https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZbRIcYqL5o
The Weather Channel is apologizing after being bombarded with waves of criticism. The source of the understandable ire happens to be a meteorologist who was covering Hurricane Matthew’s then-pending destruction in the Caribbean. She somehow attributed Haiti’s deforestation to the island nation’s “hungry” children.
On Monday, TWC’s Jennifer Delgado said Hurricane Matthew’s impact on Haiti could potentially be more severe than neighbor Dominican Republic because of Haiti’s big deforestation issue. “They take all the trees down, then burn the trees. Even the kids there, they’re so hungry, they actually eat the trees,” Delgado erroneously claimed.
Delgado’s uneducated comment received tons backlash on social media, with one viewer asking Delgado when she has ever seen children in Haiti eating trees. Former Haitian Prime Minister Lamothe Laurent took to Facebook to slam the meteorologist, writing, “SHAME ON YOU!! Deeply disturbed by your reporting that Haitian children are eating trees! Where did you get that info?”
Phedra Remarais also went on Facebook and slammed Delgado, but not without giving her a quick lesson on the real reason Haiti’s trees are being chopped down. “The trees are used as a source of energy in Haiti,” Remarisis wrote on the social networking site. “They are cut and turned into charcoal for cooking and heat.” Additionally, Remarais urged The Weather Channel to find “educated and knowledgeable” employees rather than “the very ignorant” Delgado. The scathing message made its way to TWC President David Clark who offered up an apology.
“We are terribly sorry for the on air error and are taking measures to correct it, it should not have happened. The team is very concerned about people of Haiti and we will do our utmost to serve the public there in our coverage.”
Delgado, however, has yet to issue an apology.
I'm certain Haitian children do not eat trees. I'm not certain what @JenDelgadoTWC's been eating. #haiti #HaitiMatthew
— [Peter James Hudson] (@darkfinance) October 4, 2016
Kids are eating trees in Haiti? Oh ok. Nice narrative.
— Cowboy Quira/Neptune 🇵🇸 (@OhhSugarYouKnow) October 4, 2016
One reporter dehumanized us by saying "Haitians are eating trees" after deforestation. WTF? They love to exploit us while we're down. #Haiti
— Wilkine Brutus (@wilkinebrutus) October 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/ZingExperience/status/783345015854657536
How many kids in Haiti have you seen eating trees, @JenDelgadoTWC? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/6bmXsXHqnF
— ᴅᴏʟʟᴀʀ (@DollarBeKnowing) October 4, 2016
@JenDelgadoTWC Did you really blame the deforestation of Haiti on the children eating trees? You are dangerous and ignorant woman.
— Melissa Malebranche (@MelMal422) October 4, 2016
Update: Jennifer Delgado has apologized to those offended by her original reporting.
(via Raw Story)