Four New Members Accepted to the PRSJ

FOUR NEW MEMBERS ACCEPTED INTO THE PRSJ

Vice President, Membership, Analisa Downes, announced the admittance of four new members to the Society at the June 15 meeting. The members were selected after a review of their applications by the Executive. The Society will benefit from their experience in journalism and public relations and also input in the key areas of public health and disaster preparation and response.

They new members are:

Journalist, radio producer and Communications Manager, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

Mr Cecil Thoms;

Public Education and Community Relations Manager at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA)

Mr Jamal Tugman;

Information Officer at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM)

Ms Kimberley Weller;

Journalist and Media Coordinator Embassy of the United States of America - Public Affairs Section,
Ms Fern White.

The Society extends a warm welcome and congratulations to the new members and look forward to their active involvement in the Society.

Click here for link to online application form.

INVESTMENT IN MALES, THE ONLY SOLUTION - SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGIST DR HERBERT GAYLE

Investment In Males, The Only Solution – Social Violence Expert Dr Herbert Gayle

Kingston: June 17, 2010                                                                            Listen to full presentation

Noted Anthropologist of Social Violence, Dr Herbert Gayle, repeated the call for more investment in boys and young men as that was the only way to reduce the nation’s homicide rate, which he says ranks as two concurrent civil wars.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Public Relations Society of Jamaica on June 15 in Kingston, the University of the West Indies Lecturer and reseracher said that men have a long memory of hurt, and for them, revenge is natural.

Despite what Dr Gayle considers to be an obvious need, he said that it was very hard for male-focussed projects, such as Fathers Incorporated, to secure funding for projects that will help young men to cope with their disadvantaged situations. He went on to highlight the public education system as one area for urgent reform as he says it does not offer full education participation. As a result, he said, a full one-third of Jamaican males cannot read or write.

Dr Gayle called on public relations practitioners to be a part of civil society action that will promote long term solutions. He said that government must be encouraged to have a framework for a social state and a strong central political authority.

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"Training is something that you need to raise the platform socially", Dr Herbert Gayle.