Administrative Error? Opposition Issues Apology After Social Media Exposes Plagiarized Statement
The Opposition found itself in a hiccup on Saturday, after it was revealed that a congratulatory statement issued by leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar to US President-elect Joe Biden, had apparently been copied from a UK politician.
The statement appeared on Persad Bissessar’s official page on Facebook Saturday afternoon.
However moments later, social media users began sharing the original post- shared by leader of the Opposition Labour Party in the UK, Keir Starmer.
The post was then amended on Persad-Bissessar’s page, before being taken down completely.
An apology, signed by an administrator of the page, was posted some hours later.
“Today we experienced an administrative error. We apologise for this mistake and have since taken steps to ensure this does not reoccur. Apologies extended to Sir Keir Starmer. (Administrator)” the post read.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister, Dr. Amery Browne, was among those condemning the incident.
“Pungent plagiarism whilst talking about ‘decency and integrity’,” Dr. Browne said in a post to his personal Facebook page.