The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) yesterday joined the media fraternity in paying tribute to veteran journalist Norman Cuff, who died Thursday at home in Brown's Town, St Ann.

The 55-year-old Cuff worked at various media houses as a reporter, including the now defunct Daily News, Jamaica Record and Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, as well as the Jamaica Observer, The Gleaner, Jamaica Herald, and Radio Jamaica.

PAJ President Desmond Richards, who worked with Cuff at Jamaica Record, reflected: "Norman took my hand and led me along the path of righteousness and good journalism. He had a grasp for news and was very good at selecting stories and presenting them."

Similar sentiments

Expressing similar sentiments, Vernon Davidson, executive editor at the Jamaica Observer, said Cuff had earned a reputation as a "prolific journalist who had a sharp nose for news".

"His editors could always rely on him to pick up a breaking story and turn it around quickly while ensuring that he got all available sides to provide balance. He also made time to share his knowledge and experience with younger reporters and was never one to let the importance of his profession consume his humility," said Davidson.

Arthur Hall, PAJ director and senior reporter at The Gleaner, described Cuff as a "reporter's reporter", who was "always ready with an encouraging word, advice and assistance". Hall said Cuff, as a senior reporter at the Jamaica Record, was one of the persons who "helped greatly in the development of the young sports reporters Ian Burnett, Audley Boyd and I".

Hall added: "Over the past decade the profession has been the poorer for his absence and his passing leaves me sad and reflective about what happens to journalists when they no longer write the front page stories."