ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS

In partnership with Title Sponsor of the 35th Caribbean Media Awards – The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NG)C – the CBU is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s competition.

On Tuesday, August 13, at the Umaya Hotel in Placencia Belize, Award and Special Mention winners were announced in a live telecast hosted by Great Belize Productions Limited – Channel 5.

Presentations of trophies and certificates were made in fifty-five (55) categories.  A record number of these – twenty-four (24) – were themed categories supported by category sponsors:

 

•            UNDP CariSECURE 2.0

 

•            The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

 

•            The Healthy Caribbean Coalition

 

•            Sagicor Financial Company Limited

 

•            The Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund,

 

•            The Nature Conservancy Caribbean Division,

 

•            The Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Managementand

 

•            SAEDI Consulting Limited

 

NEW CATEGORY SPONSOR COMES ON BOARD

During the Gala event, the Caribbean Culture Fund (CCF) announced it will be partnering with the CBU for the 36th edition of the competition, with the prizes to be presented during the 56th Annual General Assembly scheduled for Barbados in August 2025.

TOP PERFORMERS FROM JAMAICA AND BELIZE

The organisation with the largest number of wins is RJRGLEANER Communications Group from Jamaica, with sixteen(16) awards and four (4) special mentions across its media services.

Next in line is Great Belize Productions – Channel 5 – with eight (8) wins and two (2) special mentions.

Trinidad and Tobago was well represented with Trinidad Express fielding five (5) award winners and garnering four (4) special mentions. From that country, TTT Limited was next in line winning four (4) awards as well as a special mention. The Guardian Group was successful in five (5) categories with two awards for CNC-3, as well as two (2) special mentions for the television service and one (1) for the print arm – the Guardian newspaper.

FIRST-TIME WINNERS

For the first time the Nation Newspaper of Barbados won an award in the CBU competition while the first ever entry from the Cayman Islands, Department of Communication earned a Special Mention.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

2.       PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
3.       AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Television Jamaica) “Decades of Christmas for Seniors” – Romardo Lyons – Reporter; Ivan Shaw, Uton West – Editors
4.       PRODUCTION AWARDS (RADIO)
5.        Best Documentary Programme

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica 94FM) “The Men in Mental Health” – Dadrian Gordon

SPECIAL MENTION: Starcom Network (Barbados) “World Food Day 2023 Tribute” – Shantelle Legall-Gibson

3.        Best Drama Programme

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica 94FM) “A Place Called Yaad” – by Radio Jamaica 94FM

4.        Best News Story

AWARD: IRIE FM (Jamaica) “Crime Puts Damper on Christmas Cheer” – by Myesha Broadie

SPECIAL MENTION: Starcom Network (Barbados) “Respiratory Illnesses & COVID” – by Vonardo Corbin

5.        Best Sports Story

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica) “West Indies Failure to Qualify for the World Cup” – Jerome Foster

6.        Best Investigative Report

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica) “White Collar Crime in Jamaica” – Giovanni Dennis

7.        Best Comedy Item

SPECIAL MENTION: Starcom Network (Barbados) “The Corniest Joke I Ever Heard” – Michelle Spencer

8.        Best Entertainment Programme

AWARD: TTT Ltd (Trinidad &Tobago) “Saturday Brunch: Kyle Hernandez” – Executive Producer TTT Ltd; Talk City 91.1; Producer & Presenter Jayron “Rawkus” Remy

9.      PRODUCTION AWARDS (TELEVISION)
10.        Best Documentary Programme

AWARD: TTT Limited (Trinidad &Tobago) “Best Village: Episode 2” – Executive Producer TTT Limited, Producer Shamelia Thomas-Ashby, Editor Renaldo de Bourg, Camera Romano Francois, Kashawn Cedeno.

SPECIAL MENTION: Cayman Islands Department of Communication “Who We Are” – Department of Communications, Cayman Islands Government

10.   Best Magazine Programme

AWARD: National Communications Network (Guyana) “Guyana Emerging” – Ilapil Bipta, Neaz Subhan

SPECIAL MENTION: Great Belize Productions Limited “Open Your Eyes: Easter Special” – Hosts – Sabreena Dalyand John Palacio; Producers – Viannie Reyes and Brianna Bennett; Videographers—Rick Romero and Joel Westby

11.   Best News Story

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited “A Competency-Based Approach to Education in Belize” – Reporter – Paul Lopez; Videographer – Darrel Moguel; Videographer – Kenroy Michael

12.   Best Sports Story

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited “Robotics Officially Declared a Sport” – Reporter Paul Lopez; Videographer George Tillett

13.   Best Investigative Report

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Television Jamaica) “Who Shall Live: Dialysis Dilemma” – Shemala Pullen,Uton West, Richard Brown, Milton Reid

14.   Best Comedy Item

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Television Jamaica) “876 Comedy Club” – by Dahlia Harris, Trevor Johnson, Judith Alberga, Garnet Lewis, and TVJ Studio Crew

15.   Best Entertainment Programme

 

AWARD: Teleislas (San Andres Islands,Colombia) “True Islander II” – Teleislas, Antillean Films

16.      PRODUCTIONS AWARDS (PRINT)
17.   Best News Story

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “Piecing Together a Shattered World” – Tanesha Mundle

SPECIAL MENTION: Jamaica Observer “Shameful” – Romardo Lyons

17.   Best Sports Story

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “Senior SSL Officials Knew of Bolt’s Welljen Account” – by Jovan Johnson

18.   Best Entertainment Item

AWARD: Trinidad Express “A Childhood Dream Comes True for Ancil Harris” – by  Essiba Small

19.   Best Investigative Item

AWARD: Trinidad Express “Email Hacks and The Israel Connection” – Mark Bassant

20.        PRODUCTION AWARDS (DIGITAL)
21.   Best News Story

AWARD: Trinidad Express “Loving Leela” – Richard Charan

SPECIAL MENTION: TTT Ltd (Trinidad & Tobago) “See Yourself: Plant One Tree And Eat For Free” – Executive Producer TTT Ltd; Journalist, Mahalia Joseph

21.   Best Sports Story

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (One Spot Media) “The Creation of a World Champion” – Jerome Foster

22.   Best Entertainment Item

AWARD: TTT Ltd (Trinidad &Tobago) “Mash Up, the Music That Made Us – Rapso” – Executive Producer TTT Ltd; Producer Stacy Wyke; Camera Operator, Carlos Walcott

SPECIAL MENTION: Trinidad Express “The Closing Chapters” – Richard Charan

23.   Best Investigative Item

AWARD: Trinidad Express “A Grave Far From Home” – Richard Charan

SPECIAL MENTION: Trinidad Express“The Dark Secret At St. Ann’s”- Khamarie Rodriguez

SPECIAL MENTION: Great Belize Productions Ltd “Bert Vasquez Stays on Remand” – Hipolito Novelo

24.        ADVERTISING AWARDS
25.   Best Commercial Spot (Television)

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Ltd “UNITEX: No Worries With A Spark Beach Cruiser” – by Rick Romero

25.   Best Public Service Spot (Television)

AWARD: TTT Limited “Ministry of Health Men’s Mental Health” – Executive Producer, TTT Ltd; Producer Cherisse Gibson; Editor Renaldo de Bourg

SPECIAL MENTION: Teleislas “How To Love SAI” – by Teleislas and Joel Peñalosa

26.      THEME AWARDS (RADIO)
27.   Best News Story on Poverty Reduction & Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups – Sponsored by the Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica 94FM) “Period Poverty and Climate Change” – Giovani Dennis

27.   Excellence in Responsible Reporting on Youth Involvement in Crime – Sponsored by CariSECURE2.

SPECIAL MENTION: Starcom Network “Truce Feature” – Vonardo Corbin

28.      THEME AWARDS(TELEVISION)
29.   Excellence in Environmental Reporting on Mangrove/Seagrass Beds – Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy Caribbean Division

AWARD: Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica “Protecting Jamaica’s Own” – by Carol Francis, Marlon Samuels and Gabrielle Samuels

29.   Coverage of Healthy Nutrition Food Policy – sponsored by Healthy Caribbean Coalition

AWARD: Government Information Service of Barbados “Grow Green Barbados: Episode 3 – Organic Farming” – Aisha Reid, Mikul Elcock, David Bynoe, Esther Jones, Kathy Ann Husbands

30.   Best News Story on Poverty Reduction & Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups – Sponsored by the Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited “Don’t Tax My Femininity” – Reporter: Duane Moody; Videographers: Darrel Moguel & Rick Romero

31.   Excellence in Responsible Reporting on Youth Involvement in Crime – Sponsored by CariSECURE2.0

AWARD: CNC3 News (Trinidad &Tobago) “Youths And Serious Crime” – Carisa Christie Lee

32.   Excellence in Responsible Reporting on Trafficking in Persons – Sponsored by CariSECURE 2.0

AWARD: CNC3 News (Trinidad &Tobago) “Face It And Fix It” – by Soyini Grey and Akash Samaroo

33.   Best Climate Change Documentary – Sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

AWARD: Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (Barbados) “Info Insight: Rum & Sargassum” – by Myles Eversley, Joshua Hinkson & Sherwood McCaskie

 

SPECIAL MENTION: CNC3 News (Trinidad& Tobago) “Woodland: The Saltwater Crisis” – Kalain Hosein, Kerlon Orr (Editor) Brent Pinheiro (Drone Operator)

34.   Best Climate Change News Item – Sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited “Cultivating Hope: Belize’s Seaweed Farming Industry Takes Root” –Reporter Hipolito Novelo; Videographer Darrel Moguel

35.   Best Climate Change Investigative Report – Sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

AWARD: News Room Inc (Guyana) “Washed Away: People Who Help Protect the Turtles Are Losing Their Home” – by Vishani Ragobeer and Shaconeil Burnette

SPECIAL MENTION: CNC3 News (Trinidad& Tobago) “Why is it Flooding?” – by Kalain

Hosein

36.   Best Production on Land Degradation Neutrality – Sponsored by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management

AWARD: News Room Inc (Guyana) “Why is Guyana Spending Big To Replant Patches In Its Forest” – Neil Marks, Shatanand Anude

37.   Financial Literacy Journalism – sponsored by Sagicor

AWARD: Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (Barbados) “News pulse Episode 4: Financial Health with Exchange Museum” –Stacey N. Russell

38.   Health Education Journalism – sponsored by Sagicor

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited “Bridging the Gaps of Mental Illness Treatment” – Reporter – Paul Lopez; Videographer – Chris Mangar

39.          THEME AWARDS (DIGITAL)
40.   Best News Story on Poverty Reduction & Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups – Sponsored by the Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund

AWARD: News Room Inc (Guyana) “The Women Running Forestry Operations in Guyana” – by Neil Marks and Yusuf Ali

SPECIAL MENTION: News Room Inc (Guyana) “Guyana’s Carbon Credits Deal” – by Vishani Ragobeer

40.   Excellence in Responsible Reporting on Youth Involvement in Crime – Sponsored by CariSECURE2.0

AWARD: Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network (Barbados) “The Tropical Journey of a Firearm” – by Esther Jones

SPECIAL MENTION: Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network (Barbados) “Mental Break” – by Esther Jones

41.   Best Climate Change Investigative Report – Sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

AWARD: News Room Inc (Guyana) “Money From Trees: Amerindian Chiefs Say Rights not Violated” – Neil Marks and Shatanand Anude

42.          THEME AWARDS (PRINT)
43.   Coverage of Healthy Nutrition Food Policy – sponsored by Healthy Caribbean Coalition

AWARD: The Nation Publishing Company (Barbados) “It’s War” – Donna Sealy

SPECIAL MENTION: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “Hungry Belly Children Can’t Learn” – Andre Williams

43.   Best News Story on Poverty Reduction & Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups – Sponsored by the Caribbean Development Bank Basic Needs Trust Fund

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “Gulotta Calls for Removal of Mentally Ill Persons from Prisons” – Andre Williams

SPECIAL MENTION: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (The Star – Jamaica) “Seaview Gardens Jackson 5” – Simone Morgan-Lindo

44.   Excellence in Responsible Reporting on Trafficking in Persons – Sponsored by CariSECURE 2.0

SPECIAL MENTION: Trinidad Express“Bond Clears the Air: Human Trafficking Controversy” – Anna Ramdass

45.   Best Climate Change News Item – Sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

SPECIAL MENTION: Guardian Newspaper (Trinidad & Tobago) “History at COP 28: Loss and Damage Fund Adopted”– Kalain Hosein

46.   Best Climate Change Investigative Report – Sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “These Classrooms Are Furnaces” – Sashana Small

47.   Best Article on Land Degradation Neutrality – Sponsored by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management

AWARD: Jamaica Observer “Save the Mangroves” – by Romardo Lyons

48.   Financial Literacy Journalism – Sponsored by Sagicor

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “Breaking the Cycle of Old Age Poverty”– Sashana Small

SPECIAL MENTION: Trinidad Express “TT Falls Victim to Get Rich Quick Scheme” – Melissa Maynard

SPECIAL MENTION: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica Gleaner) “Rita Threw Away Nearly 1BN” – Jovan Johnson

49.   Health Education Journalism – sponsored by Sagicor

AWARD: Trinidad Express “Who Cares for the Disabled? Developmental Disability and Access to Public Health Care” – Khamarie Rodriquez

50.       CONTENT CREATION AWARDS
51.   Best Social Media Content Creator

AWARD: Government Information Service, Barbados – Mikul Elcock, Aisha Reid and Tyson Henry

51.   Best Videographer

SPECIAL MENTION:  News Room Inc (Guyana) – Shaconeil Burnette

52.   Best Producer (TV)

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Jamaica) – Khadene Foote

SPECIAL MENTION: Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (Barbados) – Stacey Russell

53.   Best Director (TV)

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited – Rick Romero

54.   Best Sound Engineer (Radio)

 

AWARD: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica 94FM) “Behind the Headlines: Year in Review Part 4” – by Giovanni Dennis

 

SPECIAL MENTION: RJRGLEANER Communications Group (Radio Jamaica 94FM) “Lights, Camera, Action” – by Dadrian Gordon

55.   Best Sound Engineer (TV)

AWARD: Great Belize Productions Limited “Open Your Eyes: Steel Band Performance” – Luis Sosa

CMC/2024