Gordon Robinson | Local Domino Awards 2022

Happy New Year when it comes.

Meanwhile, the unhappy old year continues with the annual trip to my Memorial for the Khooky Khast of Kharacters from my wasted youth’s domino games. So here are the 12th annual Domino Awards (local edition).

Some with Wednesday Addams’ sense of humour mightn’t appreciate what follows. Don’t have what my sainted Grandmother would call a ‘conniption’. For pity’s sake don’t bother sending haughty or irate missives. Do what I’d do with those. Don’t read this. Turn the page.

Dunce Award: CLIFFORD EVERALD ERROL WARMINGTON is an easy winner of this coveted award for his devil-may-care attitude to public speaking and his apparent hostility to couth. His win was cemented by offensive remarks aimed at Opposition Leader Mark Golding and his father, John, culminating with the obnoxious, jingoistic “If he wants to be prime minister go back a England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland... .” But Mark was born and raised in Jamaica, so what the granny gungus natty....?

Warmonger, the Dunce says to tell you: If a macca, mek it jook yu!

Dunce Move of the Year Award: JULIET HOLNESS wins pulling a bus for her “only comrades live in dumps/unsafe river beds, etc” political presumptuousness. Perhaps she thought she was deflecting public opinion from her hubby’s demolition order at Clifton that resulted in open disapproval. If she did, the deflection was worse than the original misdeed. This was an ejaculation of which The Dunce would be proud.

Juliet: If a macca, mek it jook yu!

JOURNALISM AWARDS

Now my journalism awards.

Journalism Dunce Move of the Year Award:

Many contenders were eclipsed close home by ZIP FM, whose interview with a taxi-strike enforcer and caught-on-camera thug (including handing him a gift-wrapped baton as an award) took the cake, icing and ornament. Under intense public pressure, ZIP FM published TWO apologies, one asserting the action “was an individual one not sanctioned by the station”. So how the blurdneet was it broadcast? The apologies exposed more embarrassment than an unfastened zipper. It would’ve been better had mouths been zipped up.

ZIP FM, the Dunce sey, “If a macca mek it jook yu!”

Serious awards.

Rising Star Journalist: I’m impressed with the instant progress made by ‘Morning Agenda’ host SANJAY LEWIS since he was unexpectedly catapulted into the anchor chair when a popular former co-host migrated to greener pastures (no pun intended). His calm, thoughtful and, most importantly, balanced approach stands out among a crowd of more qualified but less composed young broadcasters. His comments and interview style, unusually in a world that over-values hype, sound the product of advance research.

Sanjay, you join a pantheon of Rising Star Journalist winners that includes the likes of Giovanni Dennis, George Davis, your predecessor Danielle Archer, and Janella Precius, all of whom have gone on to better things. You have what horseracing analysts would call ‘pedigree and scope’. Generation Z’s Earl Moxam? Ya never know.....

Journalist of the Year: This year’s Award really belongs to The Gleaner Investigative journalism team. But I suppose I must name one member, so it’s JOVAN JOHNSON, whose work exposing the underbelly of important public affairs issues has been of the highest quality. In particular, his work on the regional fracture caused by Jamaica’s candidature for Commonwealth Secretary General; the huge Government bailout of public transport (continues even now with another weak-kneed amnesty of traffic chaos’ main architects); the spread of multistorey developments in residential areas; rifts at UWI; and a recent kerfuffle over rice importation is remarkable.

It’s currently popular for a thin-skinned Government and its surrogates to cast unworthy politically motivated aspersions on Gleaner’s excellent coverage. This is nothing new (all Governments do it) and is to be expected once a news medium is doing its job well. If Government is too comfortable with any broadcast or print medium, that isn’t to the medium’s credit.

So, Gleaner team, accept the brickbats as badges of Honour. If roses are sent, don’t be too anxious to grab them. Thorns will jook you, despite wrapping.

GENE AUTRY AWARD FOR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Auditor General PAMELA MONROE ELLIS’ impressive work earns her this award, without competition. Not only has she been diligent and productive, she’s fearless (the most important qualification). The latest report from her department highlighting massive unaccounted-for spending by the Health Ministry during its COVID-19 response is a primer on why even ‘emergency’ spending needs to be strictly monitored for political abuse, and why a parliament dominated by cabinet will never work in Jamaica.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.