THE Observer’s T K Whyte was among three veteran journalists honoured yesterday by the Press Association of Jamaica at a luncheon held at the Wray and Nephew Hospitality room in Kingston.

The other journalists honoured were the Sunday Herald’s Christine King and Gleaner proofreader Harvey Josephs.

Whyte joined the Observer in 1996 after leaving the constabulary force with the rank of superintendent. He was entrusted with the crime beat, and is now the Observer’s St Catherine correspondent, having retired recently as a staff reporter.

Before joining the Observer, Whyte served as the head of the Police Information Centre, now the Constabulary Communication Network, and was the coordinator of the constabulary’s publication, the Police Mirror.

King, the executive editor of the Sunday Herald, has been the editor of the lifestyle section – Pure Class – and has the distinction of being the first woman to own shares in a media company after she bought into the Sunday Herald more than a decade ago. She has also worked at the Gleaner for a number of years as the lifestyle editor.

Josephs has been a proofreader at the Gleaner for 37 years.

All three were presented with plaques from the PAJ and gift baskets from Wray and Nephew for their contribution to the media.

Public Defender Earl Witter, who delivered the main address, praised the media for its service to the public.

“If as an organisation the media were to disappear, you would be replaced by rumour, chaos and all kinds of maladies. The profession has meandered through so many different screens since the ’60s,” Witter said.

The public defender also joined the chorus of voices condemning the recent attack by gunmen on police officers travelling in a marked vehicle in Salt Springs in St James.

“In recent days members of the constabulary have come under unprovoked, senseless attacks. They (the gunmen) took aim but their purpose to me seems aimless,” he said.