Journalist Janice Budd died yesterday after a long battle with cancer. She was 49.

Budd, who was admitted to Andrews Memorial Hospital in St Andrew last year, passed away at her home in Portmore, St Catherine.

At the time of her passing Budd was employed to the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) as operations manager, communications and member services.

Last night, SAJ Chief Executive Officer Trevor Riley said the association had lost “a gifted colleague”.

“Janice joined our team just under three years ago as head of communication and member services in the substantive post of operations manager,” Riley said.

“In a very short time she endeared herself to the shipping community by employing her well-seasoned skills of a communicator, providing public relations support for the Shipping Association of Jamaica and the Caribbean Shipping Association.

“She was relentless in the delivery of quality service. Our senior management team visited her just last Thursday, December 28 and Janice was lamenting the fact that she was unable to be at work, promising to beat her illness and get back to duty shortly,” Riley added.

“Our association and the country have lost someone who made a real mark on several sectors — media, banking, shipping. We have lost a gifted colleague.

“Everybody in our industry who interacted with Janice has a wonderful personal story to tell about some act of kindness or compassion that she performed,” Riley said.

“The Shipping Association of Jamaica joins with all her colleagues to express regret to Janice’s parents, siblings and other relatives. May her soul rest in peace.”

Budd’s stellar journalism career saw her working at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, Jamaica Information Service, CVM Television, Radio Jamaica, Television Jamaica, and the Jamaica Observer which she joined in November 2010, serving as Sunday Editor until her departure in April 2013 for National Commercial Bank (NCB).

“I was quite thrilled to have Janice join us at the Observer as I had always admired and respected her journalistic skills,” Executive Editor, Publications Vernon Davidson said last night.

“Although she spent most of her career in broadcast journalism, she adapted to print with amazing speed and ease, so much so that I once told her in jest that the writer in her was being suppressed during her time in electronic media,” Davidson recalled.

“Janice’s stewardship of the Sunday Observer resulted in the paper publishing some of its best investigative pieces, especially those written by her,” he added.

“I lost my Saturday morning coffee partner when she left us for NCB, but her job in public relations at the bank ensured that we kept in touch. I will miss her warm personality, passion for debate, and great sense of humour. I extend condolence to her family and friends on behalf of the Observer,” Davidson said.

Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips also paid tribute to Budd, saying that her “untimely passing… is another major blow to the nation’s media”.

“We offer our condolence to Janice’s family, friends and colleagues. Over the past months, unfortunately, three stalwarts have been lost. Even as the profession is again plunged into mourning, journalists and other media workers continue to provide critical service to the society. May her soul rest in peace,” Phillips said.