President of a new press association in Dominica, the Dominica Media and Communications Association (DMCA), Garvin Richards has said the organization will not be bullied by any political party and has appealed to members to work together to enhance media practice in Dominica.
The DMCA held its first annual general meeting on Saturday, February 3, 2018, where the name of the organization was changed from the interim ‘Dominica Press Corps.’
Richards, who was interim president, was voted in as President of the the DCMA.
The then Dominica Press Corps was criticized by some on social media as being heavily affiliated to the ruling Dominica Labour Party but addressing the AGM, Richards told members that they have a code of ethics to uphold, the DCMA will not sit by silently on serious matters and will not be bullied by any political party.
“We must remember we in the media have a code of ethics that we must uphold, we must report the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help us God,” he stated. “We must feel free to operate in an environment free from political and corporate inference, we must not turn a blind eye to the injustices in society for fear of stepping on someone’s toes.”
He stated that it is not the intent of the DCMA to be a political party or a trade union.
“But we will not sit by silently on serious matters affecting the country but neither will be bullied by any political party, red green blue or yellow to give inputs on issues,” he said.
Richards said the role of the DCMA is to protect the freedom of the press, to protect its members and to ensure that the public get correct and factual news.
“With the advent of social media we have all seen the impact fake news has had on the public,” he remarked. “With that being said, the onus is on each and every one of us to examine ourselves. Do we see media work as just a job that pays the bills or are we passionate about it? Are we willing to sacrifice to protect the integrity of our profession, do we understand the power that we possess with our pens and recorders and cameras? With great powers come an even greater responsibility and my friends, I want us to be aware of the impact that we can have on society with the stories that we produce and the stories that we don’t produce.”
He said the media in Dominica is at a crossroad and the future of the practice rests in the hands of members of the DCMA.
“The next few months will decide if Dominica remains a member of the Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers (ACM),” Richards noted. “In 2018, this ought not to be the case. Dominica has produced the likes of the great Ken and Peter Richards, Curtis Matthew, the award-winning Felix Henderson and Felix Augustine Jr. of GIS and BET fame, Ferdinand Frampton, may his soul rest in peace and Denis Joseph to name a few.”
The DCMA is seeking to replace the Media Workers Association of Dominica (MWAD), which has been dormant in recent years and which has its membership suspended by the ACM.
“It is a shame that in 2018 Dominica’s position on the ACM has been suspended,” Richards lamented. “We have let down the pioneers who blazed the way before us, but all is not lost, we can only achieve this if we work together.”
Richards revealed that training is going to be top on the agenda of the DCMA.
“My fellow members, training is a key area of focus,” he said. “We believe that training in our field is lacking and we can only meet the needs of the public if we are able to improve on our skills. Training is top on our agenda and we are going to source opportunities locally, regionally and internationally.”
He stated the process has already begun with the DCMA sending three members to St. Lucia to attend a regional workshop and a meeting was held with the ambassador of Qatar and discussions are ongoing for possible opportunities for a visit to the Middle Eastern country for training opportunities.
The DCMA presently boasts 69 members and was granted observer status at the ACM General Assembly in March in Barbados.
All this bs talk about DBS is red….
Clearly all of you people on this website are UWPers….GO save allu dying party…time is wasting look elections just now..hahahaha
Mr. Richard, if you want us to believe you, why didn’t you call for a boycott of the press briefing or make a statement in terms of the legitimate opposition and the UWP press core not been invited to meet President Clinton.
UWP looking for help? Stupes leave Mr Richards alone let UWP fight their own battle
My brother you all have a long way to go before I give you credit over the more seasoned journalist willing to write about everything that affects us as a people.
You can’t just form a group and force people to take you seriously.
Talk is cheap!
Ask de questions the common man will ask.
I don’t expect you to bring back the days of Johnson johnrose.
My brother you can’t ask de burning questions…. like you fraid.. I older than you…. I know where we came from and how we got lost and buried our heads in the sand
Sometimes you journalist speak right out of the ruling government handbook… this is what we see on the outside looking in……….my goodness prove us wrong nuh?????!!!!
Lmao…. Matt get off DNO…go pong beff on your fake news radio show
I hope they do their job well. We will be listening. And why are these persons on their phones are they recording the proceedings.
why mr always where shades…he blind or what???!!
