The veteran broadcaster and communications specialist, honoured with the Golden Arrow of Achievement, passed away Friday after a period of illness.
Guyana has lost a towering figure in broadcasting and communications with the passing of Dr. Rovin Deodat on Friday afternoon. The veteran broadcaster became known across the region for his distinctive radio feature ‘From Word to Word,’ which educated and entertained listeners by exploring new words and their meanings, according to reporting from Kaieteur News.
Dr. Deodat brought formidable credentials to his work. He held a PhD in Communications and a Master of Arts in English from Simon Fraser University in Canada, alongside a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Guyana. Over more than four decades in media and communications, he served at senior levels for more than 25 years, including roles as Communication Advisor to the Office of the President and Director of Education, Information and Training at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Beyond his broadcasting work, Dr. Deodat spent more than 15 years as a communications consultant, working throughout Guyana and across the Caribbean. He developed communication policies, strategies and action plans, conducted media training workshops, and provided consultancy services on a range of communication and media issues. The National Communications Network (NCN) paid tribute to him as a stalwart of radio broadcasting, noting his remarkable command of language and linguistic expertise.
His contributions to communications and media were formally recognised when he received the Golden Arrow of Achievement from then-President David Granger at the 2018 Investiture Ceremony. Among those honouring his memory was Kathy Hughes, an executive member of the Alliance For Change and former Minister of Public Telecommunications, who described him as a master of broadcasting and a model of perfect speech, grammar and diction.
Dr. Deodat’s career spanned more than four decades in media and communications across Guyana and the Caribbean. His work in both broadcasting and communications consulting made him a respected figure in the region’s media landscape, and his linguistic expertise became his hallmark, particularly through his long-running radio feature that became synonymous with his name.
Dr. Deodat’s influence extended throughout the Caribbean region through his consulting work and broadcasting expertise. His passing represents a significant loss to Caribbean media and communications professionals who benefited from his knowledge and mentorship over decades of work across multiple Caribbean nations.
Written & Edited by Orlyn Edwards. Published by Caribbean Air Force Media.
Category: News · Island routing: Guyana