Information Minister, PUL Proxy Bless ASIME

A two-man delegation from the Association of Independent Media Editors or ASIME yesterday met with Executives of the Press Union of Liberia at its Clay Street Headquarters in Monrovia for formal introduction, following its formation on August 7, this year.

Briefing the PUL Executives, ASIME Chairman Augustus B. Fallah, said with the objective of fostering better cooperation among its members to ensuring cohesiveness in their professional duties and responsibilities, the organization was opened to Editors of the Print and Electronic as well as other media related institutions.

Mr. Fallah also told the PUL Executives that the Association was formed to restore hope to the journalism profession that is now engulfed with confidence crisis, as well as organized periodic fora wherein editors will meet to critique the work and performance of each other on a weekly basis.

He noted that ASIME will under take projects and programs to build the capacities of its members and also up-bring prospective editors.

He said as a way of achieving these objectives, the organization has been structured into an Executive Committee, Council of Editors as well as a Committee on Projects and Programs Implementation.

Chairman Fallah further added that it was very important that Executive of the PUL be acquainted with the Association of Independent Media Editors since it was a new auxiliary of union.

Officially welcoming the delegation, the President of the Press Union of Liberia Mr. Terence Sesay noted that the Union saw ASIME as a new effort to buttress its work, adding that its expectation was that the Association would work assiduously to help reduce the Union’s workload.

Mr. Sesay pledged the Union’s cooperation and support to ASIME, emphasizing that just as it has always afforded other axillaries the opportunities to benefit from programs and projects, the Editors will have their day.

He also acknowledged the confidence crisis facing the Liberian media as mentioned in ASIME’s objectives, expressing the hope that the Union and its new axillaries will work together in restoring hope to the media.

PUL’s Vice President Malcolm Joseph also challenged the Association to be resolute in pursuance of the objectives.
Mr. Joseph, however, warned members of ASIME against playing partisan role, especially at the time when Liberia is progressing toward elections in 2005.

The ASIME delegation also had similar acquaintance meeting with the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. C. William Allen last Thursday on Capitol Hill.

Minister Allen congratulated ASIME for its formation, and said, it has emerged at a time when the media needed reform.

He promised his Ministry’s fullest cooperation with the Association, and extended to it an official invitation to participate in the forthcoming Media Conference in Monrovia.

ASIME’s Chairman Augustus Fallah was accompanied by the Secretry General, Mr. George K. Barpeen, Jr.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gus D. Jaeploe and F. Shelton Gonkerwon have been appointed, Coordinator and assistant coordinator respectively of the Council Of Editors Committee. Other members are Cheechiary Jablasone, J. N. Elliot and Chesty Gbongon.

The Council of Editors will meet weekly, peruse and critique the outputs of the various media institutions and make recommendations to the Executive Committee for action.

Also appointed yesterday, as Coordinator of the Projects and Programs Implementation was Mr. S. Kpankpayezee Dwako.

Other members include Josiah S. Hallie, Herbert Johnson as well as Alphonsus Zeon and James Lloud.