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Alister Hughes

“……Let's lift our heads high, recognize our own worth, our future awaits with unlimited span, awake and move forward…..” - Alister Hughes

      In 1974 Alister Hughes rose to the forefront of journalism in Grenada to become one of the most respected journalists in the Caribbean. He was 55.
      Two years earlier, together with his wife Cynthia (née Copland, now deceased) he started the Grenadian Newsletter, a publication which continued for 22 years and brought them the Maria Moors Cabot Prize from the University of Columbia for distinguished Journalistic Service (1988).
       He was born Alister Earl Hewitson Hughes, the eldest of four children to Norris and Annie Hughes (née Bain). He attended the St. George's Anglican School and later won a scholarship to attend the Grenada Boys' Secondary School. After leaving the GBSS, he joined his father in the sewing machine retail trade. He later migrated to Trinidad and upon his return to Grenada, he joined the family business where he worked as a commission, auctioneer and insurance agent for nearly 30 years. 
     He dabbled in politics for a while, holding the post of General Secretary for the Grenada National Party of Herbert Blaize from 1957-1968. During that same period he was an elected member of the district board and was subsequently elected member of the City Council. He also served as a Deputy Mayor for St. George’s for a year. He was president of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for two terms and was Grenada ’s representative on the Incorporated Chambers of Commerce in the Caribbean .
      The events leading up to Grenada's Independence in 1974 were violent and turbulent. At that time Mr. Hughes and his wife were already publishing the Grenadian Newsletter, the contents of which included news about the politics of the day. While covering the return of Premier Eric Matthew Gairy (deceased) from England, (Mr. Gairy had gone to present the island's case for independence) Mr. Hughes was beaten by a member of the Mongoose Gang (Gairy's secret Police). On January 21st, 1974 he covered the events of what was later to be known as "Bloody Monday". On that day thousands of Grenadians who came out to protest against the Gairy Regime and were attacked, beaten, tear gassed and fired upon by the Mongoose Gang. Despite the violence and the danger to his life, Hughes brought a live broadcast of the happenings around him. His coverage of the events propelled him to the top among journalists in Grenada and the Caribbean and later that year, he was awarded by the Caribbean Publishers and Broadcasters Association for personal courage and professional persistence during the period of Grenada’s independence.
     Five years later, following the of Sir Eric by the Maurice Bishop led People Revolutionary Government, Mr. Hughes found himself unpopular with the new government. For the next three years he and his wife were often threatened and intimidated. On October 19th 1983, Mr. Hughes was the only journalist to speak to Bishop after he was released from house arrest. When asked for a comment, the only words that he caught from Bishop were "the masses, the masses". Bishop then left for Fort Rupert and Mr. Hughes like many other went to the market square, thinking that he would return to address them there. Several hundreds Grenadians (the exact number is still to be confirmed) lost their lives on that day and Bishop and his cabinet colleagues were executed. Later that day Mr. Hughes was arrested and placed in jail where he remained until October 25th, when the US led and Caribbean forces came to the island.
    The many achievements of Mr. Hughes also include; founding member of  the Caribbean Conservation Association and the Grenada National Trust; news stringer for  AP, AFP and CANA and on request, for the BBC and ABC. In 1994 the University of the West Indies conferred upon him an honorary doctor of law degree and in 2001 he was awarded for outstanding service to the media and press freedom at the Caribbean Media Conference.  He was recently awarded by the Belmont Estate Heritage Foundation, the St. George's University and Caribbean Media Workers Association.
      Mr. Hughes is currently writing with autobiography entitled eyewitness a revolution.