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Dear Sir,

On Thursday, February 4, 2010 The Royal Gazette published a story on their front page and page 2 relating to alleged apartment overcrowding of an apartment in North Street, Pembroke.

They claimed that the people overcrowding the apartment were 18 'foreigners' from Sri Lanka.

They further referenced that they lived near to the House of India and by reading the story, one would be given the impression that this restaurant had something to do with this overcrowding.

The owners of the restaurant contacted the newspaper and were told that the paper was going to publish a follow-up story and that they would make it perfectly clear that the House of India was not in any way connected.

They did publish a small paragraph in the 'For the Record' section the following day - Friday, February 5, 2010 stating that the owners had requested they make it clear that they had no connection to this overcrowded apartment.

In my opinion The Royal Gazette sensationalized this matter and by referencing the House of India has damaged this restaurant's reputation.

I have sent them two letters asking for them to be published so that their readers are in no way mistaken that the restaurant is not in any way connected to any of these 'alleged' overcrowders and would never condone this.

I am not surprised that they have chosen not to publish my letters or a follow-up story to clear up any ambiguity. They have chosen to let the story remain.

Would you not think that as this smear story was on the front page that the retraction or whatever they called the following day's paragraph should be published in the same place?

Now I understand why Premier Brown has issues with the daily paper - they write what they want to write and do not give a clear, 'unbiased' version.

Russell Matthews, Southampton[[In-content Ad]]

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