REYNOLDS
THREE FORMER journalists who have given more than 30 years of service each to the journalism profession, yesterday became the first recipients of cash grants from the Hugh Shearer Fund for Retired Journalists.
The three, C. Roy Reynolds, Bob West and Noel Davy were presented with cheques valued at $10,000 each by Desmond Richards, president of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ).
In presenting the cheques at the offices of Advertising and Marketing Limited on Brompton Road, Kingston, Mr. Richards pointed out that the cheques were just small tokens to assist the journalists to make their lives more bearable.
ASSISTING OUR OWN
"We know that our primary responsibility is to take care of our own affairs but indeed, there are times when some of us have difficulties and we in the Press Association of Jamaica have decided that we must do something to assist our own. We must do something for those who have served Jamaica well but are now having difficulties," Richards said
Mr. Davy, who spoke on the behalf of the other two journalists said: "I am very heartened and thankful that at least I can be one of the first recipients and I wish the Fund all the best."
Mr. Davy and Mr. West have been partially incapacitated from motor vehicle accidents. Meanwhile, Mr. Reynolds who is 70 years-old, is suffering from a stroke.
The Fund was also boosted with a $150,000 donation courtesy of Grantley Stephenson, chairman and chief executive officer of Kingston Wharves Limited.
Mr. Stephenson said it was not a difficult decision for the company to contribute to the Fund, which he described as a worthy cause.
He said: "They (the former journalists) have contributed significantly to this country and especially at a time when we are talking about this anti-corruption measures, who plays a bigger role in keeping everybody on the straight and narrow than journalists?"
The Fund was established last year by the PAJ to assist retired journalists who have fallen on hard times. Mr. Richards said that the aim is to raise $5 million to be put on fixed deposit.
Arnold Foote, chairman of the Fund and the first donor to the Fund, said that to date the PAJ had only acquired $300,000 and will be approaching the private sector to contribute to the fund.
