St Kitts and Nevis-based Guyanese journalist Clive Bacchus is the new president of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM).
Bacchus was elected at the seventh biennial general assembly of the organisation in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on October 26, the association said in a release. He will be supported by First Vice President Peter Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, and Second Vice President Dr Canute James of Jamaica. Former President Wesley Gibbings will serve as general secretary, and the assistant general secretary is Martina Johnson of Antigua and Barbuda. The new floor members are Onel Sanford-Belle of St Lucia and Jabari Fraser of Trinidad and Tobago.
Meanwhile, a leading Caribbean economist said “a robust regional media organisation is vital to the development of the Caribbean region”. Zhivargo Laing congratulated the new executive of the ACM, adding that “it is the fourth estate that strengthens democracy by informing and educating the public about local, regional, and international developments”.
Laing, the former Bahamian finance minister, congratulated Bacchus, a respected veteran journalist and general manager of WINN FM, on his election as president of the ACM.
Protecting freedom of expression
The ACM, through the efforts of its outgoing president, has played a leadership role, along with other media organisations, in protecting freedom of expression and information, Laing informed.
“Unfortunately, many of us take these freedoms for granted and some of us in leadership trample on them. But there is no question, we need an enlightened and informed media to hold stakeholders in the public, private, and non-government sectors accountable,” Laing stated.
The media is a partner in development and greater engagement with editors and reporters is important “to open unfettered lines of communication on all issues affecting the Caribbean”, he believes.
The economist and entrepreneur showered further congratulations on the first vice president, second vice president, and assistant general secretary on their election.
