Former General manager of the now defunct Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) has died in Canada after a prolonged illness. His wife, Angela, was at his bedside when he passed away in hospital in the city of Oshawa, Ontario. He was 71.

John spent more than 40 years in the media and advertising.

His career began in 1964 in the Promotions and Commercial Production Department of Trinidad &Tobago Television.

In 1970 he was promoted to the position of Commercial Production Director and in 1974 to Assistant Programme Director.

In 1976 he left TTT and joined Carib Lager Brewery as Advertising Coordinator and after just two years, moved to LonsdaleAdvertising as an Account Executive. In 1978, John was invited to rejoin TTT as Programme Director and accepted the position which he held for about 41/2 years before being promoted to General Manager in 1983.

During his stint in television, he was exposed to many areas of the industry from producing to directing and from news and sport to announcing.

As Programme Director and later on as General Manager he represented TTT as Vice President of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union and served for four years on the Standing Committee of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

John left TTT in 1987 but he continued his career in the broadcasting industry by joining AVM Television as its General Manager, a position that he held for close to a year before deciding to migrate to Canada.

In 1997 he returned to Trinidad and joined the Tourism &Industrial Development Company (TIDCO) as Manager, Corporate Communications and after five years with TIDCO, returned to television as Chief Executive Officer of the National Broadcasting Network of Trinidad &Tobago.

John enjoyed and followed most sports with golf which he played, football and cricket topping his list of all time favourites.

He remained a full-time member of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club and was a past member of the St. Andrew’s Golf Club.

John died on his 71st birthday, October 24. He is survived by his wife, Angela, and children Daniella Barsotti and Reina Tarzia, his brother, Frank Barsotti and grandsons, Adam and Logan James, Luciana Tarzia and sons-in-law Thomas James and Amedeo Tarzia.

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 at St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, 1001 Ravenscroft Road, Ajax, Ontario. Arrangements have been entrusted to McEachine Funeral Home – phone: 905-428-8488.

Read John’s account of the early days of TTT
Read more about John and his former colleagues at TTT at TTT Pioneers

This is the note his daughter sent to family and friends:

Good Morning,
I just wanted to inform you all, on behalf of the Barsotti family, that dad passed away peacefully with his dear wife at his side last night. Thank you for all your prayers and wonderful warm wishes. It was a pleasure hearing from all of you these last 8 weeks. Dad will be missed by MANY.

May he rest in peace,
Love,
Reina Barsotti Tarzia

I hope you remember me, Gail Bindl ey-Taylor?? I don’t know if you will ever see this but it was such a thrill for me to read this article which I just happened upon in trying to find a colleague on line. It brought back so many memories of both TTT and Radio Trinidad. I did not even know that Winston had passed away. Sorry to hear that. How are your children. They must have their own families by now.

I hope all is well and that you are still writing wherever you are. I will always remember your charming smile, your elegance and your grace. If you do see this and can be back in touch with me please email me at Sainte@un.org.

What a great article! This brings back so many memories for me. I lived in Trinidad for several years up until I was about to turn twenty. I had migrated to Trinidad in 1959 with and attended school there. I was part of the “Canaries”, on of the three member singing group that appeared on the first segment of Scouting for Talent with Holly Bataudier. What an experience that was. The competition spanned eight weeks and we were the winners of the first round. We sang “Via Con Dios” popularized by the Drighters; the come the final round of eight winners, we faced off for the finals in the grand finale. We sang “Little Jimmy Brown” by The Bells. We won! What a joyful experience that night. I had convinced the other boys that we could do this and we practiced and practiced and it paid off. Those were of course the pioneering days of television in Trinidad, and the TTT logo. That night my mother wanted to drive from Malick to pick us up, but we had no choice but to first visit lower Barataria and perform in the street in the middle of the night for all the fellas and folks on the street where Lloyd Dillon, the group leader lived, and Clayton the guitar player who also lived nearby. Needless to say, we didn’t get one million dollars in prize money then. The prizes were a watch; a fridge and a trip for to Crown Point Hotel in Tobago. The press the day after wondered how the prizes would be distributed by us and if this would bring division among us (smile). We solved the problem by giving Lloyd the watch (he wanted and needed it) and Clayton took the fridge, I took the trip. I offered it to my parents but they sent me and my cousins instead. I negotiated a trip for three instead of for two! What a bargain back then. Holly Bataudier was way ahead of his time compared to American Idol, just a different time and different opportunities. We sang and danced on Hazel Ward’s “Teen Dance Party” and loved it. There are so many fond memories of Trinidad, and living in Toronto for the last forty years, and although Jamaican by birth, I spent my formative years in Trinidad and it’s a part of me. It is sad to see TTT and the Pioneers disbanded. Those were fond times that still bring back memories to be cherished always. My hat goes off to you and all the crew back then; the “Trilblazers”. You may check out my debut CD below. All the best to you and everyone.

Best Regards,
Pat Reid
http://cdbaby.com/cd/patreid

http://www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecompatreidgospelsinger

One had to dress professionally, speak correctly, have a professional attitude, and generally be and act like a civilized, educated person with some morals.

but now its anything and anyone goes. just listen to radio now and then rinse your ears with Ceremol. Look at television now and rinse your eyes with aloe. I wonder how people like Alison Hennessey, Hazel Ward Redman, Holly Betaudier, and Dave Elcock feel? We are living in the Postmodern age where the philosophy is basically every person to himself and “himself” is a god.

I shudder to think what T&T would be like in 2020. But then, I am a Remedial Reading Instructor of Government Secondary Schools I literally struggle professionally & risk my personal safety in teaching the anti-academically dysfunctional teens of schools today. So subconsciously i know what 2020 would be like: A Living Nightmare!

As a solitary, emotionally internalized child, I was addicted to television, my books, my Raleigh Chopper bicycle, my backyard that my late grandfather maintained with fruit trees. I grew up in Diego Martin on Duvall Lands. I had hobbies: making my own toys and doing the projects from the Ladybird craft series. My parents subscribed to the Reader’s Digest magazine and i loved it. I read Enid Blyton books like an addict. I loved going to Hilo to buy another edition of it every week for TT$5.00 (now its TT$25-35, unbelievable!).

Yes, I really wish we can “Bring Back the Ol’ Time Days” (Nappy Myers). Today’s children need the TTT antidote. Today’s media people need the TTT training ever so badly! i cringe whenever i channel surf the local radio and television offerings. We have lost our way: every media person to his/her own way. God help us!

I hope this message finds you well! My name is Corina Chevalier and I am the daughter of your an old coworker and friend of yours, Errol Chevalier. I came across this site and was able to connect you with my father. Anyhow, if for any reason you are unable to connect with my dad in the future, please do not hesitate to get in contact with me so that I can direct you to him. My dad was very pleased that he was able to connect with you. My email address is corinachevalier@hotmail.com. Thank you and best wishes!
Corina