Sun | Nov 3, 2024

‘I am honoured’

Veteran journalist Lance Whittaker among three to be honoured at Bring Back the Love

Published:Wednesday | May 15, 2024 | 12:12 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell (left), event organiser and Alan Beckford (right), manager, SDF, gift t-shirts to Mitzie Williams (second left), communications manager, Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, and Alicia Williams, manager, Bob Marley Foundation during t
Ian Allen
Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell (left), event organiser and Alan Beckford (right), manager, SDF, gift t-shirts to Mitzie Williams (second left), communications manager, Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, and Alicia Williams, manager, Bob Marley Foundation during the media launch of the Bring Back the Love Ater Labour football matches at Tuff Gong International in Kingston yesterday.

VETERAN SPORTS journalist and broadcaster, Lance Whittaker, will be one of three individuals honoured at this year’s renewal of the annual ‘Bring Back the Love’ football matches, set for May 23 (Labour Day) at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium.

Whittaker, a standard-bearer in sports journalism in Jamaica and throughout the region, and who continues to serve as an inspiration for young sports journalists locally after nearly 40 years in the industry, said he was pleased to be honoured by such an uplifting and positive event.

Whittaker pointed to organiser Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell and the positive messages he always echoes when promoting his events, which include the Bob Marley One Love and the Bell Zaidie Memorial, and that it was a privilege to be recognised for his contribution to sports locally.

“Busy’ has been doing this for a long time and he has a great passion for the upliftment of people.

“If you notice his narrative is always about peace and love, and you see that he feels deeply about these things.

“So I am honoured to be a part of this occasion because the country need uplifting events because we are living in perilous times,” he told The Gleaner.

Whittaker rose to fame as one of the nation’s most colourful sports commentators during the 1980s and ‘90s, before joining the Caribbean News Agency in 1995.

He is currently a vice president/executive producer at SportsMax TV, where he is also a presenter on the SportsMax Zone.

Although he became the first media practitioner to receive the prestigious RJRGleaner Foundation’s Chairman’s Award in 2022 for years of excellence in broadcasting at the local, regional and international levels, he noted that this award will actually mark his 40th year in sport journalism, and for that he is honoured.

“I am honoured to be honoured in this way, on this occasion, as next month makes 40 years I have been in the business, and I have put a lot into my career.

“So to be honoured is something I am grateful about. It means that people have respected what you have contributed,” he said.

Meanwhile, the other honourees include Andrea ‘Kabu’ Williams of IRIE FM and Derrick Wilks, senior radio broadcaster and quality control officer at the RJR Communications Group.

The event will feature a doubleheader.

In the first game at 4 p.m., Christian Ambassadors will take on a team of referees at 4 p.m., while at 6 p.m., a singers’ invitational unit goes up against a deejays’ invitational in the feature.

Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase computers and printers for basic schools in the Corporate Area.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com