After two-year delay, GPA elections expected later this year

After more than 70 years of its existence, the Guyana Press Association (GPA) elected for the first time a woman, Nazima Raghubir as its President in January 2018.

Since that time, no elections were held and Raghubir along with three others – Svetlana Marshall, Rawle Toney and Denis Chabrol – remain as executive members.

Four other persons who were elected to sit on the executive at the time have since resigned. They are Zoisa Fraser who was elected Vice President, Fareeza Haniff who served as Treasurer and Royden James was elected as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer along with Committee Member Ariana Gordon.

On Wednesday, Raghubir told the News Room those long-overdue elections can be expected in the “near future.” She later clarified the near future to mean before the end of 2022.

She did not indicate if she would seek re-election at that time although she ran unopposed in 2018.

When those elections are held, Raghubir said the membership will have an opportunity to participate in the usual open and transparent process and raised any concerns they have about the performance of the GPA’s current officeholders.

She said the elections, which were due in 2020, were delayed largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All over the world the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed elections from happening but we are now in a different reality and those elections will be held soon,” the GPA President assured.

The GPA, which was established in 1945, is an organisation that represents the interest of practicing media workers in Guyana.