JUNIOR DOWIE, the veteran Gleaner photographer, walked away with the two top photographic awards from the 2001 National Journalism Awards ceremony Saturday night at the Terra Nova Hotel, Waterloo Road, St. Andrew.
Overall, The Gleaner won the most honours.
Mr. Dowie who has been with The Gleaner for more than 50 years, was rewarded by the Press Association of Jamaica in the category of "Photography -- Sports" for his work entitled "Walsh 500 Wickets", and was also the recipient of a joint award for his entry in the "Photography -- News" section, "Grief in Braeton".
Sharing this award with him was The Jamaica Observer's Bryan Cummings for his entry "Shooting Victims" which depicted events of the West Kingston shootings of July 7-10 this year.
Mr. Dowie who was highly praised by presenter Erica Allen, won for himself two plaques and a weekend for two at a SuperClubs resort.
Rudolph Brown, also a Gleaner photographer, received the PAJ award for "The best photograph in the human interest category". His entry, entitled, "Baby passed over casket", captured the ritual of passing a baby over the casket of a "don" whose funeral service was at the National Arena. Mr. Brown also received a certificate of merit in the news category, as did Winston Sill and Norman Grindley, two other Gleaner photographers.
Other Gleaner staff receiving certificates of merit were Merrick Andrews, for works submitted in the human interest category, Anthea McGibbon, for sub-editing and design of The Gleaner's Religious pages, and Heather Kong, the associate editor for design, in the "Graphics" category.
Reporter Eulalee Thompson received a certificate of merit for "Profiles in Medicine," while cartoonist Las May took the PAJ's award for his witty and insightful cartoons. The Youthlink magazine received the PAJ award in the category focusing on youth.
Guest speaker at the ceremony, George John of Trinidad and Tobago, who has worked for some 60 years in journalism in the region, was awarded the PAJ's "Wordsmith" medal for his contribution to regional journalism.
Mr. John who reminisced about his experience in journalism over the years, lamented what he said was the scant regard paid by regional media houses to Caribbean news. He said that the little "driblets" of information being broadcast or printed about the region in Caribbean media were seriously lacking and Caribbean news and features need to be represented more in regional media.
He said more emphasis needed to be placed on media training.
More than 200 entries were submitted for the PAJ awards and only 168 were deemed eligible in the competition's 14 categories.
The Jamaica Observer took the award for opinion journalism and culture, while Pete Sankey, its current affairs editor, won the "human interest" award for his body of work exploring several initiatives by the Church and inner-city communities. Jamaica Observer reporter Indi McClymont-Lafayette, got an award for her features on the environment.
Patricia Clarke of Irie-FM took the PAJ award in the "health" category while Dionne Jackson Miller of Radio Jamaica walked away with the "information technology" award.
CVM-TV won the award for "Sports Journalism" for its coverage of reggae boy Steve Malcolm's death while Cedric Stephens, a Gleaner columnist, won the award for "community service". Oral Napier of TVJ won the award for "videography" while that station's Yvonne Chin took the award for "broadcast presentation skills".
There was no award for "business journalism", or for "Journalist of the Year'.
