KREM’s Marisol Amaya Menaced by “Yellow Man”, Press Plans Complaint

There is another incident on what is an attack on the media. Sergeant-At-Arms of the House of Representatives, Brian “Yellow Man” Audinett, was a member of the gallery at Wednesday’s Senate Special Select Committee public hearings in the National Assembly chamber. But he became part of the news when he, Allan Kelly, and Chairman of the United Democratic Party Alberto August, among others, began shouting imprecation s at Committee member Senator Eamon Courtenay, prompting Chairman Aldo Salazar to ask police to remove at least one of them. Their defiance grew to the point that the meeting had to be suspended briefly. During the break, Chairman Salazar met with the group to ask them to tone things down. It was captured by KREM News editor Marisol Amaya on her cell phone camera, and not taking kindly to it, Yellowman came after her. News Five’s Aaron Humes tells and shows us what happened next and what the press plans to do about it.

Aaron Humes, Reporting

General Manager of KREM Television, Nuri Muhammad, has written to the officer commanding Belmopan Police, Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett, about Wednesday’s events in the National Assembly, as they concern KREM News editor Marisol Amaya. She told us her one hundred and eighteen second video, capturing what transpired in the lobby of the National Assembly, speaks for itself. At the start, she addresses U.D.P. chairman, Alberto August, who was headed back upstairs to the main gallery which he and others had just walked out of when the Senate hearing was suspended.

Alberto August

Voice of: Marisol Amaya, Editor/Reporter, KREM

“Sir, why are you guys here causing problems and disrupting the…”

Alberto August, U.D.P. Chairman

“No, we are concerned about the national interest, that’s all we are concerned about.”

August continues upstairs, brushing off attempts by Amaya and Amandala journalist Micah Goodin to ask follow-up questions. The video shifts focus to Select Committee chair Aldo Salazar standing at the entrance to the lobby, where he is seen talking to the men who had just disrupted the Senate hearing. Moments later, Brian “Yellow Man” Audinett emerges from behind Chairman Salazar, having spied Amaya’s phone. He turns back to address his colleagues, then briefly speaks to Chairman Salazar after which he approaches Amaya. This is what happened next.

Brian “Yellow Man”Audinett, Sergeant-at-Arms, National Assembly

“Why you like video people, that’s what cause me to broke people phone and so.”

Voice of: Marisol Amaya

“You can try with mine.”

Brian "Yellow Man" Audinett

Brian Audinett

“Try with yours? I won’t try with your phone girl. You see that, it will get grab and I will stone it on the ground. (Grabs phone). This is what I tell you about, you frighten, your heart jump.”

Voice of: Marisol Amaya

“I never would have been frightened but…”

Brian Audinett

“I neva mi wah do you that, but your heart jump.”

Voice of: Marisol Amaya

“But that could actually be construed as assault as a matter of fact….”

Brian Audinett

“Assault? Weh assault? Atta me neva knock you?”

Voice of: Marisol Amaya

“Because you’ve taken my personal equipment.”

Calling Amaya ‘duncey’, Yellow Man retreats inside the office, later returning upstairs. August and others were heard at the end of the hearing promising to return next week to continue their harassment of Courtenay until he withdraws from the hearing, which Courtenay has said will not happen. Chairman Salazar admits that police presence at the hearing, which was high in anticipation of Elvin Penner’s first appearance on May tenth, was not at the same level this time.

Aldo Salazar

Aldo Salazar, Chair, Senate Special Select Committee

“Our police presence here is not which we would [have] to deal with a situation like that; it’s really trying to manage with what we have; today, that was the best way we could manage it – in the future, we will have to see how we can address it more appropriately with additional people for the Police because I really [felt] we didn’t have enough persons here today if we got into a situation where the people became more abusive or more hostile towards us.”

Reporter

“Sir, members of the media were attacked by these men; they were very abusive.”

Aldo Salazar, Chair, Senate Special Select Committee

“Is that a question?”

Reporter

“You’re aware that one of the men hurled, I think it was a pen, at one of the cameraman.  That’s a direct attack, it was caught on tape. Do you consider that that individual who did so should be disallowed from returning to these sittings?”

Aldo Salazar

“I didn’t see it; I didn’t see it, but if what you are saying is true, that is indeed reprehensible. But I didn’t see it. So, yes, anybody who did that – anybody who hurls anything at anybody, not just a member of the media – but anybody who conducts themselves in that manner should not be allowed to come back.”

The press has taken Chairman Salazar at his word, and is presently organizing to write a statement indicating that we would not like ‘Yellow Man’ to return to any future Senate hearing. Aaron Humes reporting for News Five.

A statement issued from Amaya this afternoon states that, “We are advised by police that a charge can be brought for threat of damage to property and common assault.” She will also file a police report for future reference. Meanwhile, Plus TV cameraman Cirilo Choco has filed a police report for future reference in relation to being assaulted with a pen, but has not requested court action for assault.