By Robert Lalah, Staff ReporterTHE PRESS Association of Jamaica (PAJ), yesterday launched the Hugh Shearer Fund for Retired Journalists, which is intended to provide assistance to those in the
profession who have fallen on hard times.
Speaking at the launch of the fund at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, Desmond Richards, president of the PAJ said: "The launch of this fund is an historic occasion for everyone in the journalism fraternity."
Mr. Richards said there have been too many stories of retired journalists who have had extreme financial difficulties during the winter years of their lives and so the PAJ decided that it was time to do something to help "these fallen soldiers."
Arnold Foote, dean of the consular corps of Jamaica and the designated chairperson for the fund yesterday explained the details of the programme.
"The objective of the fund in phase 1 is $10 million. This money will be put on long term deposit and the interest will be used to give assistance to those retired members of the journalism fraternity who have fallen on hard times. The principal will never be touched," he said.
APPEALING FOR HELP
Mr. Foote went on to appeal to corporate Jamaica to assist with the building of the fund, saying the cause was extremely important and deserved the attention of anyone who could help. He called also for a multi-dimensional approach to providing assistance to the retired journalists.
"We should not only seek to provide financial assistance, but should try to help in any other area possible, even loneliness which has become a major problem among the elderly," he said, adding that organised visits to lonely retirees would go a far way.
Explaining the reasoning behind naming the fund after the former Prime Minister, who died earlier this year, Mr. Foote said, "Shearer was always concerned with the profession, being a member himself. He would always inquire about journalists who fell on hard times and often sought to give them his support."
One of Mr. Shearer's early appointments at the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union was editor of the organisation's newspaper.
Mr. Foote got the fund off the ground by making a personal presentation of one hundred thousand dollars to the PAJ president. A representative of PRO Communications also presented a cheque for twenty thousand dollars.
