St. Vincent and the Grenadines is witnessing a major crisis at one of its longest-running printed publications, The News, as the newspaper faces a series of legal battles, financial instability, and allegations of managerial misconduct.
The situation has escalated to the point where former employees, owed significant sums in outstanding salaries, have sought intervention from the Labor Department. After attempts by the department to have the newspaper fulfill its financial obligations proved futile, the matter is now headed to court, with legal action expected to begin next month.
The financial health of the publication appears so dire that internal sources report workers have had to personally bail out the company to keep it operational. In multiple instances, employees, including those at the lower end of the pay scale, have loaned the company thousands of dollars to cover the costs of printing. Despite these personal sacrifices, many staff members have gone months without being paid.
Beyond salary disputes, the newspaper is embroiled in a management and shareholder conflict. Bernard Joseph, who currently acts as managing director and editor, has reportedly established a new company to manage the affairs of The News. There are also claims that the company was struck off the official records years ago and required a significant payment to be reinstated.
The sources also reveal troubling allegations regarding the newspaper’s circulation saying that it had fallen so badly that they were printing 3,000 copies but only circulating 500 copies, sometimes slightly above. On some occasions only 500 papers arrived on time by air and the balance came by air. On occasions, the balance came the following week. To this end, government and private sector advertisers were not getting proper or expected mileage.
Things turned for the worse when the printing was halted again this year because of lack of available funds. The paper was being distributed in digital format, but some advertisers were not aware until sometime after when they complained and were told the printing was suspended and it was available in digital format. As a result of what was happening, some advertisers canceled their advertisements.
The human cost of the mismanagement has been significant. Long-term employees with over 30 years of service have reportedly left without receiving any severance or benefits, while others were fired unceremoniously.
In one instance, two individuals from a government on-site program were reportedly ordered out of the office by the managing director Bernard Joseph based on claims of collusion with a former manager.
Perhaps most tragic is the account regarding former managing director Shelley Clarke who used his personal money for company business. Clarke was owed payments due to him and sought a cheque with a significant amount and was refused by one of the shareholder. Clarke suffered from a heart condition and passed away before receiving the money owed to him.
As the newspaper’s physical presence deteriorates, with signs at its old building bleaching in the sun, the future of the publication remains uncertain. With investors reportedly expected and the legal system now involved, the upcoming court proceedings may determine whether this storied institution can survive its current state of turmoil.
