TWO veteran journalists with the Express were among the Caribbean journalists recognised at the 37th Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Media Awards in Georgetown, Guyana, on Wednesday night, with CCN journalists also receiving special mentions.
Senior multimedia investigative journalist Mark Bassant won the award for Best Print Item for his investigative report “The $440 Million LifeSport Rip-Off”, published by the Express.
Bassant, an award-winning investigative journalist with CCN TV6, is known for his reporting on corruption, crime and other issues of public interest.
His major investigative series “LifeSport Secrets Revealed”, which aired on CCN TV6, was also singled out for special mention at the awards. The series examined the controversial $440 million LifeSport programme and contributed to renewed public and investigative scrutiny of the scandal.
Bassant’s tenth and latest CBU award adds to a decorated career in regional journalism, during which his investigative work has also attracted threats and attempts at intimidation.
For Bassant, the recognition was particularly personal as he dedicated the awards to his late mother.
“Well, certainly, this one was very special to me because I dedicate that win to my mother who passed earlier this year in February. So, around that time when I was working on this piece, we spoke briefly in November of last year, when her health was a little bit better then. And I really wanted to dedicate that tenth CBU award to my mother’s memory,” he said.
Bassant’s award-winning investigation revisited the LifeSport scandal and the $440 million programme, examining allegations involving gangsters and ghost companies.
He said he returned to the story because questions remained unanswered despite years of reporting.
“There’s always room to find out more,” Bassant said.
After speaking with sources and probing the matter over time, he said he realised there was more to “this story rather than just what we saw on the surface”.
“And as I said, if something has not been revealed 20 years later, it still becomes a story. And one, nevertheless, that turned out to be quite powerful,” he recalled.
He described the investigation as a painstaking exercise that involved sifting through a 72-page document and determining how best to present the findings to the public.
Bassant said the recognition also reinforced the need for more investigative journalism across the Caribbean.
“We have a very important function as a fourth estate, and of course, investigative journalism, more so than normal news, is needed in this region. And we need more investigative journalists across the region to come out and be there to expose things, to shine a light on things that people need to know about,” he said.
He added: “We definitely have to hold them,—hold those persons or government or businesses—accountable.”
Also taking home a CBU Media Award was Express South Bureau chief Carolyn Kissoon, who won Best Item on a Children’s Rights Issue, sponsored by the UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area Office, for her article “Mariah’s Painful Life and Brutal Death”.
The article examined the life and death of 12-year-old Mariah Seenath, who was found dead on September 20, 2025, after walking along a familiar bush track from her home in Friendship Village, Ste Madeleine, to her grandmother’s house.
Kissoon said Mariah’s death deeply affected her and prompted her to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child’s life and the events leading to the discovery of her body.
“This bothered me terribly. There were too many unanswered questions, and too few people who seemed to care to get the answers,” she said.
She returned to the scene and interviewed people from Mariah’s school, community and family.
“What it revealed was heartbreaking, but all too familiar,” Kissoon said.
Her reporting highlighted the difficult circumstances faced by Mariah, including severe poverty, missed school days because of a lack of taxi fare and periods when she went without food.
The article also examined allegations of domestic violence and abuse and raised questions about the intervention of social protection authorities.
For Kissoon, the award was bittersweet.
“Truthfully, I would give up this award if it meant Mariah never having to suffer this way. It is far more bitter a feeling than a sense of accomplishment,” she said.
CCN special mentions
Meanwhile, two other CCN journalists were recognised with special mentions at the awards.
Khamarie Rodriguez, a journalist with CCN, received a special mention in the Best Investigative Item category for her article “The AI Revolution and Elections”. Rodriguez is also a previous CBU Media Award winner.
She expressed gratitude for the recognition and celebrated the achievements of her colleagues.
“I am grateful to have been recognised by the CBU and thrilled to see the work of my colleagues be celebrated as well.”
Rodriguez said the recognition was particularly meaningful at a time when journalists were facing challenges.
“As journalists, we face challenges both within and outside of our newsrooms every day that can very easily overwhelm. It is encouraging that amid those vast challenges, the CBU has set aside the time and resources to give a nod to the exceptional work being done by dedicated reporters. I hope that the effort will continue.”
Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh, a broadcast journalist with TV6, received a special mention in the Best Item on a Children’s Rights Issue category for her piece “Vacation Camp Needed”. She, too, is a previous CBU Media Award winner.
She described the recognition as “an absolute honour” and said it was rewarding to have her work recognised at the regional level.
“I dedicate myself to every story with an open mind, keen attention to detail and compassion, so to have my work acknowledged at the regional level for highlighting children’s rights issues is deeply rewarding,” she said.
Raghubar-Teekersingh said journalism could “move audiences, drive meaningful change, and inspire future policies.”
CCN multimedia editor Richard Charan said the awards reaffirmed the importance of journalism that is driven by truth, fairness and a commitment to the public.
“There are still journalists who, on behalf of our readers, will go out there and find the truth, without distortion, without lies and without a slant. These awards are a reminder that good journalism still matters.
“They are a reminder that there are journalists willing to do the hard work, ask the difficult questions, and hold people and institutions to account. And most importantly, they are a reminder to everyone, that the Express never forgets.”
The 37th CBU Media Awards recognised excellence across Caribbean media, with 92 winners announced in 56 categories. The awards were presented during the CBU’s Annual General Assembly at the Hyatt, Georgetown, Guyana.
This year’s awards covered print, digital, television, radio and photography, under the theme “Caribbean Media and AI”.
Barbados emerged as the top-performing country at the 37th CBU Media Awards, securing 15 awards and eight special mentions. Trinidad and Tobago recorded six awards and nine special mentions.
Trinidad Express
