Tribute to Ian Boyne | You will be missed; you will be remembered

The passing of a giant in any field is always sad, but the passing of Ian Boyne at this time of year is devastating not only to his family and friends, but to all Jamaica.

Just when we thought he was past the worst, we must deal with the knowledge that he's gone. Everybody knows I had lots of fun at his expense in my columns having created 'Booklist Boyne' as one of my many literary characters, but nobody should mistake that character for the real person who was as different from Booklist as is Karen from the Old Ball and Chain.

Ian Boyne was an extraordinary journalist, who transformed the profession with the breadth and depth of his research and his incredible versatility. From his newspaper columns through the perennial TV production 'Profile', and his latest creation, 'Religious Hardtalk', Ian was a painstaking perfectionist who ensured that he knew more about his subject than the subject itself, himself or herself.

Many people will not know that his interest and expertise also extended to the history of Jamaican popular music, in which he was very well versed. I recall seeing him in the good old days at several of the Heineken Startime concerts enjoying himself, along with the rest of the audience, like any 'hipster'.

Ian Boyne, journalist, producer, presenter, author and philosopher extraordinaire, rest in peace. You will be missed. You will be remembered.

- Gordon Robinson