Coming off the 2011 Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) Journalism Awards for 2011, The Jamaica Observer's Online Editor Karyl Walker wrote an opinion piece this week praising the work of journalists here in Jamaica. In it, he lists a number of journalists who he says have been outstanding this year.

I find it instructive that all but one of those named were either political or current affairs reporters. And while I do agree that those named did good work for 2011 and indeed throughout their careers, I think that several names were left off. They were some of the best but were not given their due because they covered sports.

I might be wrong but has there ever been a year when a sports journalist won the award for Journalist of the Year? If not, why? Am I to believe that if one covers sports, he or she will never be considered for the Journalist of the Year award? The award, I believe, should go to the reporter who covers his beat the best whether it is current affairs, entertainment, sports, whatever it is.

There are a bunch of journalists out there who I believe do amazing jobs covering beats other than current affairs, specifically politics. Mel Cooke, for example, is an outstanding writer who brings a fresh perspective to entertainment coverage. His pieces are well constructed, provide great context and, in most instances, extremely informative.

In sports, Ian Burnett provides perhaps some of the most comprehensive coverage of football I have ever seen - period. Whenever I am conducting research for my radio show, I can often find what I am looking for in something Burnett wrote. André Lowe's coverage of track and field has been so outstanding his work is not only recognised locally, but internationally as well. His work is highly regarded among the members of the IAAF's administration. How many local journalists can boast those credentials?

Lowe and Kayon Raynor, who by the way, was the only sports journalist named by Walker, performed very well this year. Lowe broke new ground in his coverage of the World Youth Championships in Lille, France and in Daegu, South Korea, using several platforms - print, film and Internet. So did Raynor, who performed credibly as a sideline reporter at the World Championships. Raynor also did stellar work with the Steve Mullings' positive test (which, by the way, I broke in print), right down to the penalty phase of the disciplinary hearing when Mullings was banned for life.

I am of the view that the Journalist of the Year award should be awarded to the journalist who delivers the best body of work, not a story or two but an entire year of outstanding work. No current affairs reporter - not one in this country - has been as outstanding as the above-mentioned reporters.

Jamaicans are sports and politics junkies but where sports get the edge for me is that it brings people together. During the 2008 Olympics and the World Championships in 2009, there were hundreds of people gathered before giant screen TV screens mounted in Half-Way Tree watching the exploits of our athletes.

A decade before, we witnessed a galvanising of a national spirit when the Reggae Boyz successfully campaigned to get to the World Cup in France. The reporters who covered the campaign did outstanding jobs reporting on every single development as John Public could not get enough of the electrifying team spirit exhibited by the national football team. That year, the PAJ decided not to award a Journalist of the Year award. Imagine that.

Sports and entertainment offer Jamaica perhaps the best opportunity for this country to get out of this financial rut it finds itself in. We are now living in the era of Usain Bolt, one of the few people whose work serves to uplift brand Jamaica, yet the people who cover him and the other sportsmen and women whose body of work cast such a positive light on this bankrupt and violent country are not respected or adequately rewarded. No, those awards are only reserved for those who cover the folk whose work has served to plunge this country into the never-ending hell it has become in 50 years of Independence.

Last but certainly not least, the PAJ has to start thinking about implementing a system in which they are able to monitor the work of journalists - all journalists - year round. Depending on journalists or respective media houses to submit the work of journalists is woefully flawed - just saying.

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