A group of journalists and media practitioners from across Guyana met on Sunday at the National Racquet Centre for the much anticipated and long overdue Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), and elections of office bearers were held.
Nazima Raghubir has been elected the first female president of this local press body. The lone contender for the position, Raghubir managed to get enough votes to secure that post.
Zoisa Fraser of Stabroek News was elected Vice President, while Newsroom’s
Nazima Raghubir (centre) and the newly-elected GPA executive
Fareeza Haniff was elected treasurer, and Royden James of HGP Nightly News was elected Assistant Secretary/Treasurer.
Committee Members elected are: Ariana Gordon, Svetlana Marshall and Rawle Toney of the Guyana Chronicle; and veteran journalist and Demerara Waves Editor, Denis Chabrol.
On Saturday, Raghubir, who works as an anchor and journalist for Prime News, said in an email that she decided to run for the leadership of the GPA after some deliberations.
“I feel that with the collective support of GPA’s membership I can lead an association that represents all media workers over the next two years,” she said.
She has been a member of the media and GPA for more than a decade, and a member of the executive committee of the Association of Caribbean Media
Newly elected GPA President, Nazima Raghubir
Workers (ACM) over the last two years.
According to Raghubir, her approach to strengthening the GPA will be based on collective action. “The GPA is as strong as its members, and I would encourage members to support the Association, not only at the upcoming elections, but beyond,” she explained.
She believes that the leadership of GPA must focus on building a strong and financially sustainable organization, with a broadened mandate to execute projects based on the skills of its membership and allies, and must be able to widen the membership base of the organisation while maintaining its integrity as an association of journalists and media workers operating on traditional and new media platforms.
As president of the organization, she also plans to strengthen relations with regional and international organisations interested in media development in Guyana, and in press freedom issues.
“Building capacity in our ability to respond to crises when they arise, and develop protocols to guide the leadership and members… Developing greater solidarity across the borders of commercial competition through joint projects and activities that promote greater cohesion,” she has committed to delivering.
Raghubir also hopes that, with the help of her executive, she would be able to achieve a pathway for the communicating of concerns over the coverage of state institutions. Plans will also be made to review and revise the Constitution of the GPA, to take into account the changing realities of media in Guyana.
And a public communication strategy and plan to promote informed opinion on the work and functions of the organisation would also be developed. In addition to that, the new GPA president said, she would work towards strengthening existing relations with the international diplomatic community resident in Guyana, with particular reference to their interest in media development.
Raghubir was endorsed by outgoing President of the GPA, Neil Marks, who said in a social media post on Sunday that he enjoyed a very successful tenure as President, but would not be seeking re-election.
“I wish to wholeheartedly support Nazima Raghubir’s candidacy for the Presidency. She is fiercely independent, incredibly efficient, and an absolutely tireless worker. The mandate of the GPA would be well served with her lead,” he stated.
