by Linda Straker
- Party reviewed broadcast news items and confirmed that most media outlets did not feature the site
- La Crette received permission from property owner, but did not say what production was about
- La Crette complied with retraction, apology and statement of clarification request
Jonathan La Crette, political leader of the recently launched People’s National Party (PNP), has confirmed that the party has removed its launch video from social media and other platforms due to the use of private unauthorised historical imagery in the production.
“We did the soft launch on Sunday, 2 June and on Monday, 3 June, I received a letter from a law firm requesting that I apologise, retract and clarify the video by 5 June or face legal remedies including an injunction and claim for damages,” said La Crette.
Claiming that he had received permission from the owner of the property, but did not tell the owner what the production was about, La Crette said that he was shocked to receive the letter, which also demanded financial compensation.
“I am complying with the retraction, apology and statement of clarification request and have published the apology. I posted the apology on the page used to publish the video for the soft launch. I have also written back to the law firm, and that is where the matter stands now,” he said.
In his statement of clarification/apology, which was posted on the social media page on 5 June, La Crette said that he and his party view the Beausejour Great House site, which is in the opening footage of the video, as a historical and cultural landmark that has embodied centuries of resilience, vision and continuity.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to upholding community values and preserving Grenada’s cultural heritage, we would like to clarify recent concerns regarding the brief inclusion of imagery depicting the Beausejour Great House and its surroundings in a publicly shared media clip,” said the statement.
“The Beausejour Great House is a site of immense historical and cultural significance. Its legacy embodies centuries of resilience, vision and continuity. We deeply respect the importance of preserving such landmarks and fully acknowledge the sensitivity surrounding their representation in the public medium,” the statement said.
The apology noted, “It is important to note that the use of limited imagery was based on the understanding that visual access had been granted as part of a production that will initially feature brief historical content.”
“Out of caution, and with full respect for the estate’s symbolic and cultural significance, the footage has since been voluntarily removed from all public platforms where it was initially shared. Efforts are currently underway to ensure that the final version of the media reflects only appropriate and agreed-upon content,” said the clarification statement.
La Crette said that the party had also reviewed broadcast news items and confirmed that most media outlets did not feature the site. “In instances where brief aerial imagery may have appeared, specifically in one case, a request for retraction has been formally issued,” said the statement which said that the PNP remains committed to honouring Grenada’s treasured historical sites and ensuring that any future use of such imagery aligns with shared values, respect and mutual understanding.
La Crette said that the launch video was not used for commercial or profit and will be edited so that the new final production will not show the Beausejour Great House and its surroundings.