Letter of the Day | Remembering Balford Henry’s lifelong commitment to journalism

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Balford Henry belonged to a generation of Jamaican journalists for whom reporting was a lifelong commitment to being where the news was happening and telling the story with accuracy, context and an understanding of the personalities and institutions involved. He was among the longest continuously serving reporters in Jamaican journalism.

My awareness of Balford preceded our personal acquaintance by many years. As a teenager, I read his news stories and opinion columns in The Star and The Gleaner long before I had the opportunity to meet him and later know him as a fellow journalist.

Over the years, Balford established himself as a credible and knowledgeable beat reporter, particularly in his coverage of the trade union movement and Parliament. These demanding assignments required not only accurate reporting but also a deep understanding of the history, personalities and relationships that shaped events behind the headlines.

His network of contacts, combined with his knowledge of the sector, frequently enabled him to scoop competitors in both the print and broadcast media.

Although generally mild-mannered and unassuming, Balford held clear and strongly formed views. These found expression in his opinion columns during the late 1970s and 1980s.

For many years, despite encouragement from senior editors, including the late J.C. Proute, Balford resisted invitations to move permanently to the editorial desk. He preferred remaining on the ground, maintaining contacts, pursuing stories and working his beats. He eventually spent some time as deputy news editor of The Daily Gleaner, bringing practical newsroom experience to the role.

Those who worked alongside Balford will also remember his distinctive method of producing copy. He could type at remarkable speed, largely using his two index fingers, attacking the keyboard with an urgency that seemed to match the pace of the newsroom itself. From a single event, press conference or development, Balford could often produce three or more separate stories, identifying different angles that another reporter might easily have overlooked.

Balford Henry earned his place among those veteran journalists whose contribution cannot be measured simply by the thousands of stories carrying their bylines. It is also measured by the history they witnessed, recorded and helped generations of Jamaicans to understand.

His was indeed a life in journalism, and his contribution to the profession deserves to be remembered with respect and appreciation.

COLIN STEER