Remembering Shelley

News of the death of Shelley Clarke on Friday, December 13 although shocking, did not surprise me. I spoke to Shelley twice over the past month and he had indicated to me that he was under a lot of pressure, and it was taking a toll on
him. I did not ask about the source of that pressure but tried to turn to another subject to take his mind away from whatever was bothering him. I now have doubts about my position because it might be that he needed someone to speak to on the issue or issues. I first knew Shelley when he worked at 705 Radio/Radio SVG, but got to know him much better when he and other friends decided to start a newspaper that we now know as The NEWS. Shelley called on me and others to be a part of that venture. I accepted his call to be a columnist. I had written for the Vincentian before, but not as a columnist.

Everything seemed to have been going fine until a disagreement with the editor and some columnists led to our departure and eventually to the formation of a new newspaper, the SEARCHLIGHT. As I look back at what transpired I realised that the matter was handled quite badly, and Shelley himself seemed to have been of that opinion. I remained a friend of Shelley. He would call me occasionally to get my opinion on something he was putting into his paper or some other issue not related to the paper. We met every year at the Calypso semifinals, a group that included Becket (when he was not occupied on stage), and Clifford Edwards. We normally sat under the first pavilion as you entered from the gate near to the St Joseph’s Convent School. Sometimes Shelley and I met in town on Carnival Tuesday when we were both taking photographs.

Persons who had worked with him at 705 Radio spoke highly of him. Theresa Daniel said that when she first took up employment at the Radio Station, he was the person who trained her and made her into the professional she has become. His training and guidance were invaluable. She described him as a gifted broadcaster and media practitioner and the paper that he subsequently established as “an institution on our media landscape.” Blazer Williams who replaced me at the NEWS felt that he had made a significant contribution to journalism in the country. Blazer had known him at the sixth form of the St. Vincent Grammar School and knew him by his nickname Z.

The NEWS newspaper was like his child. When you saw Shelley, you saw the NEWS. They seemed to have been inseparable. His editorials were captivating, raising issues which he sometimes framed as questions. They “were insightful, (and) hard hitting with a deep analysis of the social, political and economic conditions in the country.” His editorial of October 18 asked “Who sanctioned Police Payments for ICC World Cup Security?” covering an issue that had been causing some concern among the police who were employed to provide security at the T 20 World Cup. Shelley was fearless as he reported on issues. In a country that is as politically divided as we are, when political issues were raised it antagonised many but that would be until the next issue when they might find something pleasing with which to agree. He also tried to ensure that matters were not forgotten but to keep them alive. So, on November 22, his editorial read “Is this Justice?”

This is to highlight the long delay by the Court of Appeal in settling the issue of the PM’s Appeal against the ruling by Justice Esco Henry on the Covid Vaccine Mandate. In November the paper was critical of the view of the Commissioner of Police that “Climate Change was more important than solving crimes” “And what’s this nonsense of bringing an App to get info from the population? If people do not trust giving information to policemen in person, would they put it on an App for it to record where it may be traced to the phone?”

Stories on the front and back pages were at times provocative and meant to draw the attention of persons wanting to purchase and read the paper; “CWI President says Gonsalves can’t run a single, can’t advise him on cricket. Gonsalves responds, “Look Out for a Six” capturing the PM’s bid to be returned to government for a sixth consecutive term. Then he highlights a comment by Conroy Huggins, the NDP candidate for Central Leeward. “NDP Renewing while ULP, Gonsalves, Expired!”

Shelley has undoubtedly left a mark on the media landscape.

The way he presented the news, the questions he asked and the issues he raised drew the attention of many readers and would be readers. He was indeed fearless. Even though fewer people are reading the traditional newspapers these days, those who do would surely miss his no-nonsense approach.” REST IN PEACE SHELLEY!

• Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian