Media workers awarded; Vanessa Braithwaite is Journalist of the Year

Twenty-one media workers across the country were awarded Sunday evening by the Guyana Press Association (GPA) for their outstanding coverage of local issues.

Journalists, photographers and videographers were recognised for their work in areas such as sports, agriculture, business, politics, environment, human rights, finance, and arts and culture, among others.

Emerging as the Young Journalist of the Year was the Guyana Chronicle’s Linden Correspondent, Vanessa Braithwaite, who copped a total of seven awards. The ceremony was held at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street.

News Room’s Sport Editor, Avenash Ramzan and Sports Reporter Akeem Greene, Videographers Leon Gonsalves and Keon Blades, as well as Reporters Bibi Khatoon and Devina Samaroo were presented with trophies and certificates.

The Guyana Chronicle’s Alva Solomon, Navendra Seoraj, Lisa Hamilton, Rabindra Rooplall, Ravin Singh, Delano Williams and Samuel Maughn were among the winners.

Also recognised were Stabroek News’ Royston Alkins, Sharda Bacchus, Mariah Lall and Keno George.

For the Guyana Times, reporters Shemuel Fanfair and Lakeram Bhagirat were awarded. They both came as runners-up for the Young Journalist of the Year category.

Indrawattie Naitram, an Essequibo Correspondent, also received prizes.

GPA President Nazima Raghubir explained that the awards ceremony, which is the second to be held in recent times, is not merely an activity where media workers can be dressed up.

“…it’s because journalism and the celebration of it becomes essential, and an inherently political act, as the world stands on the brink of seismic changes – culturally, economically, geographically and politically,” Raghubir noted.

The 2018 GPA Media Awards received 184 entries for 11 categories for video, print and online media; 31 persons made submissions.

The GPA President noted that no one submitted entries for the category of oil, gas and energy issues.
But while there was no entry for this category, the evening’s guest speaker, Attorney Nigel Hughes, focused his presentation on this buzzing sector.

Recognising that many Guyanese are unfamiliar with the industry, Hughes underscored the importance of media workers in being teachers of the nation and shaping opinions.

As such, he cautioned against merely reporting on personal opinions on issues in the field, but instead, doing enough research in order to better help the public understand what is happening in the oil and gas sector as well as what needs to be done.

2018 GPA Awards Winners 

1. Award for the best coverage of agriculture issues

3rd Place – Indrawattie Natram
2nd Place – Devina Samaroo, News Room
Winner – Alva Solomon, Guyana Chronicle

2. Award for Business and Finance related coverage

3rd Place – Navendra Seoraj, Guyana Chronicle
2nd Place – Vanessa Braithwaite, Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Mariah Lall, Stabroek News

3. Award for Videography

2nd Place – Keon Blades, News Room
Winner – Leon Gonsalves, News Room

4. Award for Sport Journalism

3rd Place – Akeem Greene, News Room
2nd Place – Royston Alkins, Stabroek News
Winner – Avenash Ramzan, News Room

5. Award for News Photography

3rd Place – Delano Williams – Guyana Chronicle
2nd Place – Samuel Maughn – Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Keno George, Stabroek News

6. Awards for coverage of Arts and Culture

3rd Place – Lisa Hamilton, Guyana Chronicle
2nd Place – Vanessa Braithwaite. Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Mariah Lall, Stabroek News

7. Award for the Best Feature

3rd Place – Sharda Bacchus, Stabroek News
2nd Place – Alva Solomon, Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Vanessa Braithwaite

8. Award for the coverage of political issues

3rd Place – Shemuel Fanfair, Guyana Times
2nd Place – Vanessa Braithwaite, Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Ravin Singh, Guyana Chronicle

9. Award for the coverage of Environmental and Science Issues

3rd Place – Mariah Lall, Stabroek News
2nd Place – Vanessa Braithwaite, Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Sharda Bacchus, Stabroek News

10. Award for the Coverage of Human Rights issues

3rd Place – Lakhram Bhagirat, Guyana Times
2nd Place – Bibi Khatoon, News Room
Winner – Rabindra Rooplall, Guyana Chronicle

11. Award for Investigative Journalism

3rd Place – Sharda Bacchus, Stabroek News
2nd Place – Navendra Seoraj, Guyana Chronicle
Winner – Vanessa Braithwaite, Guyana Chronicle

12. Award for Young Journalist of the Year

3rd Place – Lakhram Bhagirat, Guyana Times
2nd Place – Shemuel Fanfair, Guyana Times
Winner – Vanessa Braithwaite, Guyana Chronicle