VETERAN Caribbean-recognised sports commentator, Guyana-born Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira has led the way for the tributes that are pouring in for the late Guyana Chronicle Sports Editor, Brent Chapman.

Chapman passed away on Monday in the United States of America.

According to the Guyanese-born ‘Reds’: “As a journalist he came before his time”.

Reds, who lives in St Lucia, on hearing of the news of Chapman’s passing and recounting his time as a sports journalist, spoke highly of Chapman stating, “He was creative, hardworking and multitalented.”

According to Perreira, “Brent Chapman was an outstanding journalist and, as a colleague, he was blessed with a refreshing personality, toothpaste smile and very professional in his coverage of sport and interacting with people. My last physical time being with Brent as at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which he was covering for the Guyana Chronicle.

“Although we were staying in different centres we used to meet every morning at the Press Centre and looked at the itinerary for the day and we would have a cross talk. That was early, at 8 in the morning, after a very late evening. It was cycling, track and field among others during the day, and at night boxing which took a heavy toll on all the journalists, as in those days it was only one boxing ring being used, and there were no smart phones, internet and WhatsApp Messenger.”

Reds continued that after the Olympics, he and Brent kept in touch. Three to four times he would call and Brent reciprocated as they exchanged ideas.

In a stirring tribute to his friend, Reds recalls that “in the 1970s, there was a tremendous amount of boxing promotions and they met very often in the press box doing commentary. There were very outstanding boxers during that period. Whether it was going to the GDF or National Sports Hall (CASH) it was hard work which included visiting the boxing gyms and conducting interviews.”

Perreira noted that they interacted a great deal as co-commentators and the late Terrence Holder, being Programme Manager at the Guyana Broadcasting Service (GBS), was keen on promoting sports.

Reds added: “Myself and Brent were challenged to have commentary of table tennis as the Guyana Table Tennis Association’s General Secretary (GS), the late D.P. Patterson, was also GS of the Caribbean Table Tennis Federation so coverage of that sport through Holder was pushed.

It meant that for all the championships held here the local radio station, GBS, carried live commentaries with Perreira and Chapman tasked with such delivery to stations within the English-speaking Caribbean.

Reds said, “I was extremely sorry to hear of his early illness as I had hoped for Brent’s complete recovery, which was not to be.”

Another former colleague of Brent at the Guyana Chronicle, Wesley Kirton, on hearing of his friend’s death expressed shock and sadness.

Former national boxer Mike Benjamin remarked, “He was always encouraging and somehow managed to boost my career,” while another former GBC colleague, Ron Fanfair, now based in Canada, said, “Sad news. RIP well, my friend. Freelance sports journalist Ras Abdalla Tafari Wadada, who had a close sports relationship with Chapman offered: ‘Saddened by news. SIP my bro.”

Ms Coleen Braithwaite, another former GBC sports journalist, chimed in saying “It is very sad to hear this news of my friend and colleague in sports journalism.”

And former GBC Sports Editor Basil Bradshaw noted, “He guided me along as my senior when I joined the Sports Department of the GBC.

Veteran journalist Denis Scott Chabrol remarked, “I remembered GBC in the 1980s” while another former GBC sports journalist, Troy Peters, felt “Brent laid the foundation for us,” while Grantley Culbard had this to say: “The little giant, as I described him during my association with him in Guyana has passed on. He made his mark, he left his mark.”