Media practitioners this morning gathered at the Emmanuel Apostolic Church on Slipe Road in Kingston for the launch of National Journalism Week 2014.‎
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This year, National Journalism Week is being recognised under the theme: ‘‎Guarding democracy’.

The newly installed president of the Press Association of Jamaica, Dionne Jackson-Miller, said Jamaica is to be recognised for embracing the practice of journalism.‎
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“In this country, unlike many other countries, we have freedom of the press,” she said.‎
Lincoln Robinson, senior communication specialist in the Office of the Prime Minister brought greetings on behalf of Senator Sandrea Falconer, the minister with responsibility for information.
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“The media must be fearless‎,” Falconer said in her message.
However, she said the media have to be responsible.
“The media cannot be calling on politicians to uphold standards that they themselves cannot uphold,” she wrote.

‎Her Opposition counterpart, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange had a similar message, saying the media were key in the pursuit of democracy.
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“Even when the Leader of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party gets some ‘licks’, keep doing what you’re doing,” Grange urged.
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“Freedom cannot exist without democracy and democracy cannot exist without a free press,” she said.

And Bishop C. Everton Thomas encouraged the congregation to be faithful.‎