New Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States sets out ambitious roadmap for his tenure

ACP Secretary General Georges Chikoti

New Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States sets out ambitious roadmap for his tenure

Veteran Angolan diplomat Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti took up his position as the new Secretary-General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States in Brussels on 2 March 2020. In an upbeat speech to ambassadors from ACP countries and partner organisations on his first day in office, Mr Chikoti said that he had a plan for his first 100 days in office.

During a press briefing on 3 March at the Brussels Press Club, Secretary-General Chikoti unveiled his priorities as he takes the helm of the organisation comprising  48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, 16 from the Caribbean and 15 from the Pacific that are signatories to the Georgetown Agreement of 1975, the founding ACP instrument. He told reporters that high on his agenda will be the implementation of decisions from the 9^th ACP Summit held in Nairobi last December. These include the change of the name of the organisation which will be known as the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACP), the focus on multilateralism and the expansion of the ACP-European Union partnership.

The new ACP Secretary General will also have a leading role in steering on-going negotiations with the European Union to replace the Cotonou Agreement which expires this year. Mr. Chikoti expects the process to achieve a fair and balanced new agreement, through a singular negotiating framework, to be completed soon and the new accord signed by end of the year.

Climate change will be another area of interest for Secretary-General Chikoti who plans to visit island nations and those affected hurricanes such as The Bahamas, while urging strong commitment from big nations in this regard.

Mr Chikoti, who spent over 30 years in his country’s diplomatic service and was Angola’s envoy to Belgium, Luxembourg and European Union before his ACP appointment, spoke of his commitment to raising the profile of ACP. He promised to work with- and support- media, including the ACP Press Clubs Federation currently chaired by the Kigali Press Club.

Bahamas Press Club Stages 2019 Awards Ceremony

“Media in the Digital Age”

Bahamas Press Club Stages 2019 Awards Ceremony

NASSAU, The Bahamas - The Bahamas Press Club held its Fifth Annual Media Awards Ceremony themed: “Media in The Digital Age”, in Black Tie fashion at the British Colonial Hilton on Saturday, February 29, 2020.

The awards ceremony was held under the Patronage of Their Excellencies The Most Honourable Cornelius A. Smith, ON, Governor-General of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and Mrs. Clara Smith.

The evening attracted many who laid the foundation for a thriving media profession in the country. There was entertainment by Solo, lots of gifts and prizes.

Anthony Capron, President of The Bahamas Press Club 2014, underscored that “from the beginning of time and through the ages, the central message has not changed. What has changed, overtime, is the method by which that message is brought to the public.”

Communication has transitioned from rock paintings of zigzag lines, dots, and symbols during the Stone Age, to this current era of new communication technologies. Now, stories can be typed and transmitted; photographs taken and sent; newspapers read; radio listened to; and television watched from one medium alone: a smartphone, Capron described.

A Blue Ribbon Panel of judges spent record-breaking hours reviewing the works submitted by the media in various categories including hard news, sports, features, business, politics, investigative, columns, documentaries and social media. The work must have been printed or aired between November 2018 and August 16, 2019. The deadline for submission was August 17, 2019.

The Press Club selected for the Trail Blazer Award, the Rt Hon Hubert Alexander Ingraham, Former Prime Minister, for establishing the framework private broadcasting and Cable TV, throughout The Bahamas.

And, the top honour for the evening – The Etienne Dupuch Lifetime Achievement Award, the recipient was journalist and diplomat Ed Bethel who began his journalistic career in 1959 at the Nassau Tribune under the tutelage of Sir Etienne Dupuch and Sir Arthur Foulkes. He went on to join ZNS as a sports editor in 1963, and spend many years there, worked at JCN and other news agencies; a stint a Bahamas Information Services as its Executive Director and served as Consul General to New York and as High Commissioner to the Court of St. James’s, London, and Ambassador to the European Union. He is also a former President of The Bahamas Press Club.

SEE BELOW, THE LIST OF CATEGORIES AND WINNERS:

1 - Leon Turnquest Award for Sports Print Journalism -

WINNER - Simba French – Sports Reporter, The Nassau Guardian

2 – The Phil Smith Award for Outstanding Sports Broadcast Journalism

WINNER: Jay Phillipe, Sports Reporter, ZNS (Northern Station)

The Kenneth Nathaniel Francis Award for Newspaper Design and Composition – WINNER: Whiteley McKinney, Page Designer, The Tribune

4 – The P. Anthony White Columnist of the Year

WINNER: Rogan Smith – Columnist  

5 - The Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of the Year

WINNER: Jeffarah Gibson – Features Writer, The Tribune

6 - The Cyril Stevenson Award for Outstanding Political Journalism

WINNER:  Genea Noel-Ferguson – Editor, Eyewitness News

7 – Best Documentary, Television (Long: 30 minutes to 1 hour)

WINNER: Clint Watson – Editor/Producer, Eyewitness News

8 - Best Documentary, Television (Short: 5 minutes to 30 minutes)

WINNER: Kenton Hepburn  - Digital Communications Officer, and Office of the Prime Minister.

9 – Best News Story, Broadcast

WINNER: Apryl Sands, Reporter, Eyewitness News

10 – Best News Story, Print

WINNER: Nico P Scavella, Reporter, The Tribune

11 – Best Business Story, Print or Broadcast

WINNER: Deandre Williamson, Reporter/Editor, Jones Communications Network

12 – Best Editing for Television News Story or Documentary

WINNER: Shamiko Gilbert, Eyewitness News

13 – Best Producer Award, Studio Live

WINNER: Genea Noel –Ferguson, Editor, Eyewitness News

14 – Best Producer Award, Live to Tape

WINNER: Shanaye Smith, Communications Officer, Office of the Prime Minister

15 – Website of the Year

WINNER:  ZNS (Gina Bethel)

16 – Social Media Award

WINNER: Eyewitness News, Eyewitness News Facebook Page

17 - Best Cinematography (Documentary)

WINNER: Kenton Hepburn, Digital Communications Officer, Office of the Prime Minister

18 – Best Video Editing

WINNER: Keesha Bethell, ZNS

19 – Best Newscast

WINNER: ZNS Northern Station 

20 – The Bahamas Press Club Student Media Award

WINNER: Anneisha Jones, University of the Bahamas Media Journalism School

21 – PAHO-WHO Excellence in Health Promotion Award

WINNER: Tosheena Robinson-Blair, Publicist & Freelance News Anchor  

Usually hosted in November of each year, The Bahamas Press Club 2014’s 2019 Awards Ceremony was postponed by Hurricane Dorian. As preparations for the November 2020 ceremony begin, The Bahamas Press Club 2014 looks forward to a continued outward expression of resilience- from members of the media and, overall, The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Journalist and Diplomat Edison “Ed” Bethel received The Etienne Dupuch Lifetime Achievement Award. 

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