An open letter to Mr Douglas DeFreitas from Mr Edgar Branch

Dear Mr De Freitas,

I was taught in school that there are several things that come not back. One of them is the spoken word. In that case you are unable to retrieve the scandalous remarks you have levelled against me on your “NICE” radio broadcasts. More so, as I am convinced that you and others like you constitute a gullible public.{{more}}

Let me seek to clear the air regarding the encounter in which you have involved me. I do so in order that right-minded people would come to their own conclusion, and accuse you of scandalmongering.

I was walking across the area of the former Barclays Bank. This was during the news about the tsunami and Kick-em-Jenny. I was, of course, minding my own business.

You were standing on the sidewalk with your cell phone to your ear. I noticed that there were three women standing there with you.

When you called to me to come, the first thought I had was that you were on to some news regarding the tsunami and Kick-em-Jenny.

I was completely at a loss when I drew near and you beckoned to one of the women to tell me her story. The woman began to make allegations that the Prime Minister had attempted to rape her and that he had squeezed her breast. I stayed long enough to enquire of the woman if anyone else was there I further said to her that such an accusation needed verification. No more said.

On leaving the scene, I heard when you declared: “You see they does back him.”

Following the encounter, a few days later, I was at Courts when you passed. I called to you and I said, “Dougie, please don’t involve me in your mess again.” You will recall that I followed that statement by raising the question that if someone were to report to you that Edgar Branch killed someone down the road, will you first run with it and broadcast it? You remarked that I was stifling my conscience.

The question to you is this: How did you expect me to respond to the woman’s accusation? Should I have turned to you and said: “Holy Father, that is true.”

Since those two encounters I have waved to you at the Post Office.

Based on the foregoing truthful account of what transpired during those brief encounters between us, what sin have you laid to my charge, so that you have taken the liberty to scandalize my name on your broadcasts, tarnishing my character, even to the point of referring to me as being worthless and questioning my Christianity. You have gone further by terrorizing me on the NDP political platform.

What do you hope to gain by this? And I am challenging you to refute what I have written.

A brief word on your broadcast – “Breakfast with God”.

“You are serving up a cup of contention and a plate of venom,” which borders of self-righteousness. Permit me to let you know what my “Breakfast with God” involves. It might do you and your listening audience well to adopt. It goes like this:

Six questions with which I should confront myself with daily as to whether what I am doing is pleasing to a just and good God.

1. Does it violate any principles in the scripture?

2. Does it make me keen towards God?

3. Does it provide a stumbling block to anyone?

4. Am I providing for the feast and not the spent?

5. Can I ask God’s blessing on what I am doing?

6. Am I standing up for my conviction?

Despite the foregoing, I must sign off as

Disgustingly yours

PS: I’m not the Pastor of the Kingstown Evangelical Church.