MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Former south-central Jamaica veteran journalist Noel Davy is dead.

Relatives say Davy, 83, who worked as a freelancer for various media houses for many years, died at St Ann’s Bay Hospital on Tuesday.

He worked as a freelance journalist from Christiana, Manchester, for the Jamaica Observer, Nationwide News Network, The Gleaner and others before transitioning to being a church leader in north-eastern Jamaica.

Davy died a week after fellow journalist Glendon Baker passed at hospital in Manchester.

Former Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) President Byron Buckley remembered Davy as a newshound.

“My memory of Davy is that he was among a group of journalists from central Jamaica who supported my candidacy as president of the Press Association of Jamaica. I really respect his newshound skills and he was one of those who ended up forming the central Jamaica chapter of the PAJ and when I came there to have our first fun day for the PAJ he was among the [members] along with the late Glendon Baker, incidentally, who helped to host the other journalists from across the nation,” said Buckley.

Chief executive officer at Nationwide News Network veteran journalist Cliff Hughes described Davy as a well-rounded freelance correspondent who played a pivotal role in covering rural Jamaica.

“I know he was ailing for some time. Some months ago I heard that he was ill, but didn’t know it was that serious. My immediate reaction is one of surprise and regret. I would offer my condolence to his family,” said Hughes.

“Noel Davy, as a freelance correspondent with Nationwide, was always viewed as a very well-informed and connected rural correspondent. He had very good sources in rural Jamaica in politics, commerce, social life at the community level,” added Hughes as he described Davy as a passionate freelancer.

“He clearly enjoyed the work. He was not motivated by money or reward in terms of earnings. He always came across as somebody who was just happy and satisfied that he was being given an opportunity to tell the story of his community and rural Jamaica. He was also very argumentative and he would regale us with his experiences and knowledge of issues, events, speeches that occurred years ago or in more recent time what is the current hot-button issue,” said Hughes.

Former editor-at-large at the Observer Garfield Myers also remembered Davy as a passionate freelance journalist.

“We had a good personal relationship. He was a very entertaining and humorous man. Loved life, enjoyed life to the fullest. As a journalist he had an eye and ear for news,” said Myers.

It was a similar story from senior journalist Garfield Angus who recounted his time around Davy covering assignments in south-central Jamaica.

“Noel Davy was a true journalist…zealous for fairness, and the promotion of developmental issues. He was never one to use media for sectional or selfish interests. There was never a dull moment around Noel Davy. Even though he left the profession for a spiritual calling, he remained a friend, guide, and mentor to many.

“For young journalists, Davy was a protector, always standing up for them, and sharing his vast knowledge for their growth and development,” said Angus.

St Elizabeth-based journalist Melville Harris recalled times when Davy came across the parish border in covering news.

“He had a keen interest in community news and he spent a lot of time working throughout St Elizabeth to a lesser extent, but he was more focused in the parish of Manchester providing a lot of coverage for events in and around the parish of Manchester,” said Harris.

“He was one of those persons who, as a correspondent, spent his time highlighting community news. He was also very much involved in other community activities and as an individual he was well respected in the news circle,” added Harris.