NYLO interns given additional week

This is due to the outstanding work the interns have produced in the newsrooms at Newsday’s Port-of- Spain, San Fernando and Tobago offices.

Speaking about their experiences which ranged from covering sports, crime, general news, politics, court, and working on the Sunday Desk, features, and in the pagination department, the interns said they learned a lot, but wished that internship was longer.

When Editor in Chief, Jones P Madeira advised that they “Report for duty on Monday next week,” the response was, “You serious?” When they realised that Madeira was indeed serious, the interns broke out in a round of applause.

They were at Newsday’s El Socorro office for their evaluation and closing ceremony when the announcement was made.

Madeira, acting Chief Executive Officer Maria Cooper, Human Resources Manager Sandra Charles Maxwell, supervisor of the pagination department Damian Jones, and news editor Keino Swamber all spoke highly of the work ethic of the interns, who brought enthusiasm, new energy and willingness to learn, and who, for the greater part, produced the paper’s NYLO edition on Saturday last.

Cooper and Charles-Maxwell called on the corporate community to do similar internships with young people to give them the opportunity to gain experience in the work space, to benefit not only them, but the entire country.

“It would be good,” Cooper said, “if other companies came on board to restore the belief in the country and in youths.” Like Charles-Maxwell and Madeira, Cooper said she has a few ideas of keeping the group together, going forward.

One of the ideas was actually put forward by intern, Jabarri Superville, who asked that Newsday not give up on the programme. He said NYLO could produce a pull-out supplement targeting youths.

Speaking of the work of the interns in the Pagination Department Jones said he was impressed with the temperament and attitude of interns Alan Chan, Joshua Suite and Keston Reyes who at first felt that the pagination department was slow paced. They then basically took over all the work of the department, he said.

Madeira also thanked interns of the Sunday Desk, Giatri Lalla, Sarika Bhageratty, Shaakira Medford and Amelia Thomas for “single-handedly bringing out” the Newsday Kids pull-out in last Sunday’s Newsday edition and for assisting in editing of stories for the NYLO edition. Noting that the interns were also involved in the decision-making process of what went into the NYLO edition, Madeira said when they were looking for a headline for the lead story in which the United National Congress lost its September 7 poll challenge, intern Ana-Lissa Jack came up with “‘Bye Elections.” It was the unanimous choice.

Singling out for mention was intern photographer Xavier Sylvester who provided the front page photograph on his first day in the field and the front page photo of the NYLO edition.

Among those who contributed several stories each to the NYLO edition were Superville, Lalla, Ann-Lisa Jack, Tenisha Sylvester, and Tyrell Gittens.

Shawnelle Martineaux and Ethan Maynard contributed to feature writing with Martineaux also doing a column and putting together the editorial which was a group effort.

Nickolai Madray and Keston Charles showed their writing skills in the sports pages.