Starcom Network Inc. on Monday insisted that the dismissal of programme manager Ronnie De Announcer Clarke was unrelated to his performance of a controversial calypso at this year’s Pic-O-De-Crop competition, stating instead that the decision followed a formal disciplinary process on internal company matters.
Though not going into detail, Starcom’s general manager, Anthony Greene, indicated that while the public may be linking Clarke’s termination directly to the controversial National Carol Festival calypso he performed at the Pic-o-De-Crop competition this year, it had more to do with his role at the company.
He said: “We acknowledge the public’s interest surrounding a calypso performed by Mr Clarke during this year’s competition, but make it clear that the decision to end its relationship was in respect of matters of concern relating to Mr Clarke’s performance of his role in the organisation.
“We take this opportunity to thank Mr Clarke for his 25 years of service and acknowledge the contributions he made during his tenure at Starcom Network.”
The company also “places on the public record that, following the conclusion of a formal disciplinary process, it has ended its relationship with its Programme Manager, Ronald Clarke, effective [last Friday]”, Greene said.
The “disciplinary process was engaged with Mr Clarke in pursuance of the company’s internal protocols, national labour laws, and conducted by lawyers on both sides”, he added.
On Monday, Clarke met with the Labour Department to present his case to the Chief Labour Officer.
The popular broadcaster and veteran calypsonian who, according to his termination letter, was dismissed for “serious misconduct”, outlined his side of the matter during a one-and-a-half hour meeting with Labour Department officials.
He told Barbados TODAY he is to revert to the Labour Department after he concludes his appeal against his former employer’s decision to dismiss him.
He has until Friday to lodge that appeal with Starcom.
Clarke’s attorney, Hal Gollop, has also written to the Labour Department on the matter and expressed confidence that the radio network’s management will have the documented appeal before the deadline.
The calypsonian has announced plans to address the public at a freedom of expression march on Saturday and reveal fresh details.
The venue and time of the march are to be confirmed.
Clarke’s termination letter, dated last Friday and signed by Noel Wood, chief executive officer of the parent company, the Nation Group, stated that the “misconduct” related to comments he made on the regular Marcia Weekes Show streamed on YouTube on July 16.
His remarks referred to Starcom’s objection to his performing his controversial hit calypso National Carol Festival in the Pic-O-De-Crop competition.
The company identified three of the seven statements made during the broadcast as breaches of Starcom’s Policies and Procedures Manual. The letter stated: “The statements were made in relation to Starcom Network Inc. and in a public forum, are false and malicious, and obviously and significantly detrimental to the best interests of Starcom Network in so far as they are disparaging, undermine the credibility [of] and directly attack the company.”
One of Clarke’s offending statements cited was: “‘We have this fear of addressing what they call the elephant in the room… when you are in an arena, transparency and fact are an expectation of the people that support you, whether they listen to you, whether they spend money with you, whether they work for you. It’s hard to be in a situation where you see that is not being delivered.’” (EJ)
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