Veteran Jamaican journalist and social communicator, Clare Forrester, was presented with a special award for exceptional leadership by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) last Wednesday night at the organisation's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Forrester, who works as media and communication adviser at PAHO's Office of Caribbean Programme Coordination in Barbados, was one of five PAHO staff members who received the exceptional leadership award presented annually by the organization to staff members nominated by their supervisors and peers.
JOURNALISTIC, PR SKILLS
The organisation praised Ms. Forrester for her work in a citation which read in part: "Ms. Forrester's effective journalistic and public relations skills have advanced the work of the organisation, enhancing the PAHO brand at the sub-regional level and increased the skills of selective regional journalists to report on health and development matters."
Ms. Forrester is due to retire from PAHO at the end of 2006, and, along with other retirees, was presented with an engraved gold watch in keeping with one of the organisation's celebrated traditions, along with the award, by PAHO director Dr. Mirta Roses Periago.
EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP
The exceptional leadership and other staff awards were presented at a colourful ceremony attended by a large representation of staff from various offices throughout the region of the Americas. Three other members of staff in the Barbados office were also honoured by the organisation, perhaps the largest number ever to have received awards at any one time by a field office of PAHO.
In addition, 25 other staff members from several countries outside of the English-speaking region received individual awards from the organisation. The Guyana office received a team award for advancing health development issues in that country.
