OUTSTANDING Trinidad and Tobago journalist, George John who worked several years in Jamaica at the then Caribbean Institute of Mass Communication (Carimac), died yesterday, aged 86.

John’s death closed a long and eventful 50-year chapter in Caribbean journalism which started with the Trinidad Guardian newspaper. He was also one of the founding editors of the rival Trinidad Express newspaper.

“He helped to lay the foundation of the CCN Group of Companies, which now extends to other Caribbean countries. I would hope that the young journalists would respect the legacy he left and align themselves to the standard he set,” said his close friend and journalistic sparring partner, Keith Smith, editor-at-large at the Trinidad Express.

Born George Radcliffe John at Woodbrook, Port of Spain, he was educated at Tranquility Boys’ Government Intermediate School. He worked with the print media for 50 years, including stints at The Gleaner and the Observer in Jamaica. He has also written for The Vincentian (St Vincent) and The New Chronicle (Dominica).

He served variously as columnist, editorial writer, sports writer, news reporter, political reporter, trainer and editor; working as news analyst on Radio Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago Television and the National Broadcasting Service.

He demonstrated expertise on Caribbean matters, as television cricket commentator; as general manager at Dominica Broadcasting; and as BBC Caribbean events analyst. Beyond the Caribbean, he served as an analyst at ITV Super-Channel in British General Elections. In Jamaica, he also worked at the Jamaica Institute of Management and Production.

In November 2002, he received the honorary Doctor of Letters from UWI, St Augustine. His book, Beyond The Front Page, about his life in journalism, was published the same year.

George John is survived by daughter, Deborah John, features editor at the Trinidad Express.