Minutes General Meeting November 27 2013

Minutes of the General Meeting

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

New Kingston Conference Centre (NKCC)

New Kingston Business Centre, 30 Dominica Drive, Kingston 10

Present

• Mr Christopher Benjamin, President, Consultant
• Mr Rohan Powell, VP Membership, RJR
• Mr Durrant Pate, Institute of Jamaica
• Mr Ellis James Laing, Bureau of Standards
• Mr Gordon Brown, Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission
• Mrs Gwyneth Davidson, General Secretary, Cabinet Office

Apologies

• Past President Dayner Azzellino, Marc Astuta
• Ms Meris Haughton, Tax Administration of Jamaica
• Ms Maxine Francis, King's House
• Mr Leo McEwan, Ministry of Transport, Works, Housing

Visitors

• Kimberlyn Williams, Registrar General's Department 

President Christopher Benjamin,
Kimberlyn Williams, Gordon Brown

The meeting was called to order at 6:05 PM by President Benjamin.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

MATTERS ARISING
2013 Communication Conference
President Benjamin updated the meeting that the New Kingston Conference Centre would be the venue for the conference. The panel discussions for the day were reviewed and further suggestions were made and it was accepted that the conference would be on one day, Friday November 21, and not across two days. The PRSJ aims to have a $5,000 registration fee.

The subject areas for presentation are: News Media; Social Media; Corporate Affairs; PR and Entrepreneurship. It was agreed that the one-day event may facilitate presentation of individual case studies.

In order to cover the material, it was suggested by the meeting that registration will start at 7AM for an 8AM start. The PRSJ executive will publicise this information shortly in order to allow persons to make appropriate plans.

President Benjamin noted that he had approached a highly respected media practitioner as a panelist, and was advised that the appearance comes with a fee. The PRSJ is not in a position to pay presenters. The meeting assigned persons to follow up with several proposed presenters.

K Williams suggested that companies that provide advertising services would be suitable as booth holders for the conference. This view was accepted and billboard, merchandise branding, in-store television monitor branding and printeries would be approached. Jampro would also be approached.

The meeting was advised that Past President Patricia Gillings had agreed to undertake the printing of the conference magazine, which would include a listing of practitioners who are known to the PRSJ.

Christmas Event - December 15, PAJ HQ
The PRSJ Christmas event will be an afternoon lyme on December 15 from 1PM to 5PM at the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) at 5 East Avenue. D Pate secured a special rate for the use of the property. President Benjamin will approach Stephen Jones of Boon Hall Oasis on the cost of catering.



ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was general discussion on topical matters.
Editorial Independence in Newsrooms
It was noted that the PAJ in its event at CARIMAC earlier that day discussed the loss of independence when journalists and editors accepted hospitality from businesses. Meeting attendees expanded on examples of how corporate organisations in Jamaica had pulled advertisements when after giving hotel rooms or day passes to media workers, their direct requests for editorial space were not granted. It was also noted that the editorial managers and business managers in media houses sometimes do not agree on how to proceed on this matter.

Durrant Pate, Rohan Powell, Ellis James Laing

Registration of Civic Groups
The discussions in Parliament on having mandatory registration of civil society groups whose primary goal is to lobby for causes was also brought up. The proposal in Parliament is that this is how the funding of these groups would be disclosed. The general view of the meeting is that such a registration would hamper freedom of expression and create its own bureaucracy.

It was however noted that such groups that had large budgets to do their work should be registered as companies and in this way, the source of funding would be disclosed in annual returns.

Lobby groups that do not have large budgets but do have access to the media were considered to be allowed to have their freedom of expression without regulation.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 PM on a motion moved by President Benjamin.

