Friday, August 7, 2015

Broadcast pioneer was caring, dedicated: Raymond Anthony Fernando's letter to the press on the late Steven Lee


My letter to The Straits Times on the above subject was published on Friday 7th August 2015.

I fondly remember the late Mr Steven Lee as one of the pioneers in the broadcasting industry (“The man behind historic broadcast”; Aug 6).

Steven had a couple of firsts. He was the first person to read the English news on television and he was also the first person to organise the first Talentime contest.

In the 70s and 80s when Steven was the Controller of Radio (Special Duties), I was in the public relations section of the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation.  He was one of the finest colleagues I worked with – a humble, hardworking and caring colleague who possessed remarkable compassion.

Once, when my wife was hospitalised, Steven and his wife Amy drove me to the hospital, spoke to my wife and prayed for both of us, providing comfort at a time when I badly needed support.

Steven was a dedicated and committed broadcaster. When I was a liaison officer during the Asean exchange programmes, Steven would accompany me to the airport to receive the delegates from all the Asean countries even though he could have delegated the task to others.

Steven would take me to a restaurant for a hearty breakfast treat on those trips to the airport, surely because he knew the meagre salary I was drawing then.

He was a man who believed in caring and sharing.

Raymond Anthony Fernando


http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-on-the-web/broadcast-pioneer-was-caring-dedicated

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