Channel 7 journalist, Keith Swift, laid to rest
Funeral services were held in Belmopan today for Keith Swift, our media colleague who was found dead at his home on Monday evening. The veteran thirty year old journalist had been employed at Seven News since 1998 and was considered to be generally healthy, aside from a bad right knee. Keith was last seen alive around nine on Sunday night by his roommate, Mark Bowman and his sudden death came as a shock. Hundreds paid their last respects at the funeral, which had moments of sadness and laughter. Marion Ali represented News Five and joined the rest of the media in offering condolences to Keith’s family and to Channel Seven.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The wooden casket which cradled the body of our late colleague, Keith Swift, lingered momentarily at the church door as family and friends filed into Saint Ann’s Anglican Church in Belmopan. But before long the church was packed and crowds spilled into the church yard as they came to pay their last respects to a man who brought them the daily news. The funeral service got underway at ten this morning and it was filled with sadness.
Kainie Manuel, San Pedro Sun
kainie manuel
“Boy did he love the camera. Pictures of him in front of the waterfall, pictures of him in front of the chocolate; it’s surreal to think he’s not here anymore.”
Marion Ali, News Five
“I will certainly miss Keith. I got on his nerves, he got on mine. It was just the nature of the competition, but it was never anything personal. I will certainly miss his face out there because there will not be a Keith pushing me again to do my best.”
Anita Nembhard, Freelance reporter
“I lost a friend despite our differences at times. As Marion said earlier, Keith knew how to get under your skin at times but he was still my friend because we argued during part of getting the story and by the end ah di day we good. Next day, the same. We never did quarrel.”
But there were also moments of laughter as media colleagues shared remembrances of him.
rhenae nunez
Rhenae Nunez, Perspective Newspaper
“When he covered the carnival and he asked a girl to show him her moves and the girl seh but no music deh. He seh well ah wah sing fi yoh and he went Faluma and the girl danced. I couldn’t wait for the news to finish to tell Jules I have a trophy for that young man.”
Sylvaana Udz, National Kriol Council
“When people di seh gial dah thing haad fi read and write Keith stop yoh pan street wit yoh latest publication and he stop yoh pan street and seh mek we show dehn dis thing noh haad fi read and write.”
Alfonso Noble, The Guardian Newspaper
“When the camera switched on he was a completely and totally different individual. I remember walking through London bridges back in the Jane Usher Boulevard and I remember he was a lot of times terrified out of his mind because he couldn’t walk on the planks that were there and he would bob and weave. But when the camera turn on, man he was superman, super hero.”
Jorge Aldana, Love FM, San Pedro
“I remember an incident when we went to Free Zone, Fonso was there I could remember and some of our media colleagues. We were trying to contraband some few drinks and Keith had an idea. We noh wah tell yoh now how ih gone but we managed to bring it, thanks to Keith.”
The eulogy was aptly delivered by Keith’s closest co-workers, Indira Craig and Jules Vasquez.
Indira Craig, Channel 7
indira craig
“The man who surpassed all in front of the camera shared so little about himself when the microphone was turned off. Imagine, a purveyor of stories and yet a guarder of his own. When he did open up, we saw his sensitivity, his vulnerability and that he sought solace in our support. These are after all the norm of human, just that when you’re living most of your life on television, the cost can be a little close to the bone. But he rose above it every time and used it as fuel to make him that much more determined to succeed and exceed.”
Jules Vasquez, Channel 7
“My brother Keith, I have no incantations to roll the clouds away and speed you along. Like you, I only have words and a prayer song that I remember and it says take these hands, don’t make a fist, take this mouth so quick to criticise and give it a kiss. Take this soul, stranded in some skin and bones. Take this soul and make it sing.”
Rest in peace Keith Swift. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
