Our Staff

Management

  Jeremy Taylor (Managing Editor) worked as a teacher in England, Kenya and Trinidad after completing his MA in English at Cambridge University before becoming a freelance journalist and commentator, contributing to a wide range of media including the BBC and the London Times. He edited the Caribbean Chronicle and BWIA Sunjet before co-founding MEP in 1990 with Joanne Mendes. Some of his articles and broadcasts were collected in Going to Ground (Prospect Press, 1994), and he wrote a guide to Trinidad and Tobago, Masquerade, for Macmillan (1986, 2nd edition 1991). He is the founding editor of Discover Trinidad & Tobago and Caribbean Beat, on which he remains a consulting editor, and currently edits ENERGY Caribbean, the Trinidad and Tobago Business Guide, and select client projects. Despite semi-retirement, he continues to enjoy editing work, if only to “keep the brain ticking over”.

  Joanne Mendes (Financial Director) worked at AS Bryden and Geddes Grant/Huggins for over twenty years before co-founding MEP with Jeremy Taylor in 1990. A founder member and still the production manager of the Marionettes Chorale, she is a passionate about arts, culture and philanthropy. Affectionately referred to as “de money lady” by her staff, she relishes a challenge, and seldom emerges anything but victorious.

  Halcyon Salazar (General Manager) has extensive experience and training in communications and management, and worked for many years as assistant general manager at the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian. She has also worked with Pier 1, GEM Radio, Music Radio 97, and radio stations in Florida, USA. An animal lover like most of her staff, she’s passionate about health, wellness, culture and philanthropy.

Team

  Denise Chin is a sales representative for Discover Trinidad & Tobago, Caribbean Beat and ENERGY Caribbean. She has worked in marketing and sales for the last decade, after working at Republic Bank. A proud mother of two, she is also passionate about yoga, hashing, socialising, and charity work.

  Yuri Chin Choy is a sales representative for Caribbean Beat and the Trinidad & Tobago Business Guide. He has over 20 years’ experience in sales, marketing, accounting and business development. He also volunteers with a number of local charities.

  Nicholas Laughlin is the returning editor of Caribbean Beat and editor of The Caribbean Review of Books (CRB). He is also one of the admininstrators of the contemporary arts space Alice Yard and the Bocas Lit Fest (The Trinidad & Tobago Literary Festival). His reviews, essays, and poems have been published in various periodicals. An avid reader and “hot foot” traveller, he remains in awe of how cars move…

  Hazel Mansing handles accounts receivable at MEP. She has worked in the travel industry for a number of years, and served as property manager at the British High Commission before moving to MEP. Together with Jacqui and Joanne, she forms part of the terrific trio in the “downstairs office” at MEP.

  Marissa Rodriguez is an On-the-Job Trainee (OJT) at MEP, working in both the design and editorial departments at MEP. She is currently working toward her BSc in Communications at COSTAAT, and joins the rest of MEP’s design and editorial team as a raging introvert.

  Jacqueline Smith manages production and distribution at MEP, itogether with some administrative and accounting duties, after working at Neal & Massy Holdings for over 15 years. She is also a Music Festival-winning singer, and member of the Marionettes Chorale. She claims to bring some sanity and stability to MEP’s motley crew.

  Caroline Taylor is the editor of Discover Trinidad & Tobago, a contributing editor and staff writer for Caribbean Beat, and manages MEP’s website and online marketing. She is also on MEP’s board of directors, and moonlights as an actor and singer. She’s passionate about telling stories – on the page, on the stage, on screen and via social and digital media – and in particular about documenting Caribbean lives and events. She’s currently trying to master unplugging from her iLife…

  Bridget van Dongen, originally from South Africa, has been in the print business for many years and has worked all over the world. She has been living in the Caribbean for the past 12 years and has been in publishing, doing graphic design and assisting with editorial for the past five. A wife, mother, plus self-proclaimed design guru and social media addict, she reads voraciously in her spare time and is in love with her Kindle. 

  Kevon Webster is a design and layout artist at MEP, having worked and trained at Sandpiper Publishing. He also helps maintain MEP’s websites, particularly Caribbean Beat. A proud husband, father and man of few words, all MEP sits up and listens when he chimes in on any topic of conversation, as it’s sure to be good!