A Weather Channel meteorologist is coming under major scrutiny for a controversial remark during a live weather report, Raw Story reports.
While discussing the impact of Hurricane Matthew, which made landfall on Haiti early Tuesday morning (Oct. 4), meteorologist Jennifer Delgado panned to a look at the Caribbean country’s deforestation, which she states might pose a threat to the island more than their neighbors of the Dominican Republic.
“They take all the trees down, they burn the trees,” Delgado states before blurting out a comment that has native Haitians calling for her resignation. “Even the kids there, they’re so hungry they actually eat the trees.”
SHAME ON YOU !! Jennifer Delgado and #Weather #Channel, Deeply disturbed by your reporting THAT HAITIAN CHILDREN… https://t.co/a0ISV1g1V2
— Laurent Lamothe (@LaurentLamothe) October 4, 2016
Deeply disturbed by Jennifer Delgado & @weatherchannel reporting THAT HAITIAN CHILDREN are eating TREES! Are you serious guys? #ShameOnYou
— Fernando ESTIME (@fernandoestime) October 4, 2016
@weatherchannel I really lost respect for your network for that stupid and false comment that was said by Jennifer Delgado
— Vida Aime (@Vida21) October 4, 2016
“They’re so hungry they actually eat the tree” Seriously how can you be so ignorant. @jenniferDelgado
— jennanwelaw (@JenloveJulien) October 4, 2016
@weatherchannel Where the heck This lady named Jennifer Delgado find this bs info about Haiti. She needs to apologize to the people of Haiti
— Alain Bichotte (@widemanuel) October 4, 2016
@weatherchannel your news anchor Jennifer Delgado was very unprofessional speaking about Haiti. She needs to be fired immediately
— HunniiBre (@HunniiBre) October 4, 2016
Dear #jenniferDelgado, I grew up in Haiti and I never ate trees. You can see them in this photo. #youshouldapologize #HURRICANEMATTHEW pic.twitter.com/NRUU0af4WR
— Jean Paul Laurent (@iamjpnyc) October 4, 2016
Since then, an apology has been issued by the Weather Channel’s president, David Clark after a viewer expressed her disdain on social media. “We are terribly sorry for an on air error and are taking measures to correct it,” he said in an email to the viewer.
Proud of mom for getting @weatherchannel to apologize after @JenDelgadoTWC said ON AIR that Haiti’s deforestation is bc ppl eat the trees😡 pic.twitter.com/DIW9FqMPQ5
— Leah-Catherine (@Exxperiment_626) October 4, 2016
The deforestation could be attributed to cutting down the trees for fuel in order to cook food. Efforts have been made to plant certain areas of Haiti with trees in order to replenish the land.
View the entire clip below.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=JZbRIcYqL5o