Journalists Complete Media Training Sponsored by LIAT, CTO

25 October 2011 7:20pm

Journalists Complete Media Training Sponsored by LIAT, CTO

Fifty-one journalists from countries throughout LIAT's network have so far benefited from training in basic journalism under an initiative started by the airline in conjunction with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in 2009.

According to a release, the latest batch of 15 completed a one-week workshop at the Flamboyant Hotel in Grenada on October 21. The Grenada Board of Tourism collaborated with LIAT and the CTO to host the workshop.

The participants were Sanny Ensing of the Daily Herald in St. Maarten; Tyrella Alexander of DBS Radio Dominica; Azara Lavia of ABS Television in Antigua; Anesta Henry of Nation Newspaper in Barbados; Handell Duncan of HBTV in Guyana; Theresa Gordon of Crusader Radio Antigua; Edona Jno Baptiste of Marpin TV, Dominica; Renuka Singh of the Trinidad Express Newspaper; Travis Chase of Guyana News Agency; Shane Jitta of CL Communications, Trinidad; Rickisha St. Louis and Rose Fraser of Real FM; Tawfig Obst of Flow; Asha Andall of the Informer Newspaper and Betty Ann Lazarus of the Ministry of Tourism - all in Grenada.

“I think it was a major initiative for LIAT and the CTO to train journalists a little more,” Singh said. “I also think that the actual experience was an extremely interesting one, especially the practical exercises, because you got a chance to do what you were trained to do in the program.”

Duncan meanwhile said the workshop exceeded his expectations. “I would like to say thanks to LIAT and the CTO, who made this workshop possible," he said. "I hope that they will continue (with the workshops) because as young journalists we can only get better."

LIAT’s Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown said the airline views the initiative as part of its social responsibility, and is pleased to provide this aspect of human resource development in the region.

“As part of the workshops, participants conduct a series of interviews with local officials and other stakeholders. The information gathered is then used to write news stories to sensitize their audience about the various LIAT destinations and how the carrier can get them there,” Brown said.