Madeira: More training for journalists needed

NATIONAL award winner, veteran journalist and Newsday's executive editorial consultant Jones P. Madeira has called for more training of local journalists.

He was speaking with reporters after receiving a Chaconia Medal (Gold) on Monday at the National Awards at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port of Spain.

"This moment is a happy one for me but I think it should be happy for journalism as well. I believe in the young complement we have virtually in charge of our media today. I think they are doing a wonderful job and I wonder if we'd the tools they have today how would we have fared.

"But it's overwhelming, it's good to be recognised. And this I dedicate to all of the journalists and the Caribbean because that is where I worked."Madeira said not enough has been written about the history of journalism in this part of the world and he plans to do some writing on that topic.

He said young journalists were truly in charge "and they are doing us proud." Madeira added he would like to see more training and pointed out there is the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communications in Jamaica and other centres of learning.

"But I think journalists should feel proud that if selected for any kind of training it could only lead to greater things for them."

Madeira was the first to collect his award on the night as former finance minister and Olympic athlete Wendell Mottley was not present to collect The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

On Mottley, Madeira said he was with him at a reception last Friday evening and Mottley told him he was due to travel. "So I suspect he might have done just that."