Members and Past Presidents Gather for Launch of PAJ’s 75th Anniversary

Tags: PAJ 75, Press Association of Jamaica

Dear Members:

Presidents’ Plaque

L-R Ben, Dionne, Byron, Jennifer, Jenni, Canute, Glen

On Saturday evening we held our Pinning Ceremony and Members’ Lyme. The evening

L-R Presidents Patrick, Canute, Jennifer, Ben, Dionne, Glen, Byron

was a great success! Thanks to those of you who came and I am sorry you could not all have been there.

We officially welcomed over 20 new members into the organisation, launched our 75^thanniversary celebrations, and unveiled a part of the special exhibition on the history of the PAJ which the Gleaner is preparing for us as part of the 75^th anniversary celebrations. As I said on Saturday, we have found that we have spent so much time telling other peoples’ stories, our own has not been recorded, and we need to rectify that.

Dionne pins Lloyd B. Smith

We were blessed to have had seven of our Past Presidents there, Past Presidents Ben Brodie, Byron Buckley, Jenni Campbell, Jennifer Grant (first female President of the PAJ) Canute James, Glen McFarlane, Patrick Harley, who were recognised, pinned, and all officially designated Life Members as agreed at our last AGM. We also unveiled a new Presidents’ Plaque as another part of our effort to record our history. (Patrick came a little late so was not pinned and so is not in one picture, and Jenni had to leave after and so is not in the other picture attached).

Part of PAJ’s exhibition on history of organisation

We were also pleased to have hosted Barbara Blake-Hannah, daughter of Evon Blake, one of the co-founders of the PAJ, and her son Makonnen, to share details of her father’s life.

We were especially happy to have welcomed several new members from NCU, and Lloyd B. Smith made the trip from Montego Bay to be with us! We also had several Caribbean journalists in attendance who had attended an investigative journalism workshop in Kingston last week.

Afterwards, we had time for food, fellowship and some shoulder flinging and genna bouncing lol.

Again, it was a wonderful evening. Thanks to everyone for the support and see you at our upcoming Sports Day (watch out for the date!)

Warm regards,

Dionne

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