**wear shades**
No but he suffered a major near death illness that almost cost him his sight. Thank God is survived.
Workers calamity party and supporters are now running like rats, New kids on the block they workers will not be able to tell so many lies i hope !?
Is it courteous to address a forum wearing dark sunglasses indoors, or is that for show or out right disrespectful?
Media is important in any democracy, sadly it seems like even in media reporting, he who pays the piper calls the tunes..remember how the tone of the Chronicle changed a few years ago when it changed ownership???…
Are you aware that there was an entire television feature done on Marpin, detailing the medical complications that makes it necessary for him to wear sunglasses all the time to protect his eyes?
You learn something new everyday. Give the guy a break.
My mam told me never trust a man hiding his eyes behind dark glasses, especially when he is in the shadows, because he does not want you to read his face.
The media play a very critical role in any democratic society by bringing the ungarnished truth to the people. Most of the present media outlets in Dominica are compromised by political biases. If this new media association refuses to demand the complete depoliticization of the State radio station (DBS) then they are not even worth a grain of salt. DBS is owned by the people. It’s not a Labor Party entity. All political parties should have access to it without abusing this privilege. This is what true democracy is about. The government uses DBS as its rag doll. Cannot be right for any ruling regime to have exclusive rights to the State media outlets ( radio and television) and deny access to other political parties. , no matter which party is in power. There should be a level playing field.
Will q95 lead so dbs can follow?
I said before and will say again.
The now leader of the opposition uwp was at dbs while angilo alleyn a well know political activists for the uwp from 1988 to present) was news editor of dbs.
Who appointed him? Who appointed lennox to dbs?
Ask dennis joseph he will tell you.
So wen u talking about politics in the state own radio station
Gis dave was heading it. Did u see one program of the opposition on gis?
The then prime minister edison james was on talking point with shirmain green brown when a question was posed to him by a young man. Asking “sir why isnt gis playing the opposition leader rossie douglas programs?” You know wat his response was? “ this is a government information service. Its not a opposition information service. There its a government properganda machinery not for opposition propaganda”.
And you have the guts to talk about dbs is political??
Shame u all don’t have.
Mwad dead under all you. So stfu
Check your dates…you are mis leading the natiion..
The journalist in Dominica are afraid to ask the hard question when interviewing skerritt, and his cronies , the are just blowing smoke they are cowards they are not fooling the Dominican public, why cant they go for training in the states, where there are real journalist , who ask the real hard questions.
We the people need to respect journalists for all that they do for us in bringing us the truth. These days it’s not easy.
Garvin your a labourite who you fooling,hiding behind the dark sunglasses tells it all.
Sooooo what!!!! Don’t he have the right to his political affiliations?
What is Matt and can lie supporting?
What was Lennox all his life in marpin DBS and KAIRI?
So according to all u only UWP hold post for it not to be political?
Who heading MWAD? labourites too? You doe see it dead too.
That is all u qualities. Once all u put all u hand on something it must fail cripple or dead sooner or later if we doe have time kick all u out to rescue it. See DBGA DAPEX DBMC EVEN DA ALL U ALMOST KILL. But we was ready for all u.
For UWP they always branding people like people don’t have the right to support who they wishes.
It is ok for them to be but all u can be.
All u have long long long to wait to see power of anything as long as is Dominicans who have to choose.
The man has a medical condition that requires him to wear shades. I remember watching the documentary on him a few years ago put on by Marpin and it brought me to tears what he went through.
You can say what you want, but it is not good to joke on things associated with people’s medical conditions. You never know what will happen to you in life.
I agree. He is a hard core laborite. Garvin stop pretending. Also, when calling names of great trail blazers you have the guts to call Curtis Matthews name. Man you need to go back to primary school. Curtis is not a journalist anymore. Like you and the rest you guys are reporters of whatever your masters tell you to repeat. You guys don’t do any research. You don’t ask real questions.
. Stop playing games my brother. We will wait for your actions…..we will wait. Training where again? Real comedy…….
Go easy on him! Don’t you know he is blind and the speech is in braille?
Please, don’t overplay this. It does not impede his journalistic activities, nor his driving. A handicap? Perhaps, but it does not stop Gavin functioning or curtailing his ambitions.