(CMR) This weekend the RCIPS stated that a rape claim was “false” after just last week confirming to other media that there was a child rape case being investigated.
Now a few vocal persons which to claim that CMR is peddling in fake news and made up the entire story.
Picking sense from nonsense
People fall on either side of this spectrum quite easily (1) blame CMR for supposedly making up a story (2) Believe that despite the denial by the authorities there are far too many questions that have been left unanswered.
Let's take a moment to critically exam the facts, the allegations and what has transpired here. Whilst a few personal “haters” are quick to jump on the anti-CMR bandwagon because we first brought this matter to the wider public we accept those persons are opportunists – simply waiting for any opportunity to try and discredit Cayman Marl Road.
In the past two years, we have accomplished, much to their dismay, something that “little black nigga from George Town” should have never been able to do. Straight talk in Cayman!
Let's be frank here – we don't live in a bubble and we understand that this literally grinds some people. Even the police have admitted “our immense presence and influence in this community”. We genuinely are here trying to help others – not seeking any attention or monetary gain from CMR. We have said it before – this is our passion, not our paycheck.
They despise the fact that we have a platform that has legitimately brought many hidden issues to light over the past two years. Our social media and overall reach have been unprecedented – surpassing all media houses including some that have around in excess of 10 years!
In the short space of time that we have been around, we know not to trust just anyone with information. That lesson admittedly was learned the hard way. We ask probing questions, ask for evidence of some sort and try to investigate as much as possible.
The bottom line is there are a lot of questions about this story. Where and how did it start? The ones closest to the alleged parties are the ones who would know the most correct? So, are they lying if we are not to believe the police? Why would anyone lie on a child about this?
Why make up such detailed information?
We get that when the RCIPS has a press conference and excludes CMR; then attempts to point the finger at us the other media houses will gladly publish the story and allow all of the negative comments and narrative.
Yet, no one is asking them about their headlines just last week where they claim the RCIPS has CONFIRMED they
“received a report from medical personnel at the Cayman Islands Hospital that they had admitted and were treating an 11-year-old-boy following an alleged serious sexual assault.”
Shocking about turn in just one week!
Please take your time and read that again.
Then over the weekend, the narrative is flipped to say that never happened and the entire story was fabricated and now they want to investigate how it was fabricated. Come again?
We have a simple saying here in Cayman – pick sense from nonsense!
If you actually believe that CMR fabricated this story then do tell us why there are very different stories being told by the media about what the police have said. Are those media outlets lying too? Are they confused? Did they all get it wrong?
Facts vs. allegations – know the difference
While some people wish to use this opportunity to castigate CMR and Sandra Hill let's make sure that we get the basic facts correct.
- Cayman Marl Road has always said in this story that it was an alleged child rape case. We are not in a position to say definitively whether this assault took place or not because we were not present. Very few people would have been there. That's the difficulty of sexual assault cases, in particular.
Look carefully at the language we have used in all of our articles and podcasts using the term ALLEGEDLY on a continuous basis.
- CMR received the tip about this story and did NOTHING for one entire week. The reason is because certain probabtive questions that we asked were not answered to our satisfaction. Despite what some persons may wish to believe we do ask questions and ask for evidence where possible.
As you can appreciate in a situation like this, evidence is not something that would be readily available. So we stuck to the narrative that there were serious allegations that need to be investigated and if proven true the responsible parties should be held accountable.
Were we outraged at the allegations? Of course we would be. What right thinking person wouldn't?
However, it was only after we received more information from several sources closer to the ALLEGED victim that we revealed what was heavily circulating in the community. We have the evidence to back this up.
We literally had people asking us “why is this matter being covered up and why is CMR not telling people of this rumor out there.” We revealed some of what we heard was happening but not all.
There were a lot of things we did not share; and a lot more questions that we had about what transpired. As is often the case, with such situations exposing some information will allow for other eyewitnesses to come forward and for various aspects of the story to be flushed out properly.
- CMR did not name anyone and most certainly not the child and his family. Instead, we were provided with photos and names of all alleged parties.
We don't know the parties and would have no interest in their lives either way.
- The mother of the child contacted us before we said a single word – except that we would be discussing an alleged child rape case in Bodden Town.
Why would she contact us if there was not an inference to her child?
If your child was NOT raped why not just say that information is inaccurate? So you heard about a random child being allegedly assaulted in Bodden Town and thought it was your child because of what reason?
Why was the child needing a wheelchair to leave Cayman if we are to believe there were no physical injuries?
The MASH unit requested Sandra Hill to meet with them before they spoke to other media. There was no indication from them that these allegations were false at that time. They confirmed they had received a report and was conducting their careful investigations.
They said they watched our program and obtained information to inquire about. We provided information; without disclosing our sources where we could. Getting to the truth was and remained our only goal.
According to them, they were conducting their investigations from the onset. False allegations should be the easiest ones to dispel almost immediately. Physical evidence of alleged rape of a male, in particular, would be easily determined – would it not?
So why meet in private with us and act one way and then conduct a press conference – don't invite us and then act another way?
We are not one for conspiracy theories but it does make you wonder. There were things said during that meeting that we will not discuss in order to preserve that relationship but rest assured; CMR are no fools.
Cayman Culture protects child predators
Do we believe the police are part of an overall cover-up? Absolutely not! Do we believe they can be dupped? Well, history says yes!
The community of Bodden Town was talking about this case long before CMR started to. It reminds us of another case in which the police told the residents that duppies were throwing rocks on a man's house in Bodden Town. Turns out the residents in the area were doing it because the older man was sexually molesting his granddaughter – that came out years later when he was finally taken to court.
Police would rather have the community believe in imaginary ghosts that the real predator right in the child's own house.
Imagine if the young girl in the Errol Webster case had no recorded him? That would be fake news too right?
We are so sure it would be. We are a country capable of ignoring victims and believing perpetrators against all odds.
CMR doesn't entertain fake news we rely on sources and seek to verify where possible. At the same time if an allegation is being made we will make it clear it's just that – an allegation.
Peddling in fake news undermines precisely what we are attempting to achieve and does not benefit us in any way. We can assure the public that would never be our intent – not for all the likes and follows in the world.
We will continue to air the stories no one else wants to take mainstream in homes of highlighting the real issues in this country.
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