By CHESTER ROBARDS
Tribune Senior Reporter
crobards@tribunemedia.net
WHEN Nellie Day realised yesterday that her erroneous article on the state of homes in the Bahamas had been removed from its host website, she issued one last apology.
"Bahamas - article has been removed. Sorry once again for any misinformation," she posted to her Twitter page.
The California-based freelance journalist, who wrote that "the poorest Bahamians typically create makeshift homes out of straw and wood," said (on Twitter) that she would contact individuals from the Ministry of Tourism through www.Bahamas.com in order to get more accurate information for a new story.
However, she wrote on Twitter early yesterday morning: "Bahamas - didn't forget about u, Bahamas.com couldn't give me any sources but still contacting ppl & the group that owns the story."
Ms Day spent Tuesday night assuring fuming Bahamians who might have still been monitoring her Twitter account, that she would get better information on what types of materials Bahamian homes are constructed from, and retool her earlier article.
On Tuesday, scores of Bahamians took to social media websites in a concerted effort to "defend" their country from Ms Day.
Her article, "What types of houses do people live in the Bahamas?", which was posted on the website www.travels.com, incensed many who read it online.
After reading the article, hundreds of people sent torrents of caustic criticisms to her Twitter website feed. Other people threatened to e-mail the host website about the inaccuracies in the article.
And their efforts paid off - with the website, travels.com, agreeing to take down the article.
In her own defence Tuesday, on her Twitter feed Ms Day assured Bahamians that she had visited the Bahamas and had researched homes in the country before she wrote the article.
"For the record, on this Bahamian story, I have travelled to the Bahamas, I did talk to locals and I did research what other agencies had to say," she said.
She added on the Twitter response: "Look guys, love the Bahamas & Bahamians. Sorry if u didn't like the story. Wrote from what I saw/ was told from ppl (people) who are supposed to know."
The article does, however, accurately describe the more affluent dwellings of the Bahamas - descriptions which may have come from several Bahamas real estate websites, which are cited as resources for the article.
Comments
aprilbrown 11 years, 11 months ago
April Brown She does not seem sorry for her words at all she says that she was here and she interviewed locals my questions is did she travel here in a time machine or what.
Arob 11 years, 11 months ago
Ms. Day's response is unacceptable. First, she did not know where The Bahamas is located and second she fabricated the information. This incident reminds me of the New York Times Magazine incident with Mr. Jayson Blair.
With regards to Ministry of Tourism, should we advertise on a Website where the authors' submission are not checked? The simpliest Internet research would have debunked this fictional story. I doubt that this article is the first article Ms. Day has presented as "research based" but is mere fiction.
exuma1959 11 years, 11 months ago
GILLIGAN'S ISLAND......
Bril 11 years, 11 months ago
To be honest I'm surprised at the outrage this article sparked. Her sources were obviously dubious and the article itself was not that brilliantly written. But I'm not so upset about her silly article, because that's exactly what it is. Silly! Any tourist reading it I think would have been able to discern for themselves the nonsense from reality written. I don't think Americans are that stupid and naive.
Arob 11 years, 11 months ago
Users of the Internet vary in age and purpose. Most important, the Internet practically covers the globe. Users of the Internet are not all mature, educated adults. -- imagine a primary or high school student (somewhere in the world--even The Bahamas) writing about The Bahamas and using this article as his or her source. The article was written to inform travelers about The Bahamas.
roustaboutcucumber 11 years, 11 months ago
Americans are veeeerrrrrrryyyyy stupid AND naive, trust me.
susy2016 11 years, 11 months ago
Sorry if we didn't like the story. Mrs. Day is trying to ruin our tourism industry and all she can say is "Sorry" Just to let you know we are very smart and tolerant people but you went beyond what can be tolerated. Our people are maily educated in your country, we would like for you to come and see our beuatiful islands and at the same time run you out Bahamian style. Keep this little nation away from your ignorant pen and ink.
deonharry 11 years, 11 months ago
I must say that the apology sent by this lady is not pure at all and it seems as if she is still trying to defend what she wrote about the bahamas and the bahamian people on the whole ........ so i guess am inmy hutt using my laptop posting this comment Mrs Day and i would love to know where in hells name did you get your information from about the bahamas cause it really seems as if you never been here and the only place that i have seen a hutt is in an old book name the history of the bahamas which told the story about our land from before Christopher Columbus time Strong
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