– but says she may not run again for local association

THE incumbent President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir, was elected President of the Association of Caribbean Media (ACM) Workers on Saturday at the ACM’s 10th biennial general assembly.

Joining Raghubir on the Executive Committee is Emmanuel Joseph, the first Vice-President (Finance); Wesley Gibbings, the second Vice-President; Harvey Panka, the General Secretary; Denis Chabrol (of Guyana), Assistant General-Secretary; Myriam Malmin, Floor Member and Kenton Chance, Floor Member.

They were all elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the association for the period 2021 to 2023. The election was held virtually since, according to Raghubir, the regional associations voted for a resolution on such a virtual election last year.

Raghubir, who was previously elected First Vice-President of the ACM, told the Sunday Chronicle in an invited comment that she hopes to address several issues that are common among journalists across the Caribbean that were raised in country reports submitted.

Some of these issues include how the pandemic has affected access to officials, the lack of access to information and how the cyber-crimes laws in various territories have negatively impacted the work of media professionals; the effects of the pandemic, generally, and natural disasters (such as the ongoing volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines).

“Based on what is raised in the country report and the type of feedback that we had, that [has] informed our agenda for the next couple of years,” Raghubir said on Saturday.

On a more personal note, she said: “I see my role over the next couple of years as building the capacity of regional journalists, advocating for their rights and that the profession moves us in such a way that we continue to build capacity.”

Raghubir highlighted that the association has developed tremendously over the years and that it would be turning 20 years in November of this year. Raghubir was also happy to note that the association has always had a “good mix of people” who have a grasp of the issues in the Caribbean and have good connections with other journalists in the Region.

LOCAL ELECTIONS
Meanwhile, Raghubir said that she may be taking a break from an executive position in the local press association. She, however, underscored that working in the GPA is an opportunity for personal growth and for advancing the interests and rights of local media professionals.

The GPA, like many other media associations in the Caribbean, has been unable to host its elections due to the restrictions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Raghubir highlighted that the GPA has, however, explored the possibility of engaging the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) on granting permission for the hosting of those elections.

Currently, the GPA’s elections cannot be held via a virtual platform since the association’s constitution does not permit same.