By Gary Eleazar The Guyana Press Association last evening held its Annual General Meeting where members of the fraternity received reports from the outgoing executives,Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys, and new members were elected.Gordon Moseley of Capitol News was elected unopposed to the helm of the association, while Kwesi Isles of the Guyana Times was elected Vice President.The new Executives of the GPA from left: Adam Harris, Nigel Williams, Nazeema Raghubir, Gordon Mosley, Kwesi Isles, Neil Marks, Andre Haynes, Sharmain Cornette and Enrico Woolford.Neil Marks of Kaieteur News was elected Secretary, while Nazeema Raghubir was re-elected Treasurer and Sharmain Cornette of Kaieteur News was elected Assistant Secretary/Treasurer.Other members making up the new executive are Andre Haynes of Stabroek News; Nigel Williams of the Guyana Times; Adam Harris, Editor-in-Chief of Prime News and Kaieteur News, along with Enrico Woolford, who were all elected as Committee Members.Whilst lamenting the absence of the State Media, it was acknowledged that the Press Association is not where it should be, and the new Executive has an uphill task to battle.The lack of participation in the goings on of the GPA, especially by members of the state media,Anthony Steen Dolphins Jersey, was lamented for a great part of yesterday’s AGM.It was also reported that many in the state media would only register so that they could apply for the certificate to allow them to travel under the CSME’s provision for free movement of skills,China Jerseys Cheap, one of which is journalists.Moseley was elected president after acting in that capacity following the resignation of Dennis Chabrol.In his report prior to the elections, Moseley said that one of the biggest problems that dogged the Association throughout the past three years was the absence of the state media colleagues.“They were invited to every single training programme hosted by the GPA and for reasons best known to themselves, management at the state entities thought it best that their staff members not be allowed to engage, participate and learn.”The state media’s absence according to Mosley is a sad situation and he hoped the elections mark a new beginning that will see petty grievances and politicking thrown aside, “and we all work closer together to ensure our own development.”Mosley reiterated that GPA is not a political body and, “we ought not to be treated that way.”According to Mosley, politicians on both sides of the aisle must recognise the role journalists play in a democracy or in any society, and that role ought to be respected and not trampled upon.“To our colleagues in the state media, we understand your concerns…We want to work along with you to address those concerns, but we can’t do it if you stay in your corner and the Association stays in its corner,Cheap China Jerseys, we have to meet at the same table and we have to throw our concerns out…That is the way forward, it may be the only way forward.”Responsibility on both sidesMosley also recalled that the relationship between the media and the Government has been testy at times; adding that some might opine that it is a good thing.He advised that personal vendettas should not be allowed to get in the way of professional responsibility.Mosley also recalled that just after the new executive was put in place in 2006,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, the Guyana government moved in and withdrew advertisements from the Stabroek News, claiming that it needed to put its money where it is getting worth.He pointed out that despite this, the government is yet to produce any document or survey to back its claims.“For close to two years, the Stabroek News found itself without advertisement from the state…and for those 17 months, the Association lobbied locally and internationally along with the Stabroek News to ensure the privately owned newspaper got its piece of the pie.”According to Moseley, the road ahead for the GPA may not be easy and it must continue to look out for the bumps.He pointed out that already, moves are afoot for a media code of conduct.There is also an agreement for the establishment of a Media Owners and Proprietors Association, which will cater for the needs of media owners and which will work along with the GPA.Moseley also cautioned that soon the government will move to the National Assembly with Freedom of Information and Broadcast legislation and the new GPA Executive will have to pay close attention to those two pieces of laws because of the impact they both could have on the local media landscape.He encouraged the new executive to move quickly and put together an advisory committee made up of some senior journalists and media watchers who would be able to offer the GPA the best advice needed to deal with any new legislation.When asked about the current ban on him at State House and Office of the President, Moseley, said that it would not affect the work of the Association,Cheap NFL Jerseys, given that it is not a one man show and the executive will be working as a team.According to Moseley, the GPA will have to work extremely hard to mend strained relations and as a first step there will be the implementation of a Liaison/Mediator to act as a go-between for the state and private media in a bid to close the rift.Outgoing Secretary, Nigel Williams, in his report to the fraternity, noted that relations between the GPA and President Bharrat Jagdeo remain strained despite the GPA making several efforts to engage him.“We believe that the government must be engaged as it plays no insignificant role in creating the right environment for us to operate.”According to Williams, the ban on Moseley must be fought and attacks on private media houses and other media workers by no less a person than the President, ought to be condemned.Williams cautioned that the GPA is as strong as its members and very often some of the criticisms leveled against the body are unjustified and sometimes without good reason.
