- 1 year ago
Veteran journalist, Jones P. Madeira has died.
The family confirmed on Friday afternoon that Madeira, 80, died at 3:30 pm at the Mount Hope Medical Complex where he had been for the last week, after ailing for some time .
The family confirmed on Friday afternoon that Madeira, 80, died at 3:30 pm at the Mount Hope Medical Complex where he had been for the last week, after ailing for some time .
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00:00Veteran journalist Jones P. Madera has died. His family confirmed this afternoon
00:05that the 80-year-old died at 3.30 at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex
00:11in Mount Hope, where he had been for the last week after ailing for some time.
00:16Jones P., as he was popularly known, a native of Arima, may best be remembered
00:21for his role during the 1990 attempted coup when Abubakar and his insurgents
00:27took over Trinidad and Tobago television and attracted the nation. In recognition
00:33of his role in that life-saving episode, Jones P. Madera was awarded the
00:38Sheconia Gold Medal, the second highest national award. He also received the
00:43Honorary Doctor of Letters PhD from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
00:48Madera started his career in the early 1960s as a print journalist and later
00:54entered the electronic media at NBS Radio 610 before joining the BBC in
01:00London as a member of the Caribbean Service. Returning to the region, Jones P.
01:05worked with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union and at the CARICOM Secretariat.
01:10His last two major positions as a journalist were as Editor-in-Chief at
01:15the Trinidad Guardian and the Trinidad Newsday. We are now joined by Interim
01:20President of MATT, Dale Enoch. Mr. Enoch, good evening to you and thank you so
01:24much for joining us. Good evening to you, Urvashi, and good evening to your viewers as well.
01:31Thank you so much. What can you tell us about the life and times of Jones P.?
01:38That is, that is a very difficult question, let me tell you, because there
01:42was a lot of life and many times with Jones P. Madera and many people who are, I don't
01:49think I'm worthy enough to really tell you about the life and times of Jones P.
01:54Madera. He told us many stories over the years. He was quite a good storyteller, to
02:00put it mildly. Jones P., as we lovingly called him all these years, Jones P. is
02:06really, or was really, a class act. There are many people who are in the
02:14profession today because of Jones P. Madera. He has started many, many careers
02:19in journalism. He has touched many people. He has touched many professionals. He was
02:25a remarkable professional himself. His passing, I think, is a great loss to us.
02:32And on behalf of the media association, I'd like to extend condolences to his
02:41family. Mr. Enoch, what were some of the stories that Mr. Madera would have
02:48written that you remember, that stand out still today?
02:52There were many. There were many. I was trying to recall some of them earlier
02:59today because we knew that he wasn't doing well. And I was trying to do some
03:06research. There were many. His stories about the
03:121990 insurrection must be read, must be seen by people. And I'm not just
03:19talking about journalists or members of the media, but certainly by people in
03:23Trinidad and Tobago. There are many, many voices that I would like to hear in the
03:28coming days to relive their experiences with Jones P. Madera, because I think we
03:35can learn so much. And I'm saying we, not just as professionals, but certainly as
03:42citizens and residents of Trinidad and Tobago.
03:47And of course, Mr. Enoch, of all those personal interactions that you would
03:53have had with him, is there anyone that stands out the most? Anyone that, you
03:57know, you would remember forever?
04:00You know, he, because of what I do in terms of the morning show over the many
04:05years, Jones P. Madera was a regular listener to the morning show. And he
04:11was also one who would quickly call me or send me messages and offer guidance in
04:19terms of how to treat with a particular story, how the story should have been
04:23treated, how the topic should be treated, because he was very much into talk radio
04:28and anything that was news, Jones P. was into. And therefore, I sought his
04:34guidance from time to time. I sought his advice from time to time, as I do with
04:40other professionals, other veterans, as they call them. And Jones P. has on many
04:47occasions rescued us from terrible consequences in terms of his guidance and
04:55the way we treated with stories.
04:57And that brings me to my next question. What were some of those tenets of
05:01journalism that characterized his career?
05:05One of the things that he, I remember he told me on more than one occasion, was
05:10that we always need to be in control of the airwaves, as as professionals, and
05:16he's talking about television and radio in particular. And he would always say,
05:21take control, do not let callers, do not let listeners, viewers take control of
05:28your programs. And that is something he left with me, because we have had to
05:33discuss, we have had to discuss this several times over the many years that
05:37we've been, that we've been in radio. And, and I, that stayed with me, has stayed
05:43with me.
05:44I was about to ask, what were some of his famous quotes? What would you remember
05:49him saying, you know, things that he would repeat in a newsroom, for instance?
05:54Take control. You are educating people, you're informing people, take control,
06:02and be sure that you're accurate. Some of the basics, and these are basics that we
06:06should always be, be putting into, into effect. Take control, keep control, be
06:13accurate.
06:16Be accurate. And as we close, Mr. Enoch, how would you suggest his life and legacy
06:21be honoured?
06:23And I was thinking about that earlier. How are we going to honour Jones B.
06:28Madeira? And I think that I would like Mark to be a part of that discussion, if
06:32and when it, when it is held, or maybe we can put forward some suggestions in time
06:38to come. But certainly we have to honour Jones B. Madeira. He was, his legacy has
06:44to live on.
06:45His legacy has to live on. And of course, as we close, is there anything else you'd
06:49like to add?
06:50Again, I would like to extend condolences to his family, and to all his colleagues
06:57in the Trinidad and Tobago media, in the Caribbean media, and in other places. We
07:04all mourned the loss of Jones B. Madeira. He is certainly a legend.
07:11Certainly a legend. Mr. Enoch, of course, Interim President of MAT. Let me thank
07:15you so much for joining us this evening. And of course, sharing all that you did,
07:19those, you know, quick tips and so on, and you know, your thoughts as per his
07:24legacy. And of course, he has left our profession in mourning. Let me thank you
07:29so much again for joining us.
07:31You're very welcome.
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