By RASHAD ROLLE
JOURNALIST Oswald Brown yesterday defended himself against accusations that he promoted victimisation after comments he made in a Facebook post were published in the press.
Mr Brown – now the government’s press attaché and cultural affairs officer in Washington, DC –– claimed he accidentally posted a message on the Facebook wall of Andrew Burrows, the ZNS Executive News Director, rather than send it as a private message.
In a new Facebook post made yesterday, Mr Brown wrote: “I’m sharing this so that all of you who I’ve noticed this morning again castigating me based on Adrian Ramsey’s version of what appeared in The Nassau Guardian can see what was actually published by that newspaper. As far as I’m concerned, I did nothing wrong, other than inadvertently post my message to Andrew Burrows on his wall rather than in his in-box as I intended to do.
“In her usual obnoxious manner, Dominique Demeritte, which more likely than not is a fake name being used by someone to sometimes make slanderous remarks on Facebook, decided to re-post my private message to Mr Burrows.”
In the original post on Tuesday, Mr Brown urged Mr Burrows to fire Free National Movement (FNM) operatives at the Broadcasting Corporation for “undermining all the good things this PLP government is doing.”
“I’m sending you this in-box because I am mad as hell about what appears to be a well-organised attempt by FNM operatives at ZNS to undermine the leadership of Rev. William Thompson and indeed the entire current management at ZNS,” Mr Brown posted.
“If you follow Facebook, which I know you do, you would have noticed that Dominique Demeritte, whomever that is, has been unrelenting in her criticism of ZNS and she has been using some information in her posts that could only have been given to her (or him) by someone at ZNS.
“I think you need to find out who that person is and arrange for them to find a different line of work.
“We have got to stop being timid of firing people who are seeking to undermine all the good things this PLP government is doing.”
Mr Burrows responded that he is aware of what is going on, adding that the “source” at ZNS has “wrapped herself up in a tight little squeeze.”
But the message from Brown was not sent to Burrows’ private in-box as Brown had intended. The message was reposted on several Facebook pages and received hundreds of comments Tuesday.
Many Facebook users expressed outrage, calling Mr Brown’s request a blatant call for victimisation.
However, Mr Brown said, “My solution to this situation is exactly what I suggested: if the culprit or culprits are exposed, fire them.
“I make no apologies in suggesting this.”
In a post, Dominique Demeritte said she was shocked by Brown’s comments.
But Mr Brown, who said he was being verbally assaulted on the popular social media site, asked Ms Demeritte to re-post accusations she made against Rev William Thompson, the chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas.
“Why don’t you re-post the accusations made against ZNS chairman Rev William Thompson and the one about the ZNS employee who is being paid $55,000 a year for doing virtually nothing, as your ‘spy’ claims, and let this misguided group of individuals who are verbally assaulting me see why I was so outraged by the actions of the ZNS ‘spy,’” Mr Brown said in a message to Demeritte.
He said he felt that far too many civil servants cannot separate their politics from their jobs.
“Essentially they are ‘spies’ for their respective political party, whichever one is in power,” he said.
“This is a dangerous practice that should be stopped, and if a law does not exist to this effect, the appropriate legislation should be introduced.”
But Ms Demeritte’s response was: “This is a man who has just been appointed a post in Washington, DC. My God, is this what we are spending our tax dollars on nowadays? How much is Mr Brown being paid? Are we paying him to cherry pick who is going to be victimised next?
“We are sending Bahamian activists to jail,while representatives of the government using the very same internet tool to destroy fellow Bahamians. Why Mr Brown had to be sent all the way to Washington just to use Facebook again?”
Comments
shortpants 10 years, 11 months ago
To me this man is a jackass.They give him that job in Washington because he wrote all kinds of foolishness about the best Prime Minister the Bahamas ever had HAI.He was not working for years just writing nonsense. Now he in Washington living like he never live before .Like the rest of the dead they give all them soft jobs making monies from us tax payers .They should have left dead ass ZNS just like it was DEAD because they never upgrade they let cable come in and take over that's when you have government running these places ,which should not be.So he up on face book posting a bunch of shit while he should be doing the people job whom paying his ass this what you get when you tired of what you gat . HAI was still the best from they come in power they have one scandal after the next ,and these the people we entrusted our country too thieves,liars and everyone knows the rest.
justthefactsplease 10 years, 11 months ago
I do not see the victimization here ... if some one on the inside is beaching any of the conditions of their employment by giving privileged informtion to others on the outside, I think they should BE FIRED ... whether they work in goverment or not ... whether they give the information to the PLP or FNM or DNA or simply another competitor. Let them go try that in a law firm or other private sector companies and see how long they keep their jobs.
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
How many times over the years have we read of this little man's pleadings in the media; "I did nothing wrong?"
Little surprise over the objectionable statements made by this loose attack cannon? "Attaché Ozzie T" has always had his angry, personal agendas, whatever they may be, dependent of course upon which party happens to hold the power to dish-out political appointments?
The hiring of Ozzie illustrates that even PM Christie will give out jobs to a known sympathizer of the UBP. Really strange, when the PM hires someone who back on February 13, 2009, had written an editorial, reminding the then opposition leader Perry, that his decision not to restore Sir Stafford's mug on Bahamaland's $10 Note, was but "one" of the egregiously 'bad decisions" of the PLP, during its tenure as Bahamaland's government?
Comrades stay tuned, cause "Attaché Ozzie T" is but only one of PM Christie's puzzling politically sanctioned appointments, who are well known for making repulsive comments. I think repulsive is the word I'm looking for?
At least "Attaché Ozzie T" words could not possibly be more clarifying, when it comes to how he believes critics of this administration need to have their paycheques, kicked-out from under them?
Finally, a PLP appointee who really sounds and acts more like a red shirt. At least Hubert had the good political sense, not to send this little man, anywhere remotely close to Bahamaland's Embassy in Washington, DC?
by TalRussell
by TalRussell
ayatollah 10 years, 11 months ago
None of them are no good p.l.PS and f.n.ms..just wasting are money on shits
moncurcool 10 years, 11 months ago
It is victimization which is akin to genocide, when you single out a specific group of persons tied to one particular entity, organization or nationality. His reference to a particular group to fire leads to victimization.
However, it is amazing how Brown has suddenly become the biggest supporter of the PLP that he claims victimized him. Politics make strange bedfellows.
jackflash 10 years, 11 months ago
This post is another waste of the people money.
Did we ever have this position before?
I guess if you write enough falsehoods against the enemies of the PLP then they will re pay you with one of these posts to live high off the hog.
Please show what this man has done, what is his job description?
Hey Tal - are you getting one of these posts as well?
Shirley 10 years, 11 months ago
This decrepit soul clearly does not have enough work to do. He spends far too much time on Facebook. Is this what we're paying him for?
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