued to perform their professional duties on a daily basis without much murmur or complaint until now.

“We would want to urge all parties involved to do their utmost best to bring the issue to a speedy resolution as soon as possible and allow those members of staff who are being affected through no fault of theirs, to be able to provide for their families and meet their obligations.”

The successors to Sir Anthony should make the welfare of these workers a priority.

These men and women who deliver their obligations to their employer should receive their just due and it is the moral responsibility of an employer to ensure this happens.

And what of the critical role of The Advocate itself?

This distressing turn of events comes on the cusp of the 126th anniversary of the birth that saw an island move from a 19th century colony to a 20th century sovereign nation from No. 34 Broad Street.

It was on October 1, 1895 that Valence Gale and his brother-in-law Charles Chenery formed the newspaper that became the newspaper of record. It has chronicled the most tumultuous period of a near 400-year-old story of a slave society’s struggle – a century of economic depressions, two world wars, two hurricanes, political upheavals, technological advances and a social revolution – to become a truly free and democratic society.

The newspaper’s motto advertised the founders’ intent to create a liberal and open-minded newspaper, borrowed from the British editor and man of letters George Linnaeus Banks’s poetic creed, What I Live For:

“For the cause that lacks assistance, for the wrong that needs resistance, for the future in the distance, and the good that I can do.”

Now more than ever should media workers across our landscape be more equipped and empowered to remain the people’s watchdog.

We believe it certainly would have been the desire of the Advocate’s first Black owner and publisher, Sir Anthony, a symbol of the profound change our island nation has undergone in a century.

No one would more loudly protest against the woes befalling his employees and The Advocate as a long-respected media organisation.

An article published back in June by Editor Dorian Bryan pointed out “ that even in the toughest times, ‘Sir’ was always concerned with the well-being of his staff.

“‘Sir’ was known as a tough but fair businessman, who had a knack of finding the solution to tough situations…Many would recount going into his office or the Boardroom expecting him to be upset about an issue, and finding themselves being regaled with stories or life lessons. The final refrain of the conversation would be to go and make sure that the issue, problem or mistake never happened again.”

We aver that those in whose hands The Advocate now lies should proudly build on the legacy of Sir Anthony.  Not only do the workers at the Advocate deserve better but so does a nation that grew up with the Old Lady of Fontabelle.