Editor,
Just a note to tell you that the continued dialogue being driven by the Cockayne family in your newspaper is becoming tedious and self-serving. While all decent people are outraged by the murder and suffering of this young man and his family, I don’t think that giving these letters a constant forum each issue is in the best interests of your newspaper.
I, for one, do not want to continue reading about this except as news whenever an update is appropriate. The family’s letters are understandably emotionally charged, and thus serve no purpose as news and are endlessly repetitious. Those of us who read your newspaper understand what they are trying to accomplish. However, many citizens of St. John, myself among them, have lobbied long and hard for many years to try to improve public safety on our small island, sometimes with success, sometimes not.
The Cockaynes, who originally said that they didn’t blame St. Johnians for what happened to their son, nevertheless by trying to impact tourism in picturing the island as a crime-ridden, dangerous place, are injuring innocent working people. The Cockaynes are welcome to their opinion, but propagating it ad infinitum is just unfair and damaging to the very people from whom they would like to get support.
I respectfully ask that you withhold my name from publication because I fear reprisals from the Cockayne family and friends.
