Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) presidential candidate Byron Buckley (left) celebrates with colleague journalists Janet Silvera, Rudolph Brown (second left) and Glenroy Sinclair after winning the election held at the PAJ's headquarters in the Corporate Area yesterday.

BYRON BUCKLEY yesterday ended Desmond Richards' five-year reign as president of the 65-year-old Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ).

The 20-year media veteran scored a massive victory at the association's annual general meeting (AGM) held at the PAJ's St Andrew headquarters.

Buckley, an associate editor at The Gleaner, polled 139 votes to Richards' 12.

Richards, the Sunday Herald's boss, had served five successive terms.

In his response to the victory, Buckley said he was happy to have been given the mandate and earmarked several projects which his new administration will undertake.

"I have work to do to execute the mandate and people have raised many issues, such as the need for training," he said. "Around mid-September, we will be rolling out training and my emphasis will be on that."

Buckley also said his team would be looking at the revision of a code of ethics for media practitioners, defining a compensation scale across the media for journalists, and looking at the relationship between the boardroom and the newsroom.

Buckley also thanked the director of elections at the meeting, Carmen Tipling, for what he said was her supervision of a transparent process. Tipling was also honoured with a life membership in the PAJ.

Buckley also thanked Richards and his administration for the work they had done.

Not hurt or disappointed

Outgoing PAJ President Desmond Richards is comforted by Naomi Francis after he lost his bid for a sixth consecutive term in yesterday's PAJ election.

Outgoing President Richards said he was neither hurt nor disappointed by the result as he believed his work as head of the PAJ had transformed the organisation.

He, however, raised concerns about the process of the election.

"I consider the process very unusual and will have much to say when all the facts are considered," he said.

Prior to the vote, Richards and members of his team had raised concerns over the voters list. The matter was, however, settled by the AGM.

Buckley's executive was elected by acclaim. Fae Ellington will serve as first vice-president; Vernon Davidson, second vice-president; Naomi Francis, secretary; Irving Forbes, assistant secretary; and Milton Walker, treasurer.

The team is completed by directors Daraine Luton, Dara Smith, Roger Hutchinson and Janet Silvera.

Veteran journalist John Maxwell votes in the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) election during its annual general meeting at the PAJ's East Avenue headquarters in St Andrew yesterday. Director of the elections, Carmen Tipling (right), oversees the proceedings. - photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer