Dervan Malcolm hailed as humble man

VETERAN broadcaster Dervan Malcolm was on Saturday eulogised as a man of deep humility, humanity, and sincerity who served as a bridge between people of varying views while making giant contributions to his family, Jamaica, and his alma mater Calabar High School. Malcolm, whose voice was a familiar presence on Power 106 FM for more than three decades, died in August following a period of illness. He was 50 years old. Award-winning journalist Earl Moxam remembered Malcolm as “a hybrid broadcaster, possessed of an old soul, but groomed to meet the demands of a new age”. He told family, friends and colleagues of the late broadcaster at Boulevard Baptist Church in St Andrew that within months after the establishment of Power 106 in late 1992, under the leadership of Newton James, “in walked the young Dervan Malcolm, wet behind the ears but blessed with a multilingual tongue and an engaging smile”. “Alongside him there was the almost-as-young Althea McKenzie and several other aspirants, anxious to carve their place in broadcast history. They joined a small cast of experienced hands and off they went on that history-making trek.” Moxam said that Malclom’s multifaceted approach and tireless work ethic were soon bearing fruit in his roles as producer, announcer, news reporter, sports reporter, and commentator. “Like many of his predecessors of decades past, he had the smooth diction, the articulate delivery, and the technical skills of the solo operator. Those qualities were matched by his humility… his humanity… and his sincerity,” Moxam said. “Thus, he made that seamless connection with his audience, in studio and on the road in diverse parts of our enchanting island. Then, in the fulness of time, he embarked on the road less travelled and entered into the homes and hearts of our Jamaican communities… yearning for the comfort of an anchoring voice from the land of their birth,” Moxam added. “Ultimately, that connection might be considered his most clearly defined broadcast legacy, for which he will long be remembered and revered.” Malcolm was described by the members of the Diaspora as “a bridge between Jamaica and Jamaicans across the world”. He was, “A bridge between generations, between ideas, between people who did not always see eye to eye,” said Florida Diaspora representative Rose Marie Adamson Lewis. “He understood the truth many forgot. You do not have to agree with someone to give them dignity and pay them some respect. He made the Diaspora feel seen, he made us feel heard, and most importantly, he made us feel connected. The Diaspora has lost a wonderful friend. Jamaica has lost a beloved son and a wonderful broadcaster,” Adamson Lewis said.