Disgraceful. They not even trying to make a statement about careless driving. Pigs
How can you speak to the mindset of the editor (or whomever it is that approved the use of the picture)?
I late to the discussion but I agree with JDB and Fishs... unfortunately this is indeed news, it's very upsetting news... but in a vaille qui vaille society like Trinidad this is precisely the kind of shock to the senses that the population needs.
That said... they opening deyself up to a nice IIED suit.
Using an image like this as an addendum to a news report where only factual information is supposed to be presented is hopelessly misguided and certainly not some great service to the country. After all, how can you, Fishs, and JDB speak to the mindset of the editor or person who approved the use of the image?
The gravity of this picture demands it be balanced by a thoughtful, throughly prepared and respectfully presented editorial, so the family does not have to go relive hell twice. Instead we get a half-assed news report that ‘mentions’ the little girl was not wearing a seat belt or strapped into a child seat with a grab-shot of this child catspraddle on the grass, offered up as some moral lesson for the good of the country? If it was your children or your little nieces or nephews lying there would you still share the same opinion?
I understand the point that you all are trying to get across to us. But this idea of shocking people into changing their attitudes has rarely if ever worked in T&T. And if this was the case here, it was a cheap, callous and unworthy attempt. That could never substitute for the kind of individual and collective WORK needed to bring about changes in the attitudes of people in this place. And that is my opinion of the mindset of the people responsible for this...lazy at best...pure greed at worst.
That is your opinion and I respect it, however we see images of the horror of war, natural disasters and crime served to us on a daily basis by the big networks and we accept that.
The baby's life was taken because of the ignorance of adults and this picture may save at least one more from suffering the same fate.
My mother-in -law insists on taking her very young grand children with her in the car with them sitting next to her in the back seat , I bought 3 car seats to fix that.
She was not very appreciative but whenever I'm around would make sure they are fully strapped in. As soon as she has them to herself it's back to the old lazy habit.
I worked out that they think it is too much of a bother to use the car seat for the short trips to church or super market, and of course since these are the more regular trips the same complacent attitude exsists for the longer journeys.
I am using this article to drive home the reality to her.
As I said if this baby's picture saves one innocent life then it was worth it.
Finally for the life of me I cannot see why it's the goverment at fault here, you have a duty of care to your children when they are in your control , how on earth can you leglislate against stupidity ?