>> True Information: These statements are outrageous and nonsensical. “Cultural touchstones” surely differ depending on the person you are talking to – their age, their education, their race, their social affiliations, etc. The staff on the Gold Base are well aware of what is happening in the world. Many of them travel all over the world. The staff go out shopping, to movies and travel to see their families. Most staff read newspapers which are available in the staff canteen, listen to the radio and there is even an internal paper published everyday which includes a section on major world events. And as for knowing the President’s name and the difference between the political parties, the staff who wished to watched the coverage of the last Presidential election on big screen TVs at every meal time and many of those who are U.S. citizens voted.

The Director of Public Affairs for Golden Era Productions, Ms. Cathy Fraser, responded as follows after reading these claims:

I’m responding concerning how the article portrays the living conditions at Golden Era Productions—it was patently false. And this is based upon over 25 years experience here.

I first starting visiting Golden Era Productions in 1986 and have lived here since 1996, so I have more experience than anyone else quoted in the article concerning life at Golden Era Productions. I am also the Director of Public Affairs and have personally toured hundreds of people through Golden Era.

We eat in a lovely dining room that is impeccably clean and well appointed with comfortable chairs, linen table clothes and linen table runners – the entire dining room was well designed and is maintained that way. I have toured many people through our dining area and kitchen and, one for one, they area impressed and remark upon how clean and beautiful it is, and how they wished they lived here, etc.

The food is indescribably fantastic. Nowhere have I gotten such excellent and well made food and such a variety. Since the kitchen (which always gets an A+ rating from the Health Department) is so clean, you know that the food is treated in the same manner. We also strive to have organic foods, meats made without chemicals fed to the livestock, etc. Even when I have to be out for community events where food is served, I always try to make it back for meals at Golden Era because no one prepares meals like here. I have hosted many guests who have eaten here and love the food. Indeed, some even request their favorite dishes to be prepared for them and they stop by and pick it up to take home! And these are the same exact meals that we are served each day at Golden Era. The menus speak for themselves. And there is another point – because the foods purchased are organic or grown without many chemicals, our staff look very fit. Every single time I tour someone here, they comment on how healthy and fit the crew look.

As for clothes being purchased for the staff here, I routinely have clothes purchased for me throughout the year – as do all other staff. There is no lack of clothes provided.

The snide remark in the article about staff being fined is ridiculous. In the 16 years I have been here, I have never paid a single fine for anything. And I do not know anyone else who has either.

As for the comments about us not using our sports facilities, that is utterly absurd. Some staff use the sports facilities every day. There are always soccer games on the weekends played by staff and I have gone to watch them play. (We have a lot of European staff here who prefer soccer.) And of course there is always some people playing basketball each morning and in the evenings. We even have a golf course and on special occasions, I organize it for staff who want to play, to go to the golf course. We did this many times last year.

Lastly, I found it offensive how Mr. Wright characterizes our staff being out of touch with the culture. I do not know who he was writing about since he did not speak to anyone here. It certainly is not the scene at this Base. Just as an example, a higher than average percentage of US citizens here voted in this last election and they were well informed on the candidates and the current issues being voted on.

The best inside view of life at Golden Era Productions is seeing the video online a: scientology.org/goldeneraproductions.html.