2,200 Sign Petition To Support Dr. Carika Weldon
[Updated] An online petition to show support Dr. Carika Weldon has been launched, with the petition attaining just over 2,200 signatures as of this writing.
Dr Weldon, who returned home from the UK in order to assist, has played a key role in the island’s Covid-19 testing regime, and the petition urges people to “please show your support for Dr. Carika Weldon and all that she has done for her country.”
The petition, which is listed as started by David Burch, said: “Dr. Weldon chose to come home to Bermuda to help her fellow citizens in time of crisis, at no cost to the Government. She has received the highest designation possible, a Fellowship from Oxford University which apparently is not enough for the nay-sayers.
“Her credentials and character have been unjustly and repeatedly called into question by many. While she is more than qualified, she has faced unconscionable scrutiny and for all the wrong reasons. She has worked so hard to obtain all of her academic achievements, having obtained a PhD in Biochemistry. She is involved in various areas of research and is also a lecturer in Biomedical Science at a leading University in the UK.
“This has to stop! We must embrace and lift up our young scholars and support them. Women should encourage each other, not discourage, not tear down but we should celebrate their successes and achievements! This young black woman should be applauded for what she has accomplished at such an early stage of her career and we should be excitedly anticipating what she will do next, as she has only just begun.
“So, please show your support for Dr. Carika Weldon and all that she has done for her country, and let her know there are more people in this country that support her. So, sign this petition!”
You can access the petition here.
Update: Minister David Burch asked people to sign this petition late last night in the House, we are extracting the audio now and will update with his comments later tonight.
Minister Burch said Dr Weldon has been subject to “disgraceful and malicious treatment” and asked people to “cease and desist”.
Update 10.11pm: Audio of Minister Burch’s comments
Still have not figured out why there are 4 tests for arrivals over 14 days. One would think that 2 would be good enough.
Also where are yesterday’s (Friday’s) results???
Soooo signing a petition is going to?
To show that she has support of her professional endevor and let the haters and naysayers know that she is MORE then qualified to speak on behalf of our population about covid19.
Go suck an egg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyone turning up from overseas, doing a pop up lab given the COVID 19 circumstances, would be questioned on their credentials. Nothing to do with, male , female or anything else. Perhaps I should set up one, If credentials And experience are not important.
Is attaining a BSc, MSc and PbD in Biomedical Sciene plus reasearch,laboratory experience and an interest in keeping her fellow Bermudians COVID free not enough?
Why do you think she would be offerring her services if it was not for her level of committment and the fact that she has the knowledge and qualification to assist.
Background checks are part and parcel of any hire and most certainly should be when it relates to our health in a crisis. Things like, what experience, Have you obtained licenses and certifications to use the equipment, set up a lab to stringent requirement..
I’m not saying that she hasn’t, doesn’t or otherwise didn’t. I’m saying it is standard for all who are hired, and especially Important In my opinion all that are hired in a medical capacity.
Would you want to discover a surgeon at the hospital that loses 9 out of 10 patients and was terminated overseas because the hiring person took credentials as everything in isolation.
Answer me this, Burch said she was paid zero dollars, how was she paid, , who bought the equipment, is a company paid, who owns that company, because if someone is benefitting financially by exploiting this women for no pay, then that is disgusting. Are you not angered by that, because I am.
Why is this necessary.. not sure I understand who is apparently not supporting Dr. Weldon and why?
According to Burch it’s angry black women, jealous of her.
But he also said “May I also state that there are work permit holders who have been both nasty and disrespectful to Dr Weldon. There is no foreigner who should think they have licence to disrespect Bermudians. They are guest workers in this country and they should act like it.“
And “The first person who questioned her credentials was a white man, less qualified than her, but simply exercising his white privilege to question the qualifications of any black.”
He also said, the creepiest quote : “I adopted her and told her parents I had done so.I told her that she is now my daughter.“
It’s a creepy story. I seriously wonder if Burch has all his marbles.
Who adopts someone without permission? Only someone who is lonely or loopy! Time to retire and go away quietly into the night! Be careful who you threaten as they may be the ones who have to care for you later in life!
Col Burch: Do not go gently into that great night. Rage on and on and on. Thank you for your service.
Yeah, Burch is peculiar isn’t he? Quite odd.
Why is he ord because he speaks his mind and doesn’t care what people say. Say what needs to be said Col Burch.
So you dont understand our culture, its normal for us to take someone under our wings.
Its called communal mentorship, and it also normal ( especially in Bermuda) for Black Professionals, Politician or Leader to get backlash when they are not towing de line of de status quo.
Get over it times have changed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With your overactive and fertile imagination constantly in overdrive we can always count on you to come up with anything off the wall as long as it jibes with your agenda.
Would you , perhaps , like to comment on the supposed ‘fact’ that despite already having another lab capable of doing (and actually doing) these tests our government (of de people for de people , you know ‘this government’) would let her work for free ? Do you believe that for a nanosecond ?
And I’m NOT questioning her qualifications at all , I happen to think she’s brilliant and a wonderful individual.
Burch is the status quo. He’s been creepy in power for 18 of the last 22 years.
Give it a break, he is speaking figuratively. You can’t officially adopt someone over 18 years old. So there is nothing creepy about it. He might have said something like,’I have taken her under my wing to fight in her corner’
That would have sounded better.
to the young lady DR CARIKA WELDON your parents are very proud of you have done a wonderful job for your home country so let them talk your family and BERMUDA are very proud of you GOD HAS PLACE YOU HERE FOR reason trust HIM HE will guide you in every thing you want to do
Sorry, so you are saying God introduced coronavirus, killed a huge number of people globally, including people here so this talented individual could be in Bermuda. Am sorry, but that is messed up thinking. God kills people, so an individual can run lab tests. Really!
I’m more concerned that this woman may have been exploited by unscrupulous individuals for zero dollars pay.
A zero dollar contract is a zero dollar contract! She knew what she was getting herself into so can’t go claiming compensation after the fact!
So she is being exploited is what you are saying. Who is the exploiter, who is making the money as the services are not being done for free.
Does not matter! A $0 contract is a $0 contract! No news here!
Who is complaining? I haven’t seen anything negative directed at her .
So if a tree falls in a forest and there is no one around to heae it, does it make a sound?
The tree that fell was her being paid zero dollars!!!! If that is the case, she is receiving money through owning a business or she is being exploited. She would have to had acquired the equipment somehow, that costs money. So who paid for it. Either she being exploited or our perception of a situation Is being exploited by Burch. I would like to know. If it is the latter, then Burch ought to be ashamed.
Ya, like Bob said ” de Airport will cost us NOTHING”
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The PLP said they had a plan!
Bermuda really is another world. If Dr. Weldon was white and in possession of such high qualifications she would be accepted with open arms. We complain about our young black people on a daily basis, saying that they don’t try to get qualified. When they do get qualified and return to their own country they are brushed aside. I am not saying that only white people reject them, black people are just as bad. Some of us hate to see each other progress.
Why a Petition
Petitions aren’t used for this
a formal written request, typically one signed by many people, appealing to authority with respect to a particular cause.
“she was asked to sign a petition against plans to build on the local playing fields”
make or present a formal request to (an authority) with respect to a particular cause.
“Americans who moved west petitioned Congress for admission to the Union as states”
Who is this Petition going to
PLP trying to convince us that these fake petitions actually mean something or justify their actions! Petitions are not accurate and are routinely subject to fake votes! Stop believing what these are telling you! Liars all!
What an amazing, wonderful feeling for Dr. Weldon. She returned to her country weeks ago to support COVID19′s appropriate measures in irradicating that deadly disease from Bermuda’s shores. Of course, we all should support her in money efforts too!!
Dr. Weldon, so proud of you as a black woman, an educated black woman, coming back to your homeland to assist and support from a medical perspective.Do continue on in your medical work.
Thank you!!Thank you, for returning to Bermuda to support your people, medically!
This is a disturbing trend in Bermuda, the non-acceptance of our qualified talent returning home and being rejected or subjected to boundless red tape to work in an area for which they are qualified to work in much bigger ponds elsewhere. I have witnessed personally the returning interviewee being more qualified that the interviewer and of course being subjected to grief. Can we get over this crabs in a barrel syndrome?
What the heck is happening on this island? We are criticising people for their academic backgrounds, we are criticising people for the colour of their skin, we are having to listen to people in power spew hate amongst the community. What next, we are becoming a load of weird people who are consumed by gossip and hatred. The quidnunc society disease is rampant in Bermuda.
It appears to be a big secret what she is being criticized for – by one white man and black women, says Mr. Burch.
Hearing the swats at MOH officials made me pause from signing this position. Having worked with these officials on many occasions I can truly say they are world-clas, make evidence-based decisions, and support standards but they are often overruled by Ministers and majority opinion. I’m also very familiar with politicians circumventing standard protocol to fast-track experts. I’m very grateful that Dr. Weldon has sacrificed her time and profession from Oxford to assist us at home. However, I certainly believe it should be in tandem with local officials. My advice to Dr. Weldon is not to align your career with political individuals. It will be a disservice to you and the profession. Health and politics should not mix. Instead, work to partner with other health professionals outside of the limelight. Let them speak for you, not politicians.
@ Ellen G. I agree 100%
In my mind I think Dr. Weldon is a very aware of her job and what she is doing. I heard her speak on Local Network and to me she knew her stuff. People are wrong to judge her as she’s been here from the beginning and has supported her Bermuda and gave it her best to find tests that take less time for results to be given back to the people. I support her!
Dr. Babara Ball got disrespected by de same spirit these people are portraying.
Same S#!+ different day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are talking nonsense, again. Nothing to do with this story. More time on your hands to post again since the recent change in your life.
I have great respect for Dr Carika Weldon, and I sincerely thank her for her unselfish services to Bermuda during this Covid-19 challenge. We are indeed fortunate that she was willing to bring her expertise to the Island and use her many qualifications to assist her countryfolk at such a strategic time. THANK YOU DR WELDON – and best personal regards.
Those that have an issue with the doctor, please be aware that you have the option of going to America to get a test done! I hear Florida is nice this time of year!
Same old story! Bermudians are seen as not adequate in their own backyard yet we can perform on the global stage?! I had to leave bermuda years ago to make my fortune because I was the wrong color (not black) and the son of a certain mother or father that the community did not favor! But at no time did a minister threaten others over me? But again I am not black so…
“Her credentials and character have been unjustly and repeatedly called into question by many. While she is more than qualified, she has faced unconscionable scrutiny and for all the wrong reasons.”
That is very cryptic. Who has called her character into question and why? Is it the colour of her skin or something else?
As for calling her credentials into question, surely that is a matter for the appropriate processional licencing body in Bermuda. Is the Minister trying influence that processional licencing body?
Dr. Weldon: What your detractors think or say about you is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!