The TRINIDAD EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS on The PMs Story - Kenny Rudd and other outstanding Journalists.... Kamla pays tribute to late journalists - Express Story Created: Nov 18, 2013 at 11:11 PM ECT Story Updated: Nov 18, 2013 at 11:52 PM ECT Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has paid homage to media stalwarts who have passed away in her message on the observance of International Journalist Remembrance Day, among them former Express editor at large Keith Smith, as well as veteran journalists Louis B Homer and Anthony Milne. Smith passed away in February 2011, while Homer and Milne died earlier this year in August and October respectively. Special mention was also made of radio personality Clyde “Jimmy” Maynard, who died last year; and Trinidad Guardian photographer Kenny Rudd, who died last week. “These distinguished public figures surpassed the basic journalistic mandate of information dissemination. They are more than deserving of heartfelt recognition from both the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago. “I would like to acknowledge their exceptional contribution to the development of this country as a democracy and I look forward to the works of our future budding journalists as they follow in the footsteps of these media giants,” Persad-Bissessar said in a release yesterday. “After more than four decades as a journalist, Smith passed away in February 2011 after a long battle with cancer. He was a household name through his popular eponymous Express column, ‘The Keith Smith Column’. “Smith was a lifetime resident of Success Village, Laventille and spoke immensely on behalf of the residents, a voice which could not be ignored. His genuine warmth and wit linger in the hearts and minds of all who were fortunate to have read or heard his words,” Persad-Bissessar said. She called Homer a “cultural Colossus who left an indelible mark in the journalism world”. Homer posthumously received the Hummingbird Medal Gold for services to journalism in August. “He was a journalist and historian, a cultural activist and advocate. He played a major role in the struggle to preserve, restore and retain the Naparima Bowl as a heritage site and a home for the arts in southern Trinidad. “He was also involved in the establishment of the San Fernando Museum. He was a prominent member of San Fernando society and, most importantly, a dedicated and affectionate family man,” she said. Of Anthony Milne, Persad-Bissessar said, “He began writing for the Daily Express and was adored for his sense of humour by those who worked with him despite his reserved personality. He is also remembered for his deep appreciation of literature and local arts which was evident in his short stories.” She said in today’s world, journalists play a pivotal social role, more so than ever before, to keep the world informed. “We respect their freedom to ply their trade unhindered. In many places, journalists are not free to operate. In Trinidad and Tobago, journalists have a right to operate freely. At the same time, they must also be balanced and present both sides of the story,” she said.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 11:21:31 +0000
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