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Minutes General Meeting October 29, 2013

Minutes of the General Meeting

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

New Kingston Conference Centre (NKCC)

New Kingston Business Centre, 30 Dominica Drive, Kingston 10

Present

• Mr Christopher Benjamin, President, Consultant
• Mr Rohan Powell, VP Membership, RJR
• Ms Maxine Francis, Assistant General Secretary, King's House
• Mrs Janneth Mornan Green, Past President, Media Central Ltd
• Ms Cheryl Smith, Ministry of Finance and Planning
• Mr Durrant Pate, Institute of Jamaica
• Mr Ellis James Laing, Bureau of Standards
• Mrs Gwyneth Davidson, General Secretary, Cabinet Office

Apologies

• Past President Dayner Azzellino
• Ms Meris Haughton, Tax Administration of Jamaica
• Ms Karelle McCormack, Jamaica 4H 
• Phillip Hamilton, International University of the Caribbean
• Dr Carrole Guntley, Ministry of Tourism
• Dr Carroll Edwards, University of the West Indies
• Ms Camille Taylor, PCJ

Visitors

• Mr Oludie Brown, auto trader
• Mr Richard Brown, Student of Business, University of Technology 

The meeting was called to order at 6:17 PM by President Benjamin.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Janneth Mornan Green, Cheryl Smith, Durrant Pate,
visitor Utech student, Richard Brown

Avoiding Bad News
The meeting discussed current public affairs and President Benjamin noted the quote by UK publicist Max Clifford, "Hiding from people is never a solution."

Others in the meeting endorsed that trying to maintain an information vacuum is not good as it leads to speculation. It was also generally agreed that any information officer who sought to encourage executives to take the initiative and inform the public could be punished.

Views on National Mass Media Content
The ongoing challenges of having stories that do not have an "exciting" lead or events that may not win over an audience carried in main stream media was discussed.

There was also discussion on the struggle that some producers have to attempt as they try to replicate what is offered in US markets and they ignore indigenous material. The TVJ programme All Together Sing was commended for being a programme with local content and focus that was of high quality.

Rohan Powell, visitor Oludie Brown, Maxine Francis

MATTERS ARISING
2013 Communicator Conference
President Benjamin advised the meeting that factors including the change in the exchange rate was behind the decision not to have a main presenter from overseas. The current model of the conference is to have a series of six panels of business experts across various industries and professional disciplines.

The objectives of the conference are:
Facilitate professional development of ideas through sharing experiences
Lift the profile of the society
Fundraising for the society.

J Mornan Green suggested several persons who had stories to tell of outstanding PR experiences; she also noted the need to attract the interest of practitioners in the 25 to 40 age group.

The registration for the conference was being targetted for $10,000 for non-members and $8,500 for members. J Mornan Green suggested that the society raise sponsorships and keep the registration fee at no more than $6,000 per person.

Christopher Benjamin, Maxine Francis, Ellis James Laing

NEW BUSINESS
Christmas Event
It was suggested that the society host an event on December 15. R Foster and D Pate to investigate the possibility of having the event at the Press Association of Jamaica.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was general discussion on several matters.

Personal Mentions

Congratulations
The meeting received the welcome news that Past President Dayner Clarke had given birth and wished her every happiness.

Condolences
The meeting extended condolences to Executive Member Rohan Powell who recently buried his mother.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The date of the next meeting is, 5:30PM November 19, 2013, NKCC.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM on a motion moved by President Benjamin and seconded by M Francis.

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Minutes - General Meeting June 25 2013

Minutes

General Meeting

Wednesday, June 25, 2013

Valencia D - Spanish Court Hotel

Present

• Christopher Benjamin, President, consultant
• Durrant Pate, IOJ
• Gwyneth Davidson, Cabinet Office
• Leo McEwan, Ministry of Transport, Works, Housing
• Maxine Francis, Assistant Gen Sec, King’s House
• Maxine McDonnough, Touchstone Productions
• Phillip Hamilton, IUC
• Rohan Powell, First VP, RJR Group,
• Karelle McCormack, 4H Clubs
• Durrant Pate, Institute of Jamaica
• Gwyneth Davidson, General Secretary, Cabinet Office

