Farewell to my Bermuda Sun family

Today is my last day as a reporter for the Bermuda Sun. I have been here since November 2010 — three-and-a-half years — and boy am I going to miss it. 

As I take up a new position with Troncossi Public Relations, I look back with fond memories at my time at the Sun.

When I was first hired as the web reporter, the position was new to the paper and breaking news online was still a relatively new thing in Bermuda. My job was to get stories up on the website as quickly as possible, while remaining fair and accurate.

It wasn’t just about breaking news, it was about giving readers information quickly, whether they be court stories or announcements at press conferences.

Court coverage

I have spent almost every working day since November 2010 covering court, specifically Plea Court, and giving our readers the serious stories and of course, the hilarious ones.

The one that stands out the most to me was when a defendant claimed he was stealing from Miles Market because he was Robin Hood, ie stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

I have also covered a large number of trials in the Supreme Court, specifically murder and attempted murder trials. While no one actually looks forward to these serious cases, I always found them fascinating, especially with regard to the defences put forward.

Aside from court cases, there have been countless press conferences, breaking news stories to dash to, concerts, parties and restaurants to review and, of course, human interest stories.

In September 2011, we launched Bermuda’s only weekly web newscast, NewsBite.  Every Friday, I sat in a small studio with Lamone Woods of Crimson Multimedia and filmed a four-minute news segment. It was ground-breaking and amazing.

I was also part of our news team that brought live web coverage on the Norwegian Breakaway’s arrival. It was an early start to my day but it was great.

World exclusive

If I had to say the biggest story I’ve written, it would have to be my world exclusive when singer Chris Brown stopped in Bermuda last March to refuel his jet and kicked his bodyguard off the jet after they got into an argument. That story was picked up by E Online, TMZ and a ton of other entertainment news outlets. It remains one of the most read stories on bermudasun.bm.

The most important story would have to be regarding the re-appointment of an expatriate as the DPP, a post that many feel should have gone to Bermudian Cindy Clarke. While I never got to the bottom of it, I think I came pretty close.

Needless to say, the past three-and-a-half years have been absolutely fantastic. 

The Bermuda Sun team truly is family and I will miss my family very much.