Desmond Arrindell – reluctant intern, now ace broadcaster

He had a tag line sometime back that stated in part: “If it makes you feel warm and tranquil inside, just call me Dezzie.”

And, that’s just what his fans have been calling him for the 14 or so years that he has been a broadcaster at the state-owned National Broadcasting Corporation radio station, NBC Radio.

Ernie Desmond Arrindell, the Belmont (windward) resident, who joined the staff of NBC Radio in November 1997, had an early 20th anniversary gift from the public, when he was voted Best Radio Personality in the Best of SVG 2017 Awards.

It was overwhelming, he says, “knowing that there are so many radio stations and that there are so many radio personalities, and to be voted the best radio personality – in fact for the first Best of SVG production… I felt really honoured, I’m still feeling honoured …and I’m very grateful.”

The journey to NBC Radio began while he was at the then Technical College, Desmond recalls. It was time for students to be placed on attachment and he had not identified the national radio station among the places where he wanted to do his internship. However, his tutor thought otherwise, needing someone to make a good impression, so that other students would be accepted for future attachments.

Not only did he gel with the staff in the Engineering Department, where he spent six weeks as an intern studio technician, Desmond actually came away knowing that this was his field for a career.

However, two years went by before he received a call to attend an interview and, that same day, began his employment at the radio station – in the Engineering Department.

A few years later, his voice and affable personality landed him on air as a full-time announcer.

Desmond has been the voice to which listeners wake up on NBC from 5:30 a.m. weekdays.

“The morning shift is wonderful…I’ll start [preparations] maybe after four to reach in for 5:30 a.m.,” Desmond explains.

“In fact, sometimes before 5:30, I start to get phone calls at the station… people will call asking for birthday greetings to be sent out because they have to leave early for work, or they may ask that condolences be sent, due to the loss of a loved one.”

It’s the most demanding of the station’s four on-air shifts, but Desmond gets “great satisfaction” knowing that he is making a difference to someone else’s day.

As one fan says, he interacts easily with people of all ages, but it seems that he has a special affinity for the children.

Desmond speaks enthusiastically about the “Sing along” morning segment, which was conceptualized by a former colleague.

“I try to do not only the nursery rhymes, but I also allow them to sing along to gospel songs, action songs, number songs and they have fun exercise songs so you get them interactive and you make them feel a part of what we are doing here at the radio station.”

While there have been many milestones, Desmond takes greatest satisfaction in the feedback he gets from the public.

“My main high point is the satisfaction I get from the public in terms of persons listening to the radio station and feeling connected; that’s where it all comes [together] for me.”