Credit has to be given where it is due. The local media has developed in recent days a frenzied pursuit of a story which details how a man rose from the dead and waltz out of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital morgue. Of course BU is NOT suggesting we should trivialize the story of Mr. Scantlebury. Whatever the outcome we hope the truth finds its way to the fore.
What is interesting about the case of the dead man who rose again is the important role of the Fourth Estate in the gathering of news and stoking public opinion. It is refreshing to observe the bulldog determination which the local media has shown so far with the Scantlebury story. Should Barbadians reasonably expect that after one week all the questions still being asked should have been answered? A scan of the hospital record-keeping of the morgue and or a view of the surveillance records should easily have resolved this matter by now.
The bigger point to this story is to recognize the power of the media to excite its public. BU can identify several issues of national import which the media has ignored. A good example is the Green Paper on immigration which the government has circulated for public discussion. What about the recently concluded Barbados Labour Power rate hearing? We have had token coverage at best to what is a very important matter. There is the promise by the government while in opposition to bring a focus on our renewable energy policy. Barbados’ dependence on fossil energy is a source of worry. It was not too long ago when the price of a barrel of oil shot-up to the US147 mark the whole country had concerns. Although the price of oil has dropped the concerns are still real. What has our Fourth Estate done to keep this important matter on the front burner?
The persistent coverage of the Scantlebury story is a good example of how the local media can effectively deliver on its role as a member of The Estates of the Realm.
Barbados Underground 
So Mr. Scantlebury did a Lazarus!!!
As I read the newspaper commentary – my conclusion is that this whole saga belongs in an episode of the X-Files*…
Turning what corner? Don’t make me laugh!
They got it wrong again. This reminds me of the St. George Secondary School so called porn videos story in the Nation newspaper. The Nation has a history of getting it horribly wrong. We all know how that turned out. Then they was the “story” about 200 police vehicles being off the road. That too another gross lie. Recently there was the “story” that threats were made to a Nation staffer, another bloody lie.
This current “story” is all political. The immigration articles did not bring down the Government so this is round two. The Nation newspaper management is saying, “let’s see if this will work this time around”.
The Barbados Labour Party will be so proud of them.
As far as I know the person who was pronounced dead last week was Owen Arthur. Politically dead that is. At least that is what Mia thinks. I am sure that he is going to rise up to haunt her pretty soon.
CCC;
It is really interesting how you could put a party political spin on the Scantlebury Lazarus story. As far as I know the system for transfer of the dead at QEH is not a new one so one can’t honestly blame any political party for it.
What the above story does show to me is the historical and perhaps cultural spinelessness of the newspapers re. reporting political stories and their slightly more spine in reporting non-political ones somewhat tempered by their apparent acceptance of official statements (that may be where the politics come in. but this story is essentially non-partisan, imho.
Proper investigative reporting should have solved this story days ago. Instead, it seems to be still up in the air unless something comes out over the next few days to clear it up.
Some simple questions that I have not seen answered by the media are; What is the probability of colloboration between the Nation reporters and the Lazarus guy to make up the story? Who was the X Lorenzo Scantlebury that QEH admitted died around that time? Where was he buried or is the body still in the morgue? Could he be the same person as Mr. Renzyll Scantlebury? Why were Mr Renzyll Scantlebury’s neighbours under the impression that he was dead before he came back home? Where did they get the story that he was dead from? Can anybody corroborate any part of Renzyll’s story of his journey from the morgue to his home, walking, with only a pamper on? Surely someone must have seen such a spectacle and could be located and interviewed! If someone can’t be found to corroborate that story it could be suggestive of the QEH authorities being correct.
I think it is quite important to get this story right. What I have seen of the QEH’s authorities relesses on the matter does not fully clear it up.
“What about the recently concluded Barbados Labour Power rate hearing”
These c’unts simply would not put the ftc into the spotlight…!
Did we hear on radio recently in an exchange with Malcolm Gibbs-Taitt and Peter Wickham an admission he was the one to break the story to the media? Taitt for those who don’t recall is the embattled head of the Barbados Consumer Organization and close associate of the George Payne camp in St. Andrew.
CHECKIT-OUT
I don’t believe a word Scantlebury is saying.
David
“Taitt for those who don’t recall is the embattled head of the Barbados Consumer Organization …”
also an intervener in the BP&P rape trial…! Maybe he shoukd leak that to the press as well…!
Does anyone know how much is normally paid to commissioners in hearing such as the one just past?
@BAFBFP: “Does anyone know how much is normally paid to commissioners in hearing such as the one just past?
I have been told (but don’t *know*) that it’s something like $200 an hour.
And I would also like to say that I was very disappointed with the media coverage of the Rate Hearing. The reporters simply didn’t seem to take the time to understand the issues.
Now, admittedly, it was a very complicated subject, but one might have thought that the Fourth Estate could have found someone able and willing to dig into the subject enough to actually understand it, and thus report accurately.
What kind of Commissioneers are theses?Someone please tell me ?In canada we have The Commissioneers that are Security officers !
Human beings are so amazing. A man claimed he walk out the Hospital Morgue and someone can equate that to politics and a former PM. That to me is so very amazing. I want political party members of both parties to understand that there is NO POLITICAL PARTY in Barbados that will be in power forever. The BLP are getting their turn to watch from the bleachers and the current party will get their chance as well again. And irrespective of any expletives they hurl at members of opposing sides, that is a fact.
Now that being said, let’s look at the dead man walking story with a objective and politically absent view-point. A man claimed he walked out the morgue. First the QEH officials claimed he was never in the hospital. Then they retract that and said yes he was. Now they are saying that a man with the same first name and middle name as Mr. Scantlebury who was in the hospital during the same time period, died. And I am the only person who see something wrong here. Well maybe according to CCC Mr Arthur made him say it……STUPSES…
@Barnabas Collins… I agree with you.
This *should* be a trial matter to resolve. Assuming, of course, that accurate records and logs are kept and are available for forensic review.
Let A be defined as the number of bodies admitted to the morgue for the temporal period in question.
Let B be defined as the number of bodies currently in the morgue.
Let R be defined as the number of bodies removed from the morgue for burial, cremation, autopsies, etc.
If B A – R, then there is a problem….
Oh, I made a mistake (and WordPress removed my “not equals” symbolism…
Let me please add:
Let C be defined as the number of bodies in the morgue at the exact start of the temporal period in question.
Thus, the equation becomes:
If B + C != (does not equal) A – R – C, then there is a problem….
Chris now I see why de music that you select on de odder thread appeals to you ! Man you cranial man. All de same, this “dead man walking” is an indictment of the same estate people. If they spent a tenth of the time on the BL&P rape issue, the public would have at least attached a bit more significance to it. I SMELL A RAT..!
What press turn de corner what? They should have verified the details before printing a piece of sensationalism. They are pushing the issue because Bajans always interested in trivia and it sells papers. Furthermore the QEH doesn’t have advertising dollars to withhold like BL&P, LIME and the price gouging retailers so they are easy whipping boys. Journalistic integrity dictates that you corroborate your story independently before publishing.
@BAFBFP… Thanks for the complement.
However, in reality, some might consider that I’m dumber than bricks (and I wouldn’t disagree with them)…
I could have been using my knowledge and skills to make a great deal of money for myself…
Instead I use them to fight for those who can’t (or won’t)…
I sincerely hope that, at the end of the day, my (and many others’) efforts will result in some upside (or, at least, less downside) for those Bajans most disadvantaged….
Now let’s see, $200.00 an hour for eight hours a day is $1,600.00 a day. De hearing tek ‘bout ten days, so that is $16,000.00. Already the Chairman mek more than de Prime Minister. So now I see why dey plan to tek so long to deliver a finding. If yah already know that yah gun get pay $300,000.00 (ea) yah may as well show dat yah spending some sorta time.
The press in Barbados is ridiculous and has not turn any corner. Could you believe that Stedson Babb on today’s Brass Tacks was reveling in that story but was saying that VOB was no cowboy organization? If the hospital was a big business there is no way this story would have gone beyond the first day.
There are so many important stories for them to investigate at the hospital as it concerns doctors.
A good example is the Neurologist consultant at the Hospital who treats the growing number of MS patients at the hospital with gross disrespect. He is the only one there who can prescribe the most up to date medication to stop the patient’s deterioration. He on a regular basis tells them they do not need it. Many young Barbadians are suffering because of this Neurologist behavior.
A lady went to the call in programs on VOB about her son and also to the Nation newspaper. No Journalist cares about these types of problems that need investigating
Fairplay
Re
A good example is the Neurologist consultant at the Hospital who treats the growing number of MS patients at the hospital with gross disrespect. He is the only one there who can prescribe the most up to date medication to stop the patient’s deterioration. He on a regular basis tells them they do not need it. Many young Barbadians are suffering because of this Neurologist behavior.
UNLESS YOU KNOW NEUROLOGY OR ABOUT THE DRUGS YOU SAY THE MAN WONT PRESCRIBE< YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER! WAY OUT OF ORDER? ARE YOU A DR?
Listened to Monroe-Knight, VOB call-in moderator defending the media to the bone last evening. Then we remembered she was a journalist. Her response to lack of coverage by local media regarding the BL&P Hearing was simplistic. Coverage and analysis are different meanings. In this case we might have had a lot of coverage but did any media house bother to analyse any of the issues arising from the testimonies?
Monroe-Knight give the Bajan public a break. The media houses in Barbados are influenced greatly by the advertisers.
BTW do we understand Reudon Eversley is the new New Director at CBC?
Cerebral not cranial.lol
All I have to say is that the story has been flogged like a dead and decaying horse to sell papers. This is not journalism. If it (journalism not Scantlebury) has turned the corner, all I want to know is where it is going?
Anon
I am not out of order. I am not a doctor either but that is your problem where you are still locked into the old days when doctors said things and that was it. There is endless information on the net to do research.
Do you believe that doctors misdiagnose patients sometimes?
The MS society brought in a MS specialist from the US to give a lecture on the treatment of MS patients.
The specialist pointed out that the drug slows down the progress of the scarring of the nerves and it was not use for treatment of the pain. An opinion held by you know who.
She said that drug was being given to her patients and it gave positive results.
This lecture was on CBC TV sometime last year.
Why is the local media not reporting that autopsies are not currently being done at the QEH because of non-payment to the sole person responsible for doing so i.e. he has not been paid for several months.