Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Desmond Allen (left), a former president of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ), presents R.B.Mathias with his veteran award during a luncheon hosted by J. Wray and Nephew in association with the PAJ. The annual event recognises veteran journalists for their contributions to the development of Jamaican Media. Also recognised were Horace Helps, Beverley Anderson Manley and Jose Walton during the luncheon, which was held at J. Wray and Nephew's Spanish Town road offices on Tuesday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE PRESS Association of Jamaica (PAJ) will conclude its week-long activities tonight, with an awards and presentation ceremony for outstanding journalists for 2005. The function will be held at the PAJ's headquarters on East Avenue, St. Andrew.
On Tuesday four stalwarts in the profession were honoured at the PAJ's annual veterans luncheon held at the J. Wray & Nephew hospitality room on Spanish Town Road, St. Andrew. The awardees were Horace George Helps, Beverley Anderson-Manley, Richard Watson Mathias and José Walton.
The current Group Sports Editor for CVM Communications Group Limited, Mr. Helps' career began several days after the bloody October General Election of 1980, while he was a St. Mary correspondent for the defunct Jamaica Daily News. Five years later he joined The Gleaner staff as a reporter/sub-editor at the Sports Desk. Since then, he has worked at several other media houses within the region and Jamaica.
DISTINGUISHED WORK
Mrs. Anderson Manley joined the profession in 1965 as a television production assistant at what was the Jamaica Broad-casting Corporation (JBC). She was lauded on Tuesday for her distinguished work in the field of gender issues, both locally and internationally.
Another former JBC staffer, television cameraman and cinematographer, José Walton was also honoured. Having started his television career in 1973, he was noted for his single -handed coverage of the Orange Lane fire in 1977 - done while he was off duty. He has won several awards and covered a number of major assignments both locally and overseas.
Mr. Mathias is a war veteran whose journalism got off the ground in 1945 when he quit the Royal Air Force to work in the newspaper industry as a Lino Type Operator, in Guyana. He covered cricket for more than 50 years. He joined The Gleaner as Lino Typist, but after 15 years he moved on to the Jamaica Record.
The PAJ, which has been around for the past 63 years, began the week of activities last Sunday with a church service held at the Church of God of Prophecy on Maxfield Avenue, St. Andrew.
