Ronald ‘Ron’ Robinson passed away on Friday at his Hadfield Street, Georgetown home. He was 79 years old.
Many have been reflecting on the life and contributions of the veteran broadcaster and multitalented creative.
“A giant in Guyanese broadcasting and the creative arts has fallen,” Guyana’s Attorney General Anil Nandlall said in a Facebook post.
Nandlall reminded persons that Mr. Robinson began his broadcasting career on August 1, 1965 at the British Guiana Broadcasting Service and remained in radio up to almost his last days.
For his sterling contributions in these different endeavours, Nandlall said too, Mr. Robinson was invested with the national honours of the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA) in 1990, and earlier this year, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Office of the Prime Minister on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.
“(He was) a creative and much more with a beautiful, distinctive voice. I remember first seeing you in my childhood, interviewing my father on occasions Phagwah and Diwali …and grew up hearing you on radio,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud said.
For Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, ‘Uncle Ron’ helped shape Guyana’s identity.
“His contribution to cultural broadcasting and the performing arts strengthened the role of media as a vehicle for national identity and storytelling, while his leadership in civic organisations reflected a lifelong commitment to service and youth development. His work leaves a lasting imprint on how Guyana communicates with itself and the world,” McCoy said in a statement.
Opposition Parliamentarian Amanza Walton- Desir said, “Listening to his voice on the radio, in his polished but distinct Guyanese accent, and hearing what he said made me feel that I was a Guyanese participating in a Guyanese community. It made me feel a Guyanese spirit and helped me build a Guyanese identity.”
In comments and shares, it was evident that Mr. Robinson touched the lives of many Guyanese.
“The Link Show, which my family attended every year at the Cultural Centre in my young days, was another place where I saw him and felt and participated in Guyanese humour and culture,” attorney Kamal Ramkarran said.
But his loss may be felt the most by his colleagues in the arts and media.
“Ron Robinson was more than a voice on the airwaves and a presence on stage — he was a pioneer whose work helped shape the landscape of Guyanese broadcasting, theatre, and storytelling. Through decades of service, he uplifted our culture, shared our stories, and helped develop the standard of excellence that so many in media and the performing arts aspire to today,” the ‘Nothing to Laugh About’ team wrote on Facebook.
The post ‘A giant, an icon’ – Ron Robinson celebrated appeared first on News Room Guyana.
