Above: Masked men, Dominic Kalipersad and Neil Giuseppi. Pool photographs.

Four journalists were awarded national awards at this year’s  awards for the year 2020 on March 07, 2022.

Receiving the Chaconia Medal Gold was Debbie Jacob, who succeeded in her decades long quest to become a TT citizen just a few days before she received her award from President Paula-Mae Weekes.

The Chaconia Medal is awarded for long and meritorious service, tending to promote national welfare or strengthen community spirit.Jacob is a Newsday columnist and prison reform advocate. She also written for the Trinidad Express and Trinidad Guardian.

Debbie Jacob

She is the President of the Wishing for Wings Foundation, which sponsors many skill-based programmes and has performed charitable work with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s Canine Branch, which will be the subject of a book she is working on exploring its history. She has also contributed to the preparation of the prison population for re-entry into society

She holds a BA degree in Anthropology from Ohio State University, followed by a Masters’ in International Education from Framingham State University, Massachusetts and a library science certificate from Indiana State University.

Her publications include five Caribbean literature study companions and the children’s novel Legend of the St Ann’s Flood, published by Macmillan-Caribbean.

Veteran journalist, editor and broadcaster Dominic Kalipersad received the Humming Bird Medal Gold.
The Humming Bird Medal is awarded for loyal and devoted service in any field of human endeavour, or for gallantry or other humane action,

Kalipersad is the longest serving on-air broadcaster in local media. Throughout his 46-year career, he has upheld high standards for responsible journalism and the execution of modern television broadcasting, emphasising a relaxed, relevant approach to winning audiences.

He pioneered investigative television journalism, and stands as a role model in displaying the highest standards in responsible journalism, and the ethical execution of television broadcasting.

He has worked in senior positions at TTT, Trinidad Broadcasting and served as Editor-in-Chief at the Trinidad Guardian and as Group Head of News, CCN.

After retiring in 2016, he continues to serve as a news consultant, TV6 News anchor, radio talk show host and contributes to newspapers.

He was awarded the Best Caribbean Television Journalist Award from the Caribbean Publishers and Broadcasters Association (CPBA) in the 1980’s.

He received the Mayor’s Award from the Port-of-Spain City Corporation (2021), the Hero’s Award from Fatima College (2020), an honorary doctorate from the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT, 2021), the Achievers’ Award from the San Juan Government/South Secondary School (2022).

Neil Giuseppi with President Paula-Mae Weekes.

Neil Giuseppi, retired managing director of Trinidad Broadcasting Company, received the Humming Bird Medal, Gold, for media and culture.

Giuseppi has been a change agent in Trinidad and Tobago’s Broadcast media since 1975, when he was appointed News Director of TTT just four years after joining the company. He was 27.

For the next seven years, he forged a presence as a newscaster and broadcast journalist alongside legends in the industry like Bobby Thomas, Ed Fung, Dale Kolasingh and Don Proudfoot.

After eight years in public relations, Giuseppi returned to the Trinidad Broadcasting Company as Managing Director, launching Radio Tempo 105.1, the first radio station dedicated to local music and sports and built a legendary news team.

It’s arguable that his passion for golf has matched his enthusiasm for journalism.
In 2013 he published his autobiography, No Regrets and in 2017 he produced a second publication, The Journey Continues.

Reeanna Harrilal with President Paula Mae Weekes and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley

Former broadcaster Reeanna Harrilal received the the Humming Bird Medal, Gold, for community service, education and empowerment.

Harrilal donated her home to set up the Lupus Learning Resource Center, the first of its kind, where lupus patients from all over Trinidad and Tobago go to get assistance.

She has single-handedly assisted in providing food hampers, wheelchairs, and walkers, and offering emotional support, counselling and education to them and their families.

Sister Marie-Therese Rétout received the Public Service Medal of Merit, Gold for outstanding and meritorious work in the fields of Public Service, Communications and Child Development.

A French Carmelite nun who spent most of her life in Trinidad and Tobago, she served as Associate Editor of the Catholic News from 1974 to 1991 writing a popular series Parish Beat, which was published as a book in 1977 and republished in 2004.

Her writing includes four other books, A Light Rising in the West (1984), Called to Serve (1988), 100 Years of the Catholic News (1892-1992) and The Land of My Dreams, Just Next Door (2003; 2005) written in Spanish, which she learned at the Andres Bello Institute in Port of Spain.

Sr Marie-Therese Rétout