Apologies for absence

• Analisa Downes Allen, SLB
• Alison Christie Binger, Illuminarte
• Dayner Azzellino, Trustee, Marc Astuta
• Janneth Mornan Green, consultant
• Kathleen Johnson, consultant
• Meris Haughton, VP Membership
• Clea Mayne, (UK)
• Claudette Myers, PIOJ
• Opal Davis, NSWMA

Visitors

• David Brown, Ministry of Transport, Works, Housing
• Patrice Tomlinson, Citizen’s Security and Justice Programme (CSJP)
• Leroy Porteus, CSJP
• Peta Gay Hodges, consultant

Call to order

The meeting was called to order at 6:0PM by President Benjamin.

Prayers were said by Maxine Francis.

President Benjamin welcomed the attendees and received apologies for absence.

OLD BUSINESS

UWI Singers Benefit - June 9

Vice President Leo McEwan expressed disappointment on the lack of support from members and appealed for better support in the future. The reconciliation is not yet complete, and all persons with returns are asked to do so. DPate noted that not enough time was given to sell tickets.

C Benjamin noted that the benefit was for collaboration and members to socialise more than as a fund raiser.

2013 PR Conference

C Benjamin gave an update on the plans for the conference. He noted that there were attempts to have a conference over the past four years, and with the guidance of Dr Carroll Edwards of UWI, plans were now well underway.

Date

September 19 - 20, 2013

Proposed Speakers

The overall theme is crisis communication, and local experts on the topic of crisis communication to cover social media, sports and entertainment..

Featured speaker to be Leading USA crisis communicator, Judy Smith. Consultant for the political thriller ABC TV series, Scandal.

Ms Smith’s speaking fee is being negotiated down from US$12,000 to US$10,000 per engagement. The plan is that she would speak twice. At the main conference and to students of PR from comms faculties of UWI, UTech, IUC, ICC, and NCU.

Fundraising and Sponsorship

The proposal is in its final stages of preparation. Advances have already been made to the Minister of Information and national media.

The meeting suggested that the conference also facilitate booths.

Venue

The audience expressed a preference to have the conference at a conference facility on the North Coast.

Registration Fee

The meeting suggested that the cost not exceed the equivalent of US$150 with a consideration for members. It was suggested that a hotel package also be pursued.

NEW BUSINESS

What the PRSJ can do for Me - Discussion

The gathering suggested that the PRSJ should facilitate vibrant networking so that members can collaborate profesionally; also that the society should facilitate and promote ongoing professional development. D Beckford noted that practitioners should consider membership essential for their career credentials and seek to be part of a community and not “out there on their own”.

D Pate said that persons like himself coming in from other professions see the society as a place to grow professionally. The relevance of the newsletter was discussed, and D Beckford noted that it was useful and actually motivated her to attend the meeting.

It was suggested that the meetings could be structured so that it has a learning component so that members have an opportunity to improve skills.  M McDonnough suggested that public speaking could be one such skill, where meetings would allow coaching in this area.

K McCormack suggested that the society undertake a social cause. The gathering was reminded that the society had supported educational causes (MoE pre schoolers book drive, Ostend special school toy drive, and Allman Town Primary labour day projects).

M McDonnough noted that the society could donate time and expertise to assist a charity organisation that needed PR support.

L McEwan called for the creation of a register of professionals who would be expected to meet standards of skills and conduct.

It was agreed that each general meeting does not need a guest speaker, and that this would be reduced to once per quarter.

To improve enjoyment at meetings, the giving of small tokens as prizes for attendance, good conduct and carrying a guest will be done.

Members were reminded:

Twitter: PRSJm
Facebook: Jamaica PRSJ and Public Relations Society of Jamaica 

AOB

Permanent Office

This matter was not advanced at the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:16PM by C Benjamin on a motion seconded by Leo McEwan.

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Notice of PRSJ Annual General Meeting 2013

Paid up members 2012-2013