Outstanding Youth #11 Le’Roi Adolphus The Guyanese tree climbing fish (By Mondale Smith) Many know and celebrate Le’Roi Adolphus as the journalist from Guyana and they have every reason to look forward to him climbing even higher heights…in politics even. But, this kid makes my list of outstanding Guyanese not just for his exploits thus far but because he is an example of what can be achieved by not letting the ghetto mind-set become you. Mind you, I too am from what some call the ghetto. I’ve known him as a little-boy. Yes he spent part of his childhood in Norton Street in the scheme-yard aka the government flats and we lived just a couple of apartments away from each other. Back then the location was the heart of weed smoking and criminality which may be as a result of the poverty. Police ran and ransacked apartments on a regular back then when the infamous bandit ‘Fried rice’ was alive actually Le’Roi lived one staircase away from him back then. I still remember those two bony legs and as them boys would say ‘bat ears’ Le’Roi. If I recall correctly it was him, a sister Vanda and a brother whom we called Fitzy and another younger brother Eddie who lived with both parents. But his dad, a retired officer of the Guyana Police Force, was a stickler for education and reading, before long my skinny friend and family moved away to Festival City, North Ruimveldt, up the road from the headquarters of food for the poor office. It wasn’t easy but my buddy, like a few others, is a living example that Ghetto is a mind-set and not a location. His is a story that makes for a movie script or even a book. The next time we met was during the years when Le’Roi had already graduated from Queens College and began his career as a journalist at Prime News. There we shared memories to last a lifetime. Our media father and mother Adam Harris and Julia Johnson applied the pressure to make us into better individuals and journalists. My estranged buddy later joined Ch2 News and eventually Capitol News. He moved on to Barbados where he worked at the Caribbean Media Corporation for a number of years after completing University of Guyana. While pursuing his studies at the University of the West Indies in Political Science and Law where he graduated with honours Le ‘Roi hit many hurdles both personal and family but never once did I hear him talk of giving up. He said he wants his story serve as an inspiration especially for young people, while remaining humble and true to his roots. His is a story about struggles, obstacles and determination. He recently completed his Masters degree in International Relations and International Development at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and has now yielded to a post graduate diploma legal studies (GDL) as a precursor to becoming a legal mind or diplomat. If I were to continue I would write a book so I’ll simply list his other achievements below in summary. Currently Leroy is a post graduate student at the University of East Anglia (UEA), reading for Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and is schedule to finish in June 2015. In September 2014, he completed a Masters Degree in International Relations and Development Studies at UEA. He has eight years’ experience working as a broadcast journalist, initially in Guyana and then in Barbados for the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) a Pan-Caribbean broadcasting network. With an enthusiasm and interest in law and its application, Le’Roi is training to become a commercial lawyer serving both domestic and international clients based in the UK. His interests include corporate, M&A, trade, maritime, oil and gas, shipping and logistics, asset financing and global finance and governance. He is also interested in specializing in trade and treaty negotiations and drafting, international investments, and international political economy especially for emerging and developing states. At the end of his professional certification journey he says “I would like to become an analytical and cross jurisdictional lawyer. EDUCATION Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) - University of East Anglia, England – Current This is an intensive one year course designed to allow non-law graduates to convert to a law path. Following my successful completion of the Diploma, I will be eligible to progress to the Legal Practice Course for the solicitors’ track. MA International Relations & Development Studies – UEA, England – 2014 This course particularly examines dominant International Relations theories such as neoliberalism and reviews case studies between states including the UK, USA & EU. It also examines concepts such as global finance, global governance, international security, international and maritime law and trade. BSc. Political Science & Law (Hons.) - The University of the West Indies, Barbados – 2011 The law element of the course included Public International law, Public Law (Constitutional, Administrative, and Human Rights), Civil Practice and Procedures, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Land Law, Criminal Law & European Competition Law Diploma Public Communications (Journalism) – University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana – 2007- Professional transferable skills acquired include mass media communication, drafting press releases, research, ability to assimilate large amounts of data and summarize key arguments, multi-task under pressure and see the successful completion of projects. Experience 2007 to 2012 News Reporter/Sub-Editor, Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) - Barbados Producing the Corporation’s flagship newscast (Caribbean Newline). Areas covered included legal and political developments, regional finance and business and foreign direct investments. It also included frequent international travel. 2006-2007 Senior Reporter, News Today- CNS Channel 6 - Guyana I covered the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Law Courts. I also reported on financial and international issues, off-shore oil exploration and border security. 2003-2006 Reporter, Prime News - HBTV Channel 9 -Guyana : He reported on national issues, including Parliamentary, Legal and Foreign Affairs. 2002-2003 Bank Teller, Bank of Nova Scotia – Guyana Main responsibilities: general in bank transactions and other banking operations; including the processing of salaries for various organizations. SKILLS Media Liaison & Public Communication, Debating, Legal Research, Socializing and Networking, Internet Administration and Website Management, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, Power Point), Windows XP (Home & Professional) HOBBIES Cricket, Lawn Tennis, Surfing, Reading Philosophical Books & Essays, Traveling, Writing & Researching AWARDS & RECOGNITION In December 2013 he was awarded the UEA 2013 Santander Post-Graduate Scholarship. Two of the criteria for the award are that ‘students will be selected based on their academic merit’ and ‘consideration will be given to the student’s potential contribution to UEA; both in general and in terms of UEA’s internationalization objectives’ Adolphus has been recognized for his dedication to Public Health reporting, by winning a PAHO/WHO award for Best News Report for Television in 2008. This award was given for his report on “HIV/AIDS and Stigma and Discrimination in Guyana.” He’s also a Kaiser Family Foundation Fellow. As a result of his love for Health Journalism, Adolphus was awarded a Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership (CBMP) fellowship and covered the 16th International Aids Conference in 2008, in Mexico City. A QC old boy, Adolphus was part of the Pan Caribbean Partnership for HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) team in July 2010 to Vienna, Austria where he covered and reported on a similar conference. Some of the countries and major cities that Adolphus have traveled and reported from include Mexico City, Columbia, Guatemala City, United States, New York, California, Texas, Sao Paulo, Brazil and most of the countries that make up the CARICOM grouping. The rest is still un-written as Le’Roi gives credence to the story of the little engine that could and is doing more than blowing hot air… He is proof that as impossible as it seems “A fish can climb a tree… all it takes is will power. By the way hes only 31 years old.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 16:48:36 +0000
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