A Labour councillor from Rhymney has hit out at a recent BBC Wales programme for its portrayal of the area.
Cllr Carl Cuss said ‘The Only Thai Monk In The Village’, broadcast on BBC1 Wales on Monday night, was a “negative and an unbalanced view on the community of Rhymney”.
The documentary profiled Thai Monk Sawat and his experience of living in Rhymney in Wales’ only Thai Buddhist Temple.
The show described Sawat as living next to a “difficult” housing estate and depicted youths riding around the streets on motorbikes. It also interviewed residents who described some of the crime that is experienced in the community.
It also showed how there was an attempt to break into the temple and the subsequent security measures Sawat undertook including padlocks, alarms and CCTV.
In the programme he told film makers: “Meditation needs a lot of quiet and peace. When we have some problems, it makes us feel quite worried. Maybe it will be a problem in the future.”
But it is not the community recognised by Cllr Cuss, who represents the Twyn Carno ward.
He said: “I for one am bitterly disappointed about their experiences. However, the programme that was broadcast didn’t give Rhymney a good name.
“I have lived in Rhymney all my life and I really enjoy living and working here as the local councillor. After watching the programme made me quite unhappy on how they portrayed Rhymney, crime is everywhere not just in Rhymney.
“I know from speaking to the police that they have been pro-active to support the monks and to involve them to engage with the community and to go to the local school to give an insight to their religion. I understand that a very small minority may have caused trouble for the Monks but that programme gave a negative spin on the whole of Rhymney. It is a small minority not the majority.
“I read comments on Facebook and the community doesn’t seem too pleased with the broadcast.”
Cllr Cuss has contacted BBC Wales to file a complaint about the programme and has asked for an apology.
The documentary ends with Sawat, who has been in Rhymney since 2009, looking to relocate to Bridgend.
A BBC Wales spokeswoman said: “New Wales: The Only Thai Monk tells the story of Sawat, a Thai monk who came to Wales to spread his Buddhist teachings. The programme followed Sawat as he tried to settle in Wales and had no agenda other than to show what day-to-day life was like for him. The programme was not about the citizens of Rhymney generally nor was it designed to portray the town and its citizens in a negative light.
“Whilst acknowledging the work done by the community and the police to foster positive social cohesion, Sawat did unfortunately come across criminality, which resulted in him wanting to move. This is supported by other interviewees – which include the police and his solicitor.”
Well done Carl, BBC Wales is notorious in its negative coverage of everything it reports upon in its BBC Wales News programme at 6-30pm every weekday, and its no surprise to me that they would gladly broadcast such a programme that Carl described.
It appears that every story it covers in its news bulletins has a negative slant, it must be an Editorial decision by the senior management in BBC Wales to portray our country at every opportunity with such a biased negativity. I do hope that the Welsh Assembly Govt will look into this state of affairs and ask BBC Wales Governors why they adopt such tactics.
Hiya! Shwd y chi?
I dearly love Wales/Cymru and spent many happy years in Ceredigion before moving to Caerdydd where I was also shown much kindness, decency and genuine hospitality. Sadly circumstances dictated a return to Scotland in 2001 at which time I was residing in Abertawe/Swansea.
In my heart I consider Wales to be my 'home' and I will always regret that I did not put every effort into learning the Welsh language – not only would this linguistic education have undoubtedly enhanced my experience of Wales but also it might have reflected the fundamental respect I hold for Wales and the Welsh. Sadly, in my case, such 'wisdom' is the product of hindsight coupled with the more considered approach to life in general engendered by the aging process.
I do, however, have to admit that I too experienced quite a lot of undeserved resentment, even downright hostility, from an antisocial element whilst resident in West Glamorgan. I can, partially anyway, appreciate some of the difficulties and anxiety Sawat(the Buddhist monk from Thailand who featured in the BBC Wales documentary)has suffered. The vandalism and bullying presence of xenophobes is unfortunately not unique to Rhymney or south Wales but it does exist there.
Councillor Cuss would do better to stop living in denial and try to foster projects in Rhymney that will facilitate the education of people not just in basic tolerance but also in fundamental (although no longer 'common') courtesy. He should try to help his constituents respect and understand a philosophy and perspective that is based on compassion and expresses itself in caring action rather than in idle words alone.
At present, regardless of where one lives, there is dangerous, often nasty, hostility towards many faiths – from Islam to Christianity; from Protetants to R.C.s. and so on. Councillor Cuss would be better served in seeking to get to the roots of the problems sadly suffered by Sawat, the Buddhist monk, rather than dwelling on his own misguided and skewed interpretation of the programme. Possibly he could then do something practical to generate a more enlightened attitude amongst that (no doubt, small) proportion of Rhymney residents who have acted in an antisocial manner towards Sawat. This is not to say that the councillor is not a good and honourable public servant but just that in this case he could have adopted a more positive and productive approach rather than focusing on the minutiae.
I hope I have not offended in this criticism and that Wales will continue to extend a welcome to those who were not necessarily born there. It may just be words on a signpost but there are those who appreciate the "Croeso y Cymru" we pass by en route to our Welsh destinations.
With respect,
john
I write in response to John Covie. I would like to say that I totally disregard his comments on “living in denial and try to foster projects in Rhymney”. Can I just say I am not living in denial; we in Rhymney have developed many projects to try and improve the quality of life for people. I have been pushing for Communities First (a strategic programme to tackle deprivation in the most deprived areas in Wales) to be located in the Twyn Carno Ward, so we can then deliver projects in the Community of Twyn Carno and make a real impact on the issues that are affecting the people of Twyn Carno. Also, I have been working pro actively to get better play facilities for the young people for the Twyn Carno Ward and working with the local tenants and residents association to work on and solve the issues in the ward. I have organized Police & Councillor Street Surgeries so that means we are out and about on a regular basis, on the door step, speaking to residents on any issues they may have. Myself and the Police then make the relevant representations to tackle those issues. Also thanks to the Labour Led Welsh Government we have had approval for a new state of the art Integrated Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Rhymney to improve the Health and Wellbeing of the people of the north end of the Rhymney Valley. The list is endless of the achievements and projects to date, but yes more is needed but I have worked pro actively since elected in May to look at the issues in Rhymney and do something about it!
In regards to the Buddhist Monk – the Police have been working hard with them and have visited the property on a weekly basis; we have also tried to get them involved in the community and to get involved with the School. In addition, we will be setting up an event to raise awareness of this. But I would like to point out that the programme that was broadcast didn't give a true reflection of Rhymney, and crime is everywhere not just in Rhymney.
Unfortunately, the broadcast didn’t highlight what work has been or being done, for instance they mentioned about the Susannah Cottages opposite the monks and yes it is an eyesore, but the owners of the cottages are developing plans to renovate the cottages to its original state. So I take great umbridge on your comments “to try and foster projects in Rhymney”.
Carl, don`t get too hung up on comments made by people who really do not understand the demographics of the higher Rhymney Valley area which you represent, as an "elected" representaive of your constituents.
As your political career progresses you will find that provocative comments and patronising platitudes will be made by those who do not hold similar ideals, and, who have no knowledge whatsoever of the measures your community have taken and which they continue to take to make it more inclusive and cohesive.
Preserve your energy for that::::.
Crime in the community of Rhymney,highlighted by a visitor four years after ariving in the U K, makes a noise when media inteligience drives the bear into local Rhymney residents,there is no relief from debate on the rights and wrongs of why crime is highlighted in one community more than another when the record will show that crime in Rhymney is not as high as other parts of the County Borough of Caerphilly,and recorded within the community council and the local police,to try and reduce Rhymney to a criminal labrynth as a means to lower the moral of the many cultured people in the Rhymney area is morally wrong.
I know exactly as this Monk feels, Rhymney is a cesspool of criminal activity, A total lack of community spirit and disregard for anybody's personal property, leads to this being one of the worst villages in the Welsh Valleys. The house the Buddhist temple is situated, is one of the nicest in the area, and due to the small minded attitude of some of the locals, it is a target for Vadalism due to jealousy. I feel embarrased that this poor man has had the misfortune to try and spread some culture and share his beliefs and travelled all this way to experience the one of the most backward areas in South wales. As I mentioned, I know how he feels, we left (forced out) this area after foolishly moving there, having viewed the house early on a sunday wet morning, before the yobs were out wrecking havoc! I am not being unjustified in my views of this area, we actually lived in Susannha Cottage, the house that is now the Temple, and has changed very little since my father renovated it.