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2004
Environmental reporter crowned
Environment
Africa
April 22, 2005
Whilst issues
such as politics, war and business daily dominate the news headlines
around the world, other matters, such as the welfare of the planet
Earth are relegated to what’s left after the sports pages have had
their fill.
This concern
was voiced by Environment Africa director Charlene Hewat at her
organisation’s annual Environmental Reporter of the Year cocktail
reception in Harare on Friday 22 April 2005.
The competition,
co-sponsored by leading hospitality concern Rainbow Tourism Group
(RTG) and now in its ninth year, was won by The Chronicle’s
News Editor Elliot Siamonga who pens the paper’s weekly green column.
The judges’ citation on Siamonga’s work read in part: "His
personal concern shows through his weekly column, without ever compromising
on journalistic professional ethics, and his features demonstrate
a deep understanding of the multi-dimensional forces that shape
our environment."
It further stated
that "more than just writing to keep environmental issues alive,
he writes to inspire, rebuke, teach, praise and inform".
Environment
Africa applauded his mentorship of cadet reporters in a subject
it said many young reporters found unappealing.
Siamonga won
Z$1m in cash, 2 nights for 2 (full board) at RTG’s Mercure Rainbow
Hotel in Victoria Falls, 2 Air Zimbabwe return domestic air tickets,
tours & transfers and sunset cruise (courtesy of RTG subsidiary
Tourism Services Zimbabwe), a floating and miniature trophy, 2 return
coach tickets (Blue Arrow) and a Net*One Easy-Call line with airtime.
Siamonga beat
three other quarter finalists: The Herald’s Nelson Chenga,
the Sunday Mail’s Roselyne Sachiti, and Augustine Sillah
of ZBH’s Kidznet, all of whom were presented with consolation
prizes.
Guest speaker
Reward Kangai told guests at the awards ceremony that it was increasingly
dawning on the business world that corporate social accountability
went beyond profits, and was a moral duty. Mr Kangai, whose company
is an associate sponsor of the competition, challenged the business
world to consider social responsibility projects which not only
enhanced their core business but identified them distinctly with
a noble cause off the beaten track.
Environment
Africa announced that starting this year, the competition would
require journalists to submit their best works for consideration
of the quarterly prizes. "This way, we broaden the competition’s
net to receive the best works from all media, some of which we have
not always succeeded in fully accessing in the past," explained
EAfrica’s communications co-ordinator June Muchemenyi-Nazare.
Visit the Environment
Africa fact sheet
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