Insensitive, tasteless headline

THE Editor, Sir

I write to express my disgust at the blaring front-page headline of your newspaper dated Tuesday, June 12. The headline read 'It might be Trini's'. This headline was a reference to the possibility of a charred body found in St James being that of a missing Trinidadian female.

In this context, the use of the raw opening word 'it' in reference to the possible body of someone's mother, daughter or sister was heartless.

Gutter journalism

To add insult to injury, there was also the inappropriateness in the headline of the word 'Trini', a colloquial reference to the possibility that the body might be 'Trini's'. This colloquialism has its place in banter but had no place in a headline, front page or not, dealing with the solemnity of this issue.

In my view, these two references in your short headline amount to gutter journalism. As one of the country's leading newspapers, you have demeaned your newspaper and the country itself.

Please acknowledge your error and apologise.

Norman Davis

normanadavis@yahoo.com