Dear Source:
I would like to make an amendment to my recent forum letter concerning Rena Broadhurst's "expose" of John and Cecile DeJongh's relationship with Epstein, the alleged child molester. First, and as I said in my recent letter, I didn't see the original article. Although I felt that Ms. Broadhurst probably owed John, his family and the Avis readership an apology, I think I made it clear that I considered a boycott of the only independent newspaper in the islands to be not a sensible move. I thought that if Ms. Broadhurst could simply admit that she was wrong and carry on doing business as usual, the melee might die down.
I have changed my mind.
Ms. Broadhurst allegedely wrote the first article single-handedly but without a byline, attributing it to her staff, at least one of whom has quit in protest. Despite the ensuing melee, she then repeated the same accusations and the same story in a later edition of "The Avis" in, I can only suppose, some sort of an attempt to somehow justify her position which was redundant from the get-go. Ergo I support the boycott.
I have major problems with the Daily News and the Prosser Empire per se which are well documented. Is there anyone out there with some real business sense and media savvy who is willing to invest in and can provide us with a truly independent hard copy newspaper here in the Virgin Islands which doesn't depend upon handouts and partisanship? What a joy that would be to so many (and there are some awesome reporters out here right now who could make it happen!)
Anna Clarke
St. Thomas
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