Gordon Robinson | Local domino awards 2016

 

Remember, these awards are intended to be funny (ha ha), so please apply your sense of humour. If you can't, borrow your friend's.

2016 Dunce Award: JAMAICA RACING COM-MISSION STEWARDS appear on a mission to ruin horse racing with too frequent, unnecessary disqualifications. They gifted two of 2016's most important Grade 1 races to horses that couldn't win if the races had continued for another month. The coup de gr‚ce came on Diamond Mile Day when three horses were disqualified in one race for "interfering" with a horse that was beaten before any incident occurred. The Dunce's analysis: "If a macca, mek it jook yu!"

2016 Dunce Move of the Year Award: DELROY CHUCK wins hands-down for his ass-backwards approach to improving Justice. He attacks the wrong end by publicly reprimanding Judges for delaying Judgments rather than reducing the egregious delays experienced getting any matter to a Judge. If a macca, mek it jook yu!

 

NOW MY JOURNALISM AWARDS:

 

Journalism Dunce Move of the Year Award: If you're anstar with a daily radio show, why leave to practise law (a lucrative occupation, or so I'm told) only to return to radio sharing a show with other hosts? Any one of those moves made by EMILY SHIELDS could make you go "Hmmmmm." Emily, the Dunce sey "If a macca, mek it jook yu ..."

Dunce Award for Journalism: Power Pair of CLIFF 'Red Skull' WILLIAMS and AINSLEY 'Jimmie' WALTERS triumph with their tiresome, synchronised whine against the Claiming System. Apparently unable to talk about anything else, they continue to bore their audience with dull, repetitive irrelevance. Recently, 'Red Skull', seemingly almost in tears, complained bitterly that, despite his having debunked "claiming" for over 20 years, he can't understand why nobody listens (sob). Well, Cliffy, it's because you're talking bollocks! Maybe Diamond Mile Day's success finally taught you money, not mathematics, makes the mare gallop. Purses fuel the industry. Higher purses are only possible and sustainable if CTL gets the financial fundamentals (unrelated to any "Claiming vs. handicapping" non-controversy) right.

 

THE SERIOUS AWARDS:

 

Special Certificate of Merit: TVJSN's team, led by the talented Spencer Darlington (including Robert Darby Jr, Denise Walters and Talia Soares) produced excellent Diamond Mile Day coverage. THAT's how it's done folks. Stations still offering stale veterans delivering mind-numbing monologues should watch and learn.

Journalist of the Year: This year's winner, a real professional (no hype), is ARTHUR HALL. Arthur's body of work showcased the very best of what news reporting is supposed to be. You can't 'leak' a document to Arthur expecting him to photocopy and publish without due diligence. His reportage of PNP internal elections was the gold standard. When Arthur wrote (August 28) "He is financing his campaign from a 'piggy bank' rather than the traditional war chest, and he has no doubt it will take a Usain Bolt-like performance for him to cross the finish line in front, but Dr Enoch Karl Blythe is quietly confident ... ," everything was in perfect perspective for readers.

Arthur could also cover human interest stories. This is Arthur (September 27) painting a picture: "The pain was obvious in her voice as she spoke with The Gleaner yesterday, less than 24 hours after she buried her brother, one of the 199 persons killed in St James since the start of the year.

"With the pain, there was also fear as the employee of a prominent hotel in Montego Bay established her terms before agreeing to speak with The Gleaner.

'Mek sure you don't use mi name or picture,' ..."

The versatility of his stories/sources covers every aspect of Jamaican life. His coverage of the death of his two great friends and colleagues Gary Spaulding and Gary Sinclair oozed with professionalism and sensitivity. What isn't so well known is that much of his 2016 work was done while Arthur was very sick indeed. He worked through the pain for months before grudgingly conceding that he needed medical help and undergoing surgery in November. ARTHUR HALL, already back at his desk, was 2016's premier journalist and Jamaica's best newsman by street, lane and village.

Gene Autry Award: Personality of the Year

In a year of lowlights, the completion of the North-South highway link was one of few highlights. So, a Jamaican is my international Personality of the Year and an international corporation, CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED is the local. Their work, hiccups and all, contributed more to growth than any 1.5 election gimmick.

Prosperous (oops, sorry, "Progressive") New Year, everybody!

Peace and Love

- Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@

gleanerjm.com.