Charles Harding was a Titan of Caribbean journalism whose assiduous effort, vigilance and professionalism represent just three aspects of his great example.
His service to colleagues, community and country and his pursuit of the highest ethical conduct separate him from many others who have followed.
He was among that small group of people whose vision led to the establishment of the Nation newspaper. His enthusiasm for its launch and his sacrifice in its growth has few equals.
In demonstrating his faith in our cause, he led the way by resigning his secure senior position at the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) to commit to a fledgling company offering modest recompense. He was one of just three journalists who became our first editorial staff. The others were Carl Moore and Al Gilkes.
This early pluck was enhanced by his perseverance on the job as our first News Editor who had no staff. He was prodigious in output and unbridled in eagerness. As a result, in our first decade, his scoops, analytical articles and searching investigations defined what our newspaper would become.
When he was about to pass the baton, anxious to secure the paper’s legacy, he unselfishly shared with younger members of the profession.
He had a passion for this region, developed as a writer for CANA and exemplified by his editing of the Caribbean weekly, EC News, a unique publication of his inspiration and creation, pulling the Eastern Caribbean people and events together in a single edition every Friday.
I treasured working alongside the ever effervescent Charles, engaging his ideas and approaches, searching always for the most appropriate and relevant stories for the consumption and edification of our readers. I thank him for his foresight and indeed his faithfulness to the Nation brand of bold journalism built around sacred facts, reliable accuracy and balance, and expressed with feeling for the welfare of the less fortunate in our society.
A journalist to the core, he understood our role and executed it with purposefulness and panache.
