BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) system is universally used for the passage of information between individuals or among groups of people. It is the almost perfect channel in communicating sensitive information that the originator wants to be kept as safe as possible.
However, misuse of this system can lead to widespread chaos and even untold grief.
Not only is this system being used by business persons to convey deals and arrangements in a timely manner, but also by criminals in their planning and execution of illegal activities, such as contract killing.
It is said that in careless hands, the BBM system is a very dangerous weapon.
Evidence of this belief lies in the blame cast upon BlackBerry users for helping to organise the recent London riots.
In St. Kitts, careless hands had media operatives making numerous calls to the police and driving around the island in search of dead bodies.
Some reporters even went to the Joseph N France General Hospital in an attempt to confirm the contents of a message which reads, “Big accident in the country four bus turn over everybody dead. People is a car accident in Lodge claim four lives.”
When contacted, Head of the Traffic Department, Inspector Cromwell Henry however said that no such incident occurred and declared that he also saw the message on his BlackBerry.
He shortly thereafter issued a press release, which reads, “The Traffic Department wishes to dispel rumours that there was a fatal traffic accident involving four passenger buses in the country area.
“There was no report of such accident at any of the Police Stations around the island. We are therefore dismissing this as a false and malicious rumour and ask that persons refrain from circulating unconfirmed reports, as they cause unnecessary anxiety in the public.”
This is not the first time that media operatives have been on a wild goose chase orchestrated by some recalcitrant.
Two days ago, a circulated message stated that a certain bus driver was caught in a compromising position with a purportedly gay person. Minutes after its posting, another message was circulated, stating that another bus driver may have had relations with another purportedly gay person.
A final message in this war of allegations indicated that the previous messages were false. However, names were mentioned and this may definitely produce stigma.
