ClarkeOLIVER CLARKE, chairman and managing director of The Gleaner Company Ltd., the English-speaking Caribbean's leading newspaper, has accepted the role of President of the London-based Commonwealth Press Union (CPU), an honorary post which he will hold for the next five years.
He will be the first president appointed from the Caribbean region, and his appointment fills the vacancy left by the death of Lyle Turnbull, in 2003.
HONORARY POSITION
"The presidency of the CPU is largely an honorary position as the organisation is run by the executive committee. However, I hope to assist the CPU to build up relationships with smaller newspapers in developing countries," Mr. Clarke said.
Mr. Clarke is already well-known to many CPU members as the long-standing chairman of the CPU's Caribbean arm.
He hopes to use his new position to facilitate better training opportunities for journalists and media workers from the Caribbean region.
"They do a lot of training. I hope to influence the CPU, with its limited budget, to provide additional training opportunities to the media in the Caribbean," he said.
Mr. Clarke, a major advocate of press freedom, also promised to use his new post to strongly oppose infringements of press freedom wherever such cases arise anywhere in the world.
