Above: Anthony Howell at work. Photos from his Facebook page. Photographers unknown.
Anthony Howell, Tony to everyone in the media fraternity, passed on February 12, 2022.
Remembrances of his life and career were received from Hazel Ross-Perot, retired South Bureau Manager and Krishna Maharaj, who worked with him on the creation of the Association of Media Photographers of TT (AMPOTT) at the turn of the century.
“Anthony Howell “Tony” was a dedicated newspaper photographer.” wrote Hazel Ross-Perot on his passing.From breaking news to cultural events, Tony was always on the beat. His camera and camera bag were part of his dress code.
He witnessed and captured almost a half century of news and cultural events in Trinidad & Tobago.
Originally from the bauxite mining town of Linden, Guyana, Tony, who loved music and culture, decided to visit Trinidad for Carnival.
He said he was immediately captivated by and hardly slept for his vacation. He decided to move to Trinidad. Tony fondly recounted working initially in the construction sector, spending long hours on traveling up and down the old Southern Main Road to job sites.
By the early 1990’s Tony had joined the Trinidad Guardian South Office team as a freelancer and then as a valued member of Permanent Staff.
He continued to work after his official retirement and up to his sudden illness on the evening of November 2, 2019 when he left the Guardian by ambulance, following an assignment covering a presentation of delegates by the Movement of Social Justice.
Tony was an all-rounder and his special interest was in covering cultural events.
His desk drawers were always packed with film rolls and then CD’s and his folders on the computer desktop were full of images.
From the sounds of the modem dialing to the days of fibre optical cable and the digital age, Tony captured life through his lens.
The Carnival season was his favorite time of year and he delighted in covering Pan preliminaries, Calypso Fiesta, San Fernando’s Night of King and Queens, Chutney Soca Monarch and Brass Festival.
On Carnival Monday and Tuesday he was on the streets of San Fernando capturing the movement and colour of Carnival in South.
Press passes and time permitting he’d make his way to the Savannah especially for Panorama. He was an avid supporter of the Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra.
Tony was a mentor to all and was happy to share his knowledge of photography, news and feature writing with every aspiring journalist who was fortunate to meet him.
Tony was also a family man and proudly loved his five daughters and grandchildren.
His beloved wife Korisha “Kay” Noreiga passed in 2020.
“I never saw him not smiling,” wrote Krishna Maharaj of his friend Tony Howell.
It was shocking to get the news of his passing, because in all the time I spent working with the daily newspapers and alongside Tony Howell, I can say I never saw him not smiling.
“Doh matter how bad a situation may be, Tony always smiling”.
Tony, other than being a friend, was the Vice President of the Association of Media Photographers of Trinidad and Tobago (AMPOTT) along with founding members Anil Rampersaud, Azlan Mohammed, Shirley Bahadur, the late Andre Alexander & Trevor Hackett, Vashty Singh, and Max Ottley and Mark Lyndersay.
I must say despite everyone working with different media houses when it was time for meetings, Tony would call me to make the necessary arrangements.
I am deeply saddened by his passing. May he Rest in Peace.