- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 13/Jul 06:07

Titans of Caribbean journalism

The passing of Rickey Singh and Hansley Hanoomansingh on July 5 was a hard reminder of how few veteran journalists remain from the formative, post-colonial era of reporting. Mr Singh began his career in Guyana in 1957, when the region was moving to a sense of itself as self-governing and capable, restless under the waning attentions of Empire. Beginning as a general reporter, by 1974, his presence was felt throughout the region. He would contribute stories to wire services, the Guyana Chronicle, Barbados Nation, Jamaica Gleaner and the Trinidad Guardian. His contributions to the BBC Caribbean Report and the Caribbean News Agency, now the Caribbean Media Corporation were wide-ranging, incisive and for the recipients of his criticism, often galling. His unabashed challenges of the governance of Forbes Burnham, Guyana's first executive president led him to move to TT, where he became the second editor of Caribbean Contact, a publication of the Caribbean Conference of Churches. Under his leadership, many major regionalists of that time, including William Demas and Alister McIntyre would contribute commentary and analyses that shaped a newspaper with a strong commitment to regional development. Mr Singh served as its editor from 1975 to 1983. His commitment to truth-telling irritated the countries where he worked. Both the TT and Barbados governments would revoke his work permits. The governing class of the region was still adapting to an electorate and media that began to reject subservience to power as nationhood swept through the archipelago. Mr Singh was a man quite clearly ahead of his time, but he also made sure to offer a compass bearing for the generation of journalists who would follow his example, carrying his standard of unflinchingly speaking truth to power. When Hansley Hanoomansingh was cited on the occasion of his receiving a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa by UWI, mention was made of his smooth but authoritative voice, itself a marvel in the early days of local radio. But as announcing took him from radio to television, it was also the tool he used to raise awareness of Indian culture in TT. At each step of his career, Mr Hanoomansingh, a Presbyterian by faith, made space in broadcast media for Indo-Trinidadian culture and Hindu worship. He campaigned successfully as the MP for Caroni East in the 1966 election, garnering a reputation as a representative who served on the ground. His most enduring legacy is likely to ultimately be the Divali Nagar, established 39 years ago, which cemented the presence of Indian culture in the national consciousness. Both Mr Singh and Mr Hanoomansingh were indelibly media professionals of the highest order, yet both saw their role as positively changing Caribbean society, pushing against pervasive perceptions with rare will and determination. The passing of Rickey Singh and Hansley Hanoomansingh on July 5 was a hard reminder of how few veteran journalists remain from the formative, post-colonial era of reporting.   The post Titans of Caribbean journalism appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.