Ian Boyne Was Passionate About Jamaica – Ruel Reid

Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has hailed the late Ian Boyne as a patriotic Jamaican.

“He was very passionate about uplifting Jamaica and making it a prosperous country where peace, love, order and discipline and good standards are upheld. I remember him as a very jovial person. Ian loved to laugh and he made you very comfortable,” he noted.

He further described Mr. Boyne as “affable, very kind, a very humane person, very cerebral and very deep”.

Senator Reid was speaking with JIS News on Tuesday (January 2), during a visit to the agency’s Half-Way-Tree Road headquarters to sign the condolence book opened for the late Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The veteran journalist passed away on December 18 at the age of 60, following a period of illness.

Senator Reid said he was honoured to have been interviewed by Mr. Boyne on his very popular television programme, ‘Profile’, which celebrated 30 years in 2017.

Mr. Reid also appeared as a guest on JIS’s flagship television programme, ‘Issues and Answers’ to promote the policies and programmes of the Ministry.

As Deputy CEO, Mr. Boyne provided oversight for the JIS’s Research, Print and Production (Editorial and Photo) Division.

He also served as Chief State Liaison to the Office of the Prime Minister, Office of the Governor-General and Office of the Leader of the Opposition.

In addition to Profile, Mr. Boyne hosted the television programme, ‘Religious Hard Talk’, and was a Sunday Gleaner columnist.

He was a Minister of Religion and authored ‘Ideas Matter: Journey into the Mind of a Veteran Journalist’, and co-authored ‘Profile of Excellence’ with noted writer and motivational speaker, Glenford Smith.

In 2009, Mr. Boyne was conferred with Jamaica’s fifth highest honour, the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to journalism.

Mr. Boyne is survived by widow, Margaret; and three children.