MIAMI, USA (IAPA/IFEX) — The Global Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations, from its semi-annual meeting in Paris, held a thorough discussion on the lack of freedom of the press in several countries, and at the same time urged the Venezuelan government to halt its attacks on the media and the Cuban government to free the more than 20 imprisoned independent journalists.

The Global Coordinating Committee, which is composed of seven organizations devoted to defending press freedom worldwide, including IAPA, met May 30th in Paris for its regular semi-annual meeting to review joint initiatives and strategies.

Meeting on that date were representatives from the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Inter American Press Association, the International Association of Broadcasting, the International Press Institute, the World Association of Newspapers, and the World Press Freedom Committee.

Representing the IAPA was its International Affairs Committee President, Jorge Canahuati, director of La Prensa, San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Full texts of the Venezuela and Cuba Resolutions released after the meeting, follow:

Venezuela The Global Coordinating Committee resolves:

To strongly condemn the crimes, attacks and harassment against the media, their journalists and directors which result in attacks on Freedom of Expression in Venezuela To demand the return of Radio Caracas Television’s over-the-air signal and of the facilities illegally seized from that channel To call upon the Council of the Organization of American States to take the necessary measures for the restoration of Freedom of Expression in Venezuela, mainly the observance of the sentences issued by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and of the precautionary measures in favor of journalists, workers and directors of Radio Caracas Television and Globovisión To denounce the ongoing practice of the use of official advertising as a means for the government of President Chávez to apply pressure on independent media.

Cuba The Global Coordinating Committee resolves:

To demand the unconditional release of the imprisoned journalists and recognition by the government of the independent practice of the profession To demand an end to the repressive acts against independent journalists and their families To call upon the Cuban government to allow the immediate departure of the journalists who have received visas to emigrate from the country To roundly condemn the intensification of governmental control over the use of the Internet and the hampering of access to the blogs produced from Cuba To demand of the government acceptable treatment of the foreign correspondents who carry out their work in Cuba. Reads : 225

Grenada improving education and training for students
ST GEORGE’S Grenada (GIS) — The government of Grenada says it is moving to address the World Bank’s concern that school leavers are not sufficiently skilled to support business and enterprise demands.

In this regard, Parliament on Monday agreed to an EC$1.9 million loan from the World Bank to improve the quality of education and training offered to students in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

In 2006, the financial institution issued a report indicating that Grenada faces the biggest regional challenge with regard to the skills of its population. The report ranked Grenada last in the Western Hemisphere.

Government officials have been working feverishly to rectify the problem which Finance Minister Nazim Burke, Leader of Government Business in the Lower House, has described as a cause for alarm.

Burke, who is also Minister of Economic Development, said the aim is to improve the quality of education, as well as strengthen the management of education.

He said counselling was among five areas identified for special recognition in the education improvement plan.

“It is no secret that one of the major shortcomings of our education system has been the lack of trained counsellors to assist and guide our young people in their career development choices,” Minister Burke said.

“This program provides for 20 counsellors at the undergraduate level, an additional 12 at the master’s level, which I believe will go a long way in the quality of education in our country.”

Over 17,000 primary and secondary school students stand to benefit from the programme.