…young broadcaster realises dream

By Alva Solomon

AT 20, young Lesa Lee has made a name for herself in the town of Mahdia as one of the Potaro/Siparuni town’s first broadcaster, but it is her passion for ensuring residents are kept abreast with news and current affairs which drives her to ensure that residents in the Hinterland region are in the know.

In 2016, Lee made history when she passed all the subjects she sat that year at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams while at the Mahdia Secondary School.

The following year, upon realizing she has the potential to achieve more, she applied for a job at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and was offered a job in the unit’s accounts department as an accounts clerk.

But things took an interesting twist that year when Lee found herself on the airwaves of Radio Mahdia, one of several community radio stations established by the government in the Hinterland.The station went on the air in October that year.

She found herself starting her working life with two different jobs– one in the field of accounting and the other in communications.

Lee said that shortly after starting out in her new job as an accounts clerk, she was introduced to the coordinator of the radio station and was granted an opportunity to audition as a broadcaster. Eventually, she was one of three persons who were selected to work as broadcasters on Radio Mahdia.
She said that in December 2019, the regional coordinator for the radio project at the station resigned and as such she was appointed to his post.

Connecting with residents
At the moment, she works along with another broadcaster, who also hails from Mahdia, and the two host their own programmes daily, except on Thursdays, on Radio Mahdia.
The programmes: The New Chapter, Afternoon Drive, Health is vital, Education is key and Friday’s Bliss, are a hit in the town and communities within range of Radio Mahdia. They are aired between 17:00hrs and 19:00hrs while the station also hosts a local programme on Saturday mornings.

Lee said occasionally, persons in the town would share vital tips with her and they would also inform her where she can make improvements and whether they enjoy the programmes. “It’s an experience I can never forget,” she said, noting that it connects her with the people.

She said the job as a broadcaster gives her an opportunity to meet people who live in the region as well as those who are visiting.

Lee said that some persons stay indoors most of the time while others remain in the villages such as those at nearby indigenous villages of Campbelltown and Princeville.

Born and bred at Mahdia
Lee, who lives at Campbelltown, said that she was born and raised at Mahdia.
She said she also spent her entire school life at the town, starting out at the Mahdia Nursery School until she completed studies at the Mahdia Secondary School in 2016.
She noted that while at secondary school, there were multiple ills in the town including teenage pregnancy and as such she decided to work hard in order to attain good pass rate at the CSEC exams. She said she works hard to be a good role model in the community.
In terms of the development of the town, she said Mahdia has seen numerous changes in recent years, noting that the roads in the area was one of the major turn offs for persons visiting. ”It was red and muddy and we didn’t had access to a lot of things,” she said. She said the information technology lab at the secondary school is one of the major help for the students there and she also noted that the Wifi service provided through the National Data Management Authority is a major boost to those preparing to write examinations.

She said the education and health services in the area have improved in recent years and Lee believes these types of developments at Mahdia auger well for the future of the town
At the moment, there is no tertiary institution at Mahdia, but Lee said a technical institute will benefit many youths in the region, noting this can provide them with requisite skills to enter the world of work.

Lee said she will continue to ensure residents remain connected with current affairs and updates from the regional authorities as she hones her skills as one of the town’s first broadcasters.