New Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) president vows to 'reach out'

The new head of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) has vowed to establish a hall of fame for journalists to celebrate the accomplishments of individuals who have excelled in the profession.

PAJ President Jenni Campbell, The Gleaner's managing editor, also promised colleague journalists that her team would continue the battle for reform of libel and defamation laws, as well as continue discussions towards a media complaints council.

Campbell, who was elected during yesterday's annual general meeting of the PAJ, succeeds Byron Buckley at the helm of the organisation tasked with promoting the education and professional development of journalists.

In accepting her new role, Campbell vowed to uphold the standards of the press association and "reach out to members" of the PAJ in an effort to build a strong, unified body of working Jamaican journalists.

"We will seek to create an atmosphere for journalists to share and contribute as a civil entity in tangible ways," a statement from Campbell read.

"We will also establish a young journalists club that will have its base in schools."

Others elected

The membership of the PAJ also elected other executive members in its biannual changing of the guard held at the PAJ's East Avenue headquarters in St Andrew.

Erica Virtue was elected first vice-president; Daraine Luton, second vice-president; Marilyn Facey, secretary; Irvin Forbes, assistant secretary and Ceila Morgan, treasurer.

The group also voted on crucial amendments to the constitution that outlines how journalists are to operate. The PAJ voted to amend the scope of what it means to be a journalist, the composition of the executive of the PAJ, voting rights of members, recall procedures, conflict resolution, code of conduct for journalists and the affiliation of its members in political and business interests.

Forbes, the former PAJ secretary, in his annual report detailed not only the celebrations of the PAJ over the past year, but also its work in the interest of the nation. This year, the PAJ launched a website, hosted a veterans' luncheon as well as workshops and a symposium to foster the growth of the press. It also awarded journalists in various categories of the media for outstanding work.

In the interest of the nation, the PAJ made presentations to Parliament on the impact of violent music on youth, met with Police Commissioner Owen Ellington and wrote to Prime Minister Bruce Golding as well as Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne and Chief Justice Zaila McCalla in the aftermath of the Tivoli incursion in May.