Jamaica wins big at Caribbean Week of Agriculture

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

ST JOHN’S, ANTIGUA:
Jamaica has emerged the big winner at the 2012 CARDI/CTA awards for reporting on climate change issues.

During a ceremony at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to mark the official opening of Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2012, Jamaica was awarded three of the five prizes presented.

The Jeffrey Town Farmers and Community Radio Operators out St Mary took the award for Best Radio Story entitled ‘Climate Change’.

Chief judge, Wesley Gibbings, president of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers was impressed by the entry.

“The winning submission displayed a good understanding of what is required in the production of a radio feature – a good script, tight inserts, the appropriate use of sound of bites and solid vocal delivery,” Gibbings said.

Gibbings however took issue with the dearth of entries in the category.

“I am disappointed that the entries in the radio category came from just one source. Hopefully, this is not a pronouncement on the state of radio journalism in the Caribbean.”

Meanwhile, the ‘Best Print Story’ award went to Desmond Brown of the InterPress Service, Jamaican office, for the story ‘Anguilla Battles a Shrinking Coastline’.

Brown’s colleague Zadie Neufville took the New Media award for her online story ‘Food Security Hinges on Shaking Agricultural Fortunes’.

Isari Ceyetano a reporter with Belize’s Channel 5 won the Best TV story award for ‘Coral Bleaching’, while a blog by Trinidad and Tobago’s Shahad Ali on the topic ‘Can Humans Survive Climate Change’ won for Citizen Journalist.

Caribbean Week of Agriculture ends on Saturday.

editorial@gleanerjm.com