Carib Beer must go beyond public apology for ad

Dear Editor, The Caribbean Voice (TCV) (www.caribvoice.org) joins with other NGOs and Women’s Rights Organizations in calling upon Carib Beer to go beyond a public apology in expressing their contrition for the awful ad that was both offensive and insensitive to women and gender based violence victims and activists in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean.

We call upon Carib Beer and all companies regionally to take steps to sensitize all staff about gender based violence. In the context of Guyana TCV has already held sensitization workshops with a few companies while a number of others have also requested such workshops. We also call upon Carib Beer to concretely support the efforts of activists regionally to address gender-based violence via support of training and sensitization efforts.

In this latter regard Carib Beer should consider coming on board the Annual Anti-Violence Candlelight Vigil, which focuses on various forms of violence including domestic violence and related issues such as suicide, sexual abuse, child abuse and elderly abuse and which does not require any significant financial layout. Set for September 9 this year, this vigil is on the verge of becoming a regionwide event with St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago coming on board this year and plans on stream to reach out to other Caribbean nations to join in from next year. Details of this vigil are available here - http://caribvoice.org/voicesagainst-violence.html - and we can be reached at caribvoice@aol.com or via our Domestic Violence Outreach Coordinator, Livasti Bhooplall, at 644-5901. Yours faithfully, Annan Boodram The Caribbean Voice