‘Chicken reporting’ can do great damage
THE EDITOR: I wonder if the media in Trinidad and Tobago realises the damage it is doing to Trinidad and Tobago by what I consider to be irresponsible reporting of the situation involving the recent poultry deaths as a result of the aspergillosis virus. I want to make it clear that I am not questioning the media’s right to inform the public on issues that are likely to affect them. However, in light of the bird flu scare that is spreading across certain parts of the world, the media in this country is creating, and I want to emphasise, is creating a panic situation that is totally unwarranted. There is no bird flu in Trinidad and Tobago. It poses no threat whatsoever to humans and does not merit the level of public exposure it is currently getting, exposure that is no doubt fuelled by the current bird flu pandemic. One may very well be asked what kind of damage this type of reporting can do to Trinidad and Tobago. Let me attempt to explain. • We live in a global environment and any hint that there is bird flu in Trinidad and Tobago will wipe out the Tourism industry. The level of Carnival visitors will shrink dramatically with the associated negative impact on the national economy. • The poultry industry, one of the most vibrant in the country, will be wiped out. The industry, I understand, has already fallen into severe decline. This has implications for thousands of workers in Trinidad and Tobago who depend on the industry for their livelihood. ADRIAN RAMESAR Veterinary Student Mt Hope
Comments
"‘Chicken reporting’ can do great damage"