Veteran Journalist Owen Baptiste passes away

The Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers (ACM) is mourning the death of T&T journalist Owen Baptiste, 87, who once served as Executive Chairman of the Caribbean News Agency (CANA), Editor of Caribbean Contact and was founding Editor of the T&T Express.

Baptiste was a hard-hitting newspaper columnist and editor whose influence extended throughout the Caribbean. He played a key role in the launch of the Jamaica Observer and was associated with the Stabroek News of Guyana and the Barbados Advocate.

He was also responsible for spawning several publications under the Inprint label and mentoring generations of journalists and writers – many of whom now serve or have served in leadership positions in the national, regional and international media.

His columns, written in the name of “Benedict Wight” and under the banner of “No Sacred Cows”, have been published in three volumes and he is also the author of  The Seagulls Won’t Come Down: A Caribbean journalist’s account of his 12 years’ odyssey in the Middle Kingdom, and Independence Day 31st August 1962: A Play.

Baptiste is also editor of numerous volumes on T&T and Caribbean public affairs.

The ACM extends condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of this Caribbean media pioneer