Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

It's an iPod! J Lester Spaulding is delighted with his farewell gift, which he says he will be using in his spare time.

Marlin, snapper and all other fishes of the sea better watch out; there's an angler with plenty of time on his hands.

On Thursday, the Media Association of Jamaica honoured J Lester Spaulding, who will retire as managing director of the RJR Communications Group, and the expectation is that he will take up fishing, a lot. His successor Gary Allen, even presented him with an iPod so he won't get bored at sea.

Spaulding took it all good naturedly, joking that with all this talk of fishing he had no boat! He said he will remain as chairman of the group in a non-executive role, a comment which prompted a "don't believe you" from good friend Neville James.

marvelled

Jokes aside, Spaulding was lauded not only for his work at RJR, but for keeping the heads of the media houses together despite the competition. Spaulding marvelled at the number of media houses that now exist. He joined the company as chief clerk 43 years ago and moved up the ranks. Spaulding said he would try to keep active as there were many personal matters on his agenda. He ended in jest saying thanks for the kind words said in public, but forgiving those words said behind his back.

Among the guests were Hol Plummer, Brian Schmidt, Dr David McBean, Eileen Lewis, Sonia Copeland, Charles Ross, Kamla Chin, Gary Cole, Michael Bryce, Carl Domville, Kathy Moss, Adrian Robinson, Andrea Messam, Cordel Green, Francois St Juste, Milton Walker and Robert MacMillan.

Trevor Patterson (right) joins the number of persons to shake the hand of outgoing managing director of the RJR group J.A. Lester Spaulding (centre). Looking on is Andrew Leo-Rhynie. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

J Lester Spaulding (left) is in a jovial mood at his send-off as he jokes with Ed Khoury (centre) and Major General Robert Neish.

El Numero Uno, Don Topping, in deep discussion with Christene King (right) and Yvonne Wilks at the reception.

New managing director of RJR Communications Group, Gary Allen (right), chats with one of his key lieutenants, Francois St Juste at their boss' farewell function.