Isani bests the region and wins another award
Isani Cayetano
In July, the Caribbean Research Development Institute, CARDI and the Technical Center for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation, CTA, launched the third Regional Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Awards. The theme this year was Achieving Food Security through Regional Cooperation, and journalists from across the region were invited to participate. Once again, News Five’s Isani Cayetano has proven to be one of the best journalists in the region, walking away with the award…his fourth in different areas of journalism. Isani says he is elated at his win.
Isani Cayetano, Award Winning Journalist
“What Chris and I did, we went back in the files for some of the stories that we covered within a certain period of time that dealt with this particular issue. So what we did, we submitted a story on the proposed introduction of genetically modified organism or GMO into the agricultural sector. This story was an overnight story that Chris and I had done in Punta Gorda in Santa Ana village where we were looking at the potential impact of this introduction of GMO corn seeds into the local agricultural landscape so to speak and how it affects families or generations of traditional farmers. So it was shortlisted for the award and this now becomes my fourth award and quite honestly I wasn’t expecting my fourth award so soon or so earlier seeing as though I was just coming off the heels of my third one a few weeks ago. But it is a wonderful feeling, I continue working hard and once again I would like to acknowledge my camera man as well for the dedication and hard work that both of us put in to coming up with worthwhile stories that affect people and show Belize as well.”
Reporter
“Tell me about some of the work that goes into creating an award winning story and in particular this story.”
Isani Cayetano
“With regards to this story, what we needed to highlight was the way that this introduction of GMO corn would affect these people. If you are aware of how the indigenous Maya people are, they are very traditional and to some extent, we would want to say that they are creatures of habit. So we needed to bring that out of the story and as well show a balance that there are other people who are using this particular system of agriculture if I may. So we struck a perfect balance between those who are for the introduction of GMO corn and those who are against and who stand to be adversely affected by the introduction. We just fleshed it out and brought it all together.”
Isani will travel in October to Guyana to receive his